Jeff Chaus Exceeds A Million
Named Broker of the Year
A man who has been on both sides of the fence can certainly understand both sides of an equation.

Such is the case, and story of Jeff Chaus. The son of the founder of Bernard Chaus, Inc., Jeff Chaus has made quite a name for himself as the founder and President of Chaus Realty.

Ultimately, the Garment trade may be the biggest benefactor of" The Chaus Touch".
Certainly Mr. Chaus' experience engineering and moving the warehouse at Chaus from Manhattan to New Jersey during the early 1980's gives him the insight and empathy to evaluate a customer's needs, but there must be something else. After all, leasing two million square feet last year seems like the work of Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire combined.

The modest Chaus offers this; "Really it's common sense. It is just so crystal clear to me, and something I believe so strongly in, I don't even have to sell it.  Actually, all a customer in New York has to see is how much cheaper and more efficient a New Jersey warehouse operation is." All the trucking terminals, consolidators, airport and seaports are here. The labor market is abundant.

Asked for specifics, Chaus relates the following; "Typically, I'm moving clients from multi-storied headaches to buildings that have high ceilings, clear spans and loading docks with easy access. No freight... Elevators...No double parked trucks... My customer is increasing his performance and reducing his cost. It's like getting a Mercedes for the cost of a Chevy".

The Chaus belief system bodes well for clients such as Tommy Hilfiger, Issac Hazan, John Roberts, Eileen Fisher, R & M Richards, Jessica Howard, Jenna Lane, Mazer Trucking as well as for Hartz Mountain.

The Secaucus based developer recently named Mr. Chaus "Broker of the Year". In 1998 Mr. Chaus was responsible for renting over one million square feet of warehouse and outlet space for Hartz Mountain.

Chided about his award, the affable Mr. Chaus admits he enjoyed a cigar with Emmanuel Stern, President of Hartz Mountain Industries." What can I say. I'm lucky. I found a niche." Prodded about the secret to his success, Jeff Chaus takes a moment to ponder the questions...."My customers are my best critics. I just listen!! !!

Recently Chaus Realty and the Mann Group formed a joint venture that services Manhattan as well as New Jersey. Their most recent was moving Betsey and Adam across the river. This move will save the company hundreds of thousands of dollars.

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Chaus and Mann
The Chaus and Mann names have been synonymous with the apparel industry for decades.

Now Jeff Chaus and Jeff Mann are the conduit in providing your showroom, office, outlet, warehousing and distribution needs.

The Chaus-Mann coalition has recently represented the solution for the following satisfied clients in facilitating their move across the Hudson into New Jersey:

Tommy Hilfiger
Norton Mc Naughton
Jenny Young
Betsy's Things
August Silk
Mazer Trucking
Pepe Jeans
Eileen Fisher
Starlo
Art Ed Carriers
R & M Richards
Michael Blair
Apparel Technology
John Roberts
The past decade New Jersey has been a mecca for the apparel industry. The ports and Newark airport are approximately 15 minutes away. Labor and Utilities are a fraction of the cost of the City, and New Jersey also offers many incentive programs. Trucks can be unloaded in a fraction of the time without elevators and traffic. Most of the freight consolidators now have their terminals in New Jersey.

Much of the cutting trade have recently established warehouses in the Meadowlands area, where labor is abundant and electric costs are much lower. Manufacturers are shocked when they realize the tremendous savings.

"All I have to do is pick up my customer and bring them to New Jersey, a picture is worth a thousand words. When I first brought my family (Chaus) over here from the city we were able to cut out overtime and open an outlet store that paid the rent..."

"I have moved some of my customers from 15,000 square feet in New York and doubled their business in 20,000 square feet in New Jersey. The loss factor is less than 5% compared to Manhattan with a loss factor of over 20%. I take pride in constantly servicing our clientele. Should they have any problems with regard to labor, shipping, need to sublease some space in a down market or needing more space we are there. Our goal is to make the move as painless as possible and we can accomplish that.

