When Harry Taylor first opened his Liebig Street store in July 1932, suits and hats were all the rage. Now it’s casuals, T-shirts and surf labels.

Grandson Max is continuing the family tradition with his son Chris becoming a fourth-generation operator.

Further south on Liebig Street Wes Taylor — Max’s uncle — operates a curtains and blinds business.

Max believes there’s much more potential for Warrnambool to expand its reputation to become the number-one trading city between Geelong and Adelaide.

“Friday-night shopping is long gone and the shift is to weekend shopping,” he said.

“We’ve been opening all weekends for about 10 years and it’s paid off in the repeat customers who come from outside the district.

“As soon as more other Warrnambool traders realise that Warrnambool can reach its potential.

“We’ve been trying to convince them of the benefit of all-year-round weekend trading for a long time.”

Mr Taylor disputes skeptics who worry that Warrnambool’s CBD has lost its status as the city’s main retail area.

“We’ve been through phases before and are confident of the future,” he said.

“The ’89 recession was a real sorter. Traders had to cut expenses back and get through.

“I’d say the current CBD is as solid now as it’s ever been.

“Quite a few of the vacant shops in the street are due to natural attrition through retirement age.

“They should fill again within six months.”

Harry Taylor’s entry into the Warrnambool trading scene in 1932 followed stints in Prahran and Camperdown and the local rural customers warmed to his service style.

“We still rate customer service as a number-one priority,” Max told The Standard.

“It’s given us customer respect throughout the region from as far as Mount Gambier, Portland and Hamilton.”