Yesterday

Puritan's founder, Abraham Penn, taught a valuable lesson that has been a part of the Puritan Tradition since 1919 when he said: "I'd rather make a friend than make a sale." Since that time, Puritan has made many, many friends and continues to do so to this day.

He began in a modest Plymouth, MA store he and his partner purchased for $4,000. They believed they had to provide classic, impeccably tailored clothing and personalized service in order to succeed, and each had to be of the highest quality possible. In 1925, after expanding the business to include uniform sales, they expanded geographically with the first of the on-Cape stores. It was located in Chatham, MA, and they chose that location in order to service the nearby Coast Guard Station, as well as Chatham residents. It was the uniform sales that proved critical in helping the still young company survive the Depression years.

Abe's sons, Milton and Howard, both joined their father's business at early ages, working in the Plymouth store filling orders and wrapping packages. When the Hyannis store was opened, they could be seen sweeping sidewalks and washing the storefront windows. These experiences taught them the value of hard work and attention to detail, traits that would serve them well when they assumed responsibility for the stores later in life. In turn, they passed these values on to their own children, so that Puritan today is in the hands of third generation Penns.