In 1940, a group of salesmen that traveled the Carolinas met in Charlotte at the Hotel Charlotte and out of this meeting emerged the Men’s Apparel Club of the Carolinas, which is referred to by many of the old timers as “the Mac’s.”

Due to a gasoline shortage, prior to the War, the best solution was to have a focal point to hold shows so that both salesmen and retailers could get together to do business. Merchants could carpool in order to come to the shows. This was the beginning of the buying Markets sponsored by the Men’s Apparel Club of the Carolinas.