The folks at Straus Clothing are going to have some fun next week.
Straus patriarch, entrepreneur and all-around good guy Ed Stern turns 90 on Thursday, but the celebrating will begin Monday.
Except for his years of service in World War II as executive officer for the U.S. Army Air Corps' 385th Bomb Group in England, Stern has been a fixture in Fargo since arriving from Valley City, N.D., in 1940.
There aren't many F-M area natives who don't know him. He's been involved in just about every civic activity in Fargo at one time or another. He has done more than his part over the years to see that Fargo-Moorhead prospered.
In my nearly 24 years in Fargo, I've honestly never met anyone who doesn't like Ed Stern. There aren't many people I can say that about.
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Sons John and Rick, who purchased the business from their father (but he's still board chairman), tell this rather typical story about their dad.
On Labor Day many years back, Stern spotted a slightly bewildered-looking man walking in downtown Fargo. He'd just arrived in town.
Stern stopped and asked the man if he could be of assistance. The native of India told Stern he was looking for North Dakota State University, where he was taking a teaching assistantship.
Since it was a holiday, Stern asked the man if he would like to join the Stern family for a cookout at their home at 1521 10th St. S.
John Stern says that man, who became the family's lifelong friend, was introduced to hot dogs that day, and everyone had a wonderful time. He later designed Ed Stern's home in south Fargo.
I could tell 100 stories like that about the kind and personable Stern, but they would simply reinforce what many of you already know about him.
His sons say he'll be in the store Monday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. until "nap time" and Thursday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Stop by, wish him a happy birthday and have a piece of the big cake that's being served Thursday.
While you're at it, you can also land a heck of a deal on just about any piece of clothing in the store. It's Ed's 90th and the Stern brothers are giving away the farm, so to speak. Well, not really, but you know what I mean.
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Many items are going for $19.14, denoting the year Ed was born. And you'll receive a minimum $90 discount on every suit and sport coat in stock, and there are oodles of them. It's a far cry from the post-World War II years when there were 25 suits hanging on the racks and every piece of clothing Straus took delivery on was pre-sold.
Rick and John say neither of them are in Ed's league when it comes to business acumen. Like his father, Herman Stern, the two sons say he has a keen business mind and is very good with figures.
They also say Ed is much like their grandfather, who was a great humanitarian, as well as a founder of the Greater North Dakota Association and what is now the Northern Lights Boy Scout Council. Indeed, Stern has lots of friends and a round of birthday parties will begin Thursday and continue through the weekend, say his sons.
Reaching 90 is quite a milestone.
Readers can reach Terry DeVine at (701) 241-5515 or tdevine@forumcomm.com
