Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Miller.
Hi Molly, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born and raised in Bemidji, Minnesota, and quite literally grew up in Patterson’s. My parents owned the store, so from a young age it was a second home to me. I started officially working there around age 14 and even helped my dad attend buying markets back when we had a mall location that carried young men’s clothing and juniors apparel. Retail and small business were part of my everyday life growing up.
After graduating high school, I attended Winona State University where I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Business Marketing, graduating magna cum laude. After college, my then-boyfriend (now husband and business partner), Jeff Miller, and I moved to Boulder, Colorado. I worked for Tundra Restaurant Supply, a large restaurant supply distributor, where I learned the ins and outs of product marketing and began building my digital marketing skill set. I managed social media, email marketing, and assisted with website development, gaining valuable hands-on experience over the course of four years.
From there, I returned to Minnesota and joined a fast-growing advertising agency called Red Circle. Their focus was marketing and design for Native American–owned casinos across the country. During my four years there, I worked my way up to Director of Digital Marketing. I led a team of digital specialists, managed large-scale website development projects, and supported the sales team with digital strategy. I truly loved that role and learned an incredible amount about leadership, strategy, and growing businesses.
Then came the call that changed everything — my parents were planning to retire. At the same time, Jeff and I were thinking seriously about starting a family. After years of fast-paced careers and constant travel, Bemidji felt like exactly the right place to slow down, put down roots, and raise a family. We sold our house, headed north, and officially took over Patterson’s on April 1, 2018. Just a few months later, we welcomed our first baby in July.
Less than two years into ownership, COVID hit and turned our world upside down. While it was incredibly challenging, we often say we were fortunate not to be too set in our ways yet. Being newer owners allowed us to adapt quickly to curveballs and uncertainty. As a fourth-generation Patterson’s owner, I also leaned heavily on our family history — my great-grandfather opened Patterson’s during the Great Depression, so resilience has always been part of our story.
Thankfully, we made it through the pandemic, and what came next was unexpected. Business took off. After so long without gatherings, people were celebrating in a big way — large weddings, events, and parties became the norm again. That was huge for us, as men’s formalwear is a core part of our business. Travel also picked back up, wardrobes needed refreshing, and many people found that their bodies — and clothing needs — had changed during COVID.
Since then, business has continued to grow as we’ve found our stride. We’ve expanded our women’s department, added new brands and product categories, and leaned into offering a more diverse shopping experience. I never imagined that wooden jigsaw puzzles would become such a hit in a clothing store — but that’s part of the fun of evolving with your customers.
Today, Patterson’s remains deeply rooted in Bemidji while continuing to grow and adapt, just as it has for four generations. It’s incredibly rewarding to carry on the family legacy while shaping its future alongside my husband.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a completely smooth road. Like many small business owners, we’ve faced challenges that required constant learning, flexibility, and resilience.
One of the biggest ongoing challenges has been balancing family life with business ownership. Navigating childcare while running a retail store has been a learning curve from the very beginning — and that was amplified during COVID when daycare availability and reliability were anything but consistent. Trying to manage staffing, schedules, and a young family during that time required a lot of patience and creativity.
COVID itself was a major hurdle. Not only were we forced to close our doors for a period of time, but the ripple effects lasted long after reopening. Supply chain disruptions became the norm, making it difficult to keep inventory flowing and plan ahead with confidence. Staffing was also a significant challenge during that period, as many people were receiving government assistance and did not need to work to sustain their lifestyle, making it difficult to find reliable employees.
More recently, rising tariffs have created additional pressure by directly increasing product costs, which in turn affects pricing decisions. Shipping costs have also increased dramatically. For a small business in northern Minnesota, it can cost nearly $20 just to ship a single package to the Twin Cities. That reality played a major role in our decision to pause online selling and instead focus on delivering the best possible in-store experience.
While none of these challenges have been easy, each one has pushed us to adapt, make thoughtful decisions, and stay grounded in what makes Patterson’s successful — personal service, flexibility, and a deep understanding of our customers.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At the heart of what I do is people. While I have a strong background in marketing, the most important part of my work is building genuine relationships with our customers. I’m a deeply caring, emotional, and personable individual, and I truly enjoy connecting with people from all walks of life. Being able to listen, relate, and make someone feel comfortable in our store is what drives our business every day.
Patterson’s is a service-driven small business, and I’m proud to be hands-on and present in the shop. I’m not shy, I love helping customers, and I have a knack for remembering names, faces, and past purchases. That personal connection allows me to make thoughtful recommendations and provide a level of service that feels tailored rather than transactional.
I’m also a bit of a risk-taker when it comes to trying new things in the store. I love curating unexpected, high-quality products that make shopping fun and memorable. In addition to clothing, we carry unique gift items like wooden jigsaw puzzles, French pocket and steak knives, and even binoculars. These pieces add personality to the store and give customers something they don’t expect to find in a traditional clothing shop.
What I’m most proud of is creating a welcoming, community-focused environment where customers feel known and valued. That combination of personal connection, thoughtful service, and a willingness to evolve is what truly sets Patterson’s apart — and it’s what keeps people coming back year after year.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t believe luck — good or bad — has played much of a role in my life or in our business. If anything, trial and error is a much more accurate way to describe what has driven Patterson’s since we took over.
Every step forward has come from learning by doing, making thoughtful decisions, and adjusting when something didn’t work as planned. We’ve tested ideas, taken risks, learned from mistakes, and refined our approach along the way.
When we stepped into ownership in 2018, Patterson’s already had 88 years of history behind it. That foundation — built on resilience, lessons learned, and long-standing relationships — gave us something invaluable to lean on. Combining that legacy with a willingness to evolve has been far more impactful than luck ever could be.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pattersonsclothing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pattersonsclothing
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pattersonsclothing
