When Sam Scherper reincorporated his shop, Adam’s Hat and Shirt Company, in downtown Milwaukee, Wisc., in the 1940s, budget constraints forced a creative decision. He could only afford a sign with eight letters, so he dropped the “C” from his surname, creating the Sherper’s brand.
Adaptability to the community’s needs over everything else has been a key to success at Sherper’s, which celebrates its 90th year in October.
World War II transformed the business from formal menswear to military uniforms and footwear. When Sam’s sons, Donald and Boyce, returned from the war, they recognized opportunity in government surplus auctions, pivoting the company toward army-navy surplus goods. In the ‘60s, the store started selling camping gear, and in the ‘80s, they expanded into outdoor sporting goods and hunting gear.
“We don’t force ourselves to fit any one mold,” said Nathan Scherper, the great-grandson of Sam and current president of the three Wisconsin stores, in an interview with SESO. “Instead, we assort each of our stores to what our customers are looking for, that they can’t find elsewhere, and at the low prices we have always offered.”
The original storefront in 1935 in downtown Milwaukee. Photo courtesy of Sherper’s.
Three Stores, Three Personalities
Today, Sherper’s has three locations, each tailored to its community, while maintaining the family’s core values, Scherper said.
The suburban Hales Corners flagship spans 14,000 square feet and caters to the broadest demographic along the major interstate corridor. Oconomowoc covers 8,000 square feet in Wisconsin’s Lake Country region and serves farming communities and lake recreation enthusiasts. The 6,000 square-foot Port Washington store emphasizes water sports with its proximity to Lake Michigan, the marina and a separate kayak rental operation.
“We give our store managers a lot of leeway,” Scherper said. “I think that’s been good, because it always takes on the feel of the people that work there and the feel of the community.”
This localized approach allows Sherper’s to serve everyone from collectors willing to spend $1,200 on a premium knife to budget-conscious shoppers seeking $5.99 flannel shirts, Scherper said. The wide price range and product diversity might confuse some customers, but he sees it as essential to serving entire communities rather than narrow demographics.
Photo courtesy of Sherper’s.
The Corporate Detour
As a 12-year-old working his first summer job at the family business, Scherper’s aunt handed him a yellow notepad and a simple directive: catalog every single product in the store, marking anything he couldn’t identify. Hours later, after what felt like an exhaustive inventory, she sent him back. “There’s no way you covered every single product,” she said. The lesson was clear — attention to detail mattered, and being a Scherper meant earning your place through hard work, not birthright.
“That was my first experience of work,” Nathan recalls. “(It) doesn’t matter that your last name — or your misspelled last name — is on the outside of the store. You’re going to be treated like any other employee or maybe even a little bit harder.”
Sherper’s had more of a military surplus feel to it in the ’90s. Photo courtesy of Sherper’s.
As an adult, Scherper was encouraged by his parents to explore opportunities outside of the family business. After graduating college in 2008’s challenging economic climate, Scherper joined Abercrombie & Fitch, initially planning a two-year stint that stretched into six years. The corporate experience proved invaluable, teaching him management skills, financial acumen and retail best practices that small family businesses sometimes lack, he said.
“I think the biggest thing that I learned at Abercrombie was how to manage people,” Scherper said. “How to structure things, set up meetings, and create a review process.”
The corporate world also exposed Nathan to ecommerce during its infancy. When he returned to Sherper’s in 2015, the family business had a basic website that functioned more like a digital business card than a sales platform, representing less than 1% of revenue. One of Scherper’s first big moves was to hire an ecommerce manager. Now, ecommerce constitutes a significant portion of their business, he said.
Building a Culture of Retention and Excellence
One of Sherper’s most significant differentiators has been employee retention. Every direct report Scherper has hired since returning to the business remains with the company, many for five-plus years. He didn’t realize it was an accomplishment until his therapist pointed out how rare it is in today’s environment.
“I don’t think it’s something that I even realized or bragged about,” he said. “But that is something that I’ve reflected on. I think I got some really good mentors and bosses at Abercrombie who taught me a lot of things about dealing with different people and different personalities.”
Dressing up for Flannel Fest. Photo courtesy of Sherper’s.
The company also boasts several employees with decades of tenure, including one approaching 25 years and others recently retired after 30 years, which helps build strong relationships with customers.
“We’ve got customers at some of the stores that stop in daily with their dogs on dog walks and a lot of customers that are in every couple weeks,” Scherper said. “It’s that true neighborhood shop customer service.”
Celebrating Nine Decades and Looking Ahead
Rather than a single corporate event, Sherper’s is hosting three separate block parties at each location, complete with local bands, brewery partnerships, and $30,000 in giveaways.
In addition to planning the parties, Scherper has also managed a point-of-sale system conversion and website development this year.
From left: Nathan Scherper’s brother Rob Scherper sets up on the first day of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nathan Scherper’s sister-in-law, Sarah Scherper, attends Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, which they joined this year. Photos courtesy of Sherper’s.
“We only turn 90 once,” Scherper said, adding that he hopes to see both longtime and new customers at the celebrations.
Looking ahead, Scherper is applying lessons learned through COVID-19, economic uncertainty, and changing consumer behavior to today’s challenges, from tariff concerns to evolving retail landscapes. When COVID shut down operations, Nathan personally answered phones and delivered products to customers’ homes, demonstrating the kind of personalized service that differentiates small businesses from corporate competitors.
The company’s willingness to evolve remains its greatest strength, he said. Whether adapting to new product categories, embracing e-commerce, or responding to global disruptions, Sherper’s continues the tradition of nimble adaptation that has sustained four generations.
As Nathan looks toward the future, he said he’ll continue to focus on adapting to today’s new challenges, such as refining digital marketing and multi-channel retail.
“The biggest thing is, don’t give people a reason not to shop with us,” Scherper said. “Figure out what our competitive advantages are and highlight those to people.”
Kate Robertson can be reached at kate@shop-eat-surf-outdoor.com.