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The Premier Name in Warehousing and Distribution

 
Jeffrey Chaus lives and breathes the garment district. Having grown up in the industry and devoting his entire career to this trade, it is no wonder his company, Chaus Realty, has thrived for 20 years. As a trusted name in warehousing and distribution, Jeffrey Chaus gained his reputation from working in all aspects of the industry from the bottom up-making him a leader in his field.

As the son of legendary Bernard Chaus, Jeffrey knew working in the garment industry was in his genes. As a child, he was always involved with his father's business and heard all the stories. As he got older, his first job out of college was in the industry-working alongside his father.
After learning the ropes of his dad's updated missy niche, he took off in his own direction when he saw the void in the real estate dimension of the garment trade. He recalls, "It's hard to believe it's been almost 20 years since I exited my late father's company 'Bernard Chaus' to venture into the real estate and development world. Never did I expect in my wildest dreams this transition would be so rewarding in so many ways. At the time of my decision to go into this sector, the business was changing. I saw an opportunity in moving to New Jersey. So, in the early 80's I moved our warehousing and distribution out of the city and into Secaucus, where I set up and ended up running the warehouse operation. The high ceilings, ground floor and tailgate loading enabled us to unload trucks and turn goods around within an hour; versus 37th Street, where on upper floors, it could take most of the day. Plus, in New Jersey, the costs are lower, labor is abundant and transportation is great. The rents are between $8.00 and $9.00 per sq. foot less. The electricity is 20%-30% less than the city. The building loss factor is 2%, not 30% - and New Jersey offers the ports, both air and sea as well as being the home to most of the consolidators and trucking companies. The state offers incentives and you're only 10 minutes from the tunnel. To make things even better we opened an outlet store that paid the rent. Overall, the savings are staggering!"

Having established the company from the bottom up, Chaus is well versed in all market conditions and has seen all the obstacles that can arise. In fact, he knows it so well, others look to follow his lead. His segue into New Jersey inspired a mass exodus throughout the industry to join him. He says, "I've found a niche and spearheaded others to move to the Meadowlands. Maybe a little reminiscent of the 'updated missy' niche my father created in the 70's. I have assembled a great team of colleagues - Brian Scheuer, a childhood friend, and Donna Cornelius."

Clearly, Chaus Realty is an organization woven together by trust and efficiency. "We make the move painless. We have a reservoir of pickers, packers and managers, box suppliers, consultants, racking and pallet companies," says Chaus. "With my experience running a distribution facility, I understand concepts that most brokers don't; how much room is needed to maneuver the new larger trailers, or how to maximize the cubic square footage in a building. I comprehend efficiency in warehousing because I've walked the walk. My competition hasn't. We know how to deal with manufacturers and have an answer to their challenges!."

Being an expert in warehousing, distribution, and logistical needs has enabled Chaus Realty to stand out among its competitors. The proof is in the fact that his clients have been loyal for over 20 years, and are a "Who's Who" of the industry. They include names such as: Tommy Hilfiger, Eileen Fischer, Starlo, Michael Kors, R&M Richards and Impac.

In understanding what the needs are, Jeff Chaus knows he must always keep ahead of the times. With the shifts in business, Chaus has already set up operations in California, and has been there to serve the needs of the outsourcing trends in today's manufacturing industry on both coasts. "In today's climate, every penny counts. We provide a service that gives some relief to a world of markdowns, returns, and allowances. The garment business is still a viable source that has rewarded most of us handsomely. Our mantra at Chaus Realty has always been, 'People care less about what you know; they want to know how much you care.'"

The merits of Chaus' caring Philosophy are reflected in customer loyalty. "I would say our proudest accomplishment has been the trust and loyalty our customers have rewarded us with over the past 20 years. Yes, I'm in a different, but related business today. I've been lucky enough to develop relationships with so many of our customers. Sharing in the growth but also commiserating with the difficult periods," he adds.

Although the times ahead for the garment industry may still be rocky, Chaus is confident that the strong will survive and the industry will thrive in a new direction. He sums it up with some advice he gave his daughter, a Fashion Design major at FIT. "I tell her, 'intelligence is inherited, but smartness is learned,' and that's what this business is all about."