Big Ed and the Haggar Family: Behind an Apparel Giant

At the dawn of the twentith century, 13-year-old Joseph Marion Haggar left his home in Lebanon, bound for America. He first arrived in Mexico and worked as a peddler there until he was able to enter the United States at age 18. His sales savy would bring him great success in his new country. In 1926 he founded what is now one of the best-known and most respected names in the apparel business--the Haggar Corporation. When he first started his company in Texas, prominent apparel manufacturers on the East Coast said "he'd never make it." His response was: "They may outsmart me, but I'll outwork them!" In the end, he did both. Haggar made famous the slogan "fast nickels are better than slow dimes!" His company, famous for producing high-quality slacks at fair prices, is now in its 75th year. The author, the oldest of J. M.'s children, tells the story of the family's successful business and the role he played, along with his brother, Joe, and sister, Rosemary Haggar Vaughn, in making their father's American dream come true. Along the way, Ed Haggar and family befriended U.S. presidents, professional athletes, and a cast of characters as colorful and exciting as the Haggar family history. Ed Haggar is a graduate and supporter of the University of Notre Dame, is retired as chairman of the board of the Haggar Corporation, and continues to make his home in Dallas, location of the corporate headquarters.