Madda Fella to open in Tanger Outlets Surfside

The new Madda Fella store is a place to relax. The space has an inviting, laid-back feel with Adirondack chairs near the dressing rooms, a large table and chairs not far from the cash registers, and two leather chairs in the area near the linen clothing. Store director Lesa Olivere said that she likes connecting and engaging with customers. “We want to create an environment where the customer wants to hang out and stay for a while.”

Madda Fella is a relatively new, independent brand - the little guy in an outlet center full of national brands. The company started in 2015 as an e-commerce retailer and has seen its sales double each year. During the holiday season the company ran a pop-up store in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C., and then decided to venture into a bigger retail endeavor.

The local store is the company's first permanent retail location. Olivere describes the clothing as high-quality, comfortable, relaxed and refined. Amy Norgate, general manager of Tanger Outlets Rehoboth, says Madda Fella is “a perfect fit for an upscale beach customer.”

Mike Louden, Scott Mattern and Scott Dowdle are three friends who started the company. They share a passion for being near the water and fishing, the beach, and spending winters in Key West. Mattern and Louden summered in the Cape Region during their childhood, and Dowdle is living in the area for the summer as the store gets up and running.

The Cape Region was chosen for a retail location partially due to Mattern and Louden's familiarity with the area. The laid-back attitude and beaches fit well with the lifestyle that inspires their products. In addition, Tanger's Surfside center attracts a large, changing audience and has strong sales figures.

While the vibe is relaxed, “Madda Fella” is Caribbean slang for surprise or astonishment. The company markets itself as being inspired by “the unpredictable excitement of Key West Adventure.” The brand plays up the “fella” part of their name by dubbing their founders as “the fellas” in emails.

Dowdle is passionate about the brand, and his favorite part of the business is the people they employ and partner with to produce their product. He said a permanent retail location will allow the brand to further develop marketing and branding strategies.

The company's focus is continuing to grow the brand without sacrificing quality to make this retail endeavor successful. In the future they hope to add more physical retail locations. Launching a women's line of clothing is in the company's five-year plan.

Madda Fella is located in Tanger Surfside, across from Midway Shopping Center on Route 1, between Rockport and Talbots. It is a retail location rather than a true outlet store, but features the full line of high-quality merchandise at a lower price than what is available online. The local store has seven employees.

The store follows Tanger hours, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. The grand opening is set for all day Friday, May 26.