John Yacoubian and son, Hovig Yacoubian, will be leaving the Read House soon. Click to enlarge all our photos.
photo by John Wilson
Yacoubian Tailors, a fixture at the Read House for the past 29 years, is moving to another section of Broad Street.
Yacoubians is just one of several retail stores and civic clubs exiting the Read House, which is planning to start a major renovation soon.
John Yacoubian, who went into the tailor business in Chattanooga after coming to visit his brother in 1968, said he was advised that the Read House wants to expand its Green Room into a steakhouse and add a Starbucks coffee shop and other food establishments.
Mr. Yacoubian said his lease was not renewed.
Yacoubians is having a major sale - with bargains up to 85 percent off - in preparation for moving to the Maclellan Building.
A barbershop and optical firm have also moved from the Read House to other downtown locations, and several other retail firms at the hotel are set to follow.
Kiwanis Club officials said they had to move from the Read House mezzanine because the hotel's sales offices were moved to the mezzanine. The club said another office location was found at the Read House.
They said the Kiwanis Club will continue to meet at the Read House - at least through the end of the year.
The Rotary Club, which moved to the Read House from the Patten Hotel 32 years ago, has moved its offices to the Krystal Building across MLK Boulevard. The Rotary Club will start holding its meetings at the Trade Center. Officials said that may be a new permanent location for the group.
Mr. Yacoubian said, "The Read House has been home for 29 years so it is not easy to move. And it costs a lot of money to fix up a new place."
But he said he wants to remain downtown. "I'm still stubborn to stay downtown," he said.
He said Yacoubians "has survived and flourished downtown" while many other businesses have closed because "we offer quality. If you really want a nice suit that is a good fit, you come to us. We serve the upper-end population."
Mr. Yacoubian said he will have a slightly larger space at the Maclellan Building, which is owned by Henry Luken of Covista Communications.
He said he is designing the new store after a men's high-fashion store he visited several years ago on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Mr. Yacoubian said he got his training under an uncle, who was "the greatest tailor in Lebanon."
He stayed in Chattanooga after paying the visit to his brother, George, who was a student at Tennessee Temple.
Mr. Yacoubian said he worked for nine months for tailor Jimmy Johnson, then he and George started a shop in what is now known as the Butcher Block.
George stayed for four years and is now at Neiman-Marcus in Atlanta.
Mr. Yacoubian said he moved his tailor shop to the Read House in 1974 because at his former location "there was a peep show on one side and a massage parlor on the other."
His son, Hovig Yacoubian, recently joined the firm. His daughter, Ani Yacoubian, may become part of the business after she graduates from Boston University.