About Graham's

The Graham name, men’s clothing, and Main Street have been a part of Dubuque’s history since 1905. Born in 1886, Ed Graham, began a career in the clothing business in 1905 with Boston clothiers. In 1921 Ed joined Kraft Clothing Store as general manager. Following the advice and encouragement of clothing vendors and manufacturer reps, Ed Graham left Kraft’s Clothing Store in 1936.

Telegraph Herald 1936 – Ed’s experiences have earned him a reputation as a keen judge of style and quality merchandise. Associated in the business with Mr. Graham are his two sons, John and Joseph Graham…Ed. Graham and Sons have demonstrated their faith in this community. It is their hope that the people of Dubuque and surrounding territory will continue to look to them for fine menswear.

Wedged in next to the Avon Theater (the location of the former Griner-Jones Company) at 845 Main Street, Ed Graham and Sons Clothing Store did $30,000.00 of business in their first year when a full suit sold for $20.00 and dress shirts and neckties sold for $1.00 each. A downtown, retailing legacy was born.

Ed moved his store across the street 888 Main Street in the 1950’s (the former location of Fitzpatrick’s Sporting Goods). In those days, Arenz Shoe Store and Brownie’s Popcorn stand were the bookends in the 800 block of Main Street.

Long time fixture and Graham’s Store legend, Bob Kies, shared that in those days absentee landlords cared about collecting rent and little else. They put very little back into the community or their buildings. When the Ed and Joe, Sr. approached their landlords with an offer to remodel their storefront at their own expense, the building owners refused because it would increase their taxes. Bob further shared that the coal and fuel oil deliverymen “feared for their lives” negotiating the dangerous steps leading to the basement. The City condemned the buildings north of the Stampfer Building (the present day Security Building and home of Cottingham & Butler) during Urban Renewal.

In 1969, Joe Graham, Sr. along with his son and partner, Tom Graham, moved Graham’s Clothing moved across and up the street to the Fischer Building (the current site of Dubuque Religious Center) while a new store was being built. Dedicated to St. Joseph on May 25, 1971 and the northern bookend of a brand new pedestrian mall, 890 Town Clock Plaza became home for Graham’s Style Store for Men. After having surviving disco and leisure suits, Joe Graham, Sr. sold his interests in the store to his sons Joe and Tom November 1985. Joe and Tom continued the tradition together until Tom’s retirement from the store in December 1994. Joe Graham, Jr.’s son Ben joined the store in 1996 and his daughter, Katie Graham, joined the store in August 2009 to represent the fourth generation of Graham’s in the clothing business

More important than street numbers and façades, Graham’s strength has always been its people. Through the years, we have been blessed with salesmen who have forged decades-old relationships with our clients. It was and always has been the good people like Bob Kies, Whitey Tauke, Elmer Grashorn, Bob DeMuth, Tom Roach, Art Watters, Toni Bogas, Millie Schromen, Verna Nordhues, Evelyn Monahan, Ron Nolting, and Howard Riedel who built store’s credibility and faith in the lines we carry. Countless young men have visited Graham’s to be outfitted for their first job interviews. Thousands of young grooms have come to Graham’s for their wedding suits and have come back fifty years later to buy a suit to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. It is always such a privilege and a cool link to our history to wait on folks who were served by Ed Graham 50 or 60 years ago.

70 years later we are delighted to have you as a friend and client. Your belief in us, the great folks that we have worked with, along with a pinch of Graham stubbornness have helped this store outlast many stores like ours here in Dubuque and the surrounding areas. Thank you. The Graham name has been synonymous with men’s clothing for 105 years, 70 of those years as Ed Graham & Sons and later as Graham’s Style Store for Men. Thank you again.