The Southern Way

Wave the flag and a round of applause for Harry and Ryan Bears.
These gentlemen are undertaking an admirable task at Xtreme Threads on Main Street in Highlands. They’re transitioning their inventory to Made in America items, putting an emphasis on products from the Southeast.
With this evolution they’re changing the name of the store to The Southern Way. A main focus of this father and son team is to support young entrepreneurs in our region.
They carry clothing lines by businesses in Charleston, Atlanta, Greenville, Jacksonville, and even one that is “grown and sewn right here in North Carolina.”
If you mention where these folks went to school it sounds like a who’s who of colleges in the south – Old Miss, Auburn, Brenau, UGA! And since Ryan Bears graduated from Newberry, he understands what drives these graduates.
Harry and Ryan began this process over two years ago, with the end goal to phase out all Made in China goods.
“It’s impossible right now, but we’re working towards it every day,” says dad Harry.
“Having been in business here for over 12 years, it’s time to separate ourselves from the competition,” said Ryan.
Their commitment is strong and they’re letting go of products that are made in China even if they’re good sellers. That says an awful lot about their mindset. It’s not about the money — it’s about the quality. As a retailer, they pay more for these high quality items which means less mark-up, less profit.
Did you know the U.S.-made product is retailing at a competitive level with the made in China goods? Manufacturing that moved from the USA to China is coming back to America, and the Southeast is leading the way, especially in cotton goods. If there’s a choice between something made in America or elsewhere, they always choose American made, especially if it’s from the South!
And it’s worth it. The quality of the products is much higher and, as they say, “When you make a purchase of something from the Southeast, you’re supporting our community.”
We’re not talking about one or two items, either. The “Made in the U.S.A.” tags are currently on nearly 60 percent of their product lines, including dresses, jeans, shoes, shirts, tops, undergarments, lotions, candles, and even leather goods. The Southern Way has clothing, accessories, shoes, and sunglasses, for men and women who appreciate true Southern style.