Planning for a wedding is stressful, time-consuming and very expensive, especially for the bride. Although I had the responsibility of picking out my bridal party’s attire for my recent wedding, my husband also suggested that I be in charge of picking out his party’s attire as well since in his words, “the woman knows best.” I had my mind set on selecting the men’s tuxedos from one men’s apparel store I visited about two months ago. However, I still wanted to shop around. One day before going to work, I wandered into a store on Ashley Street. To my surprise, the first thing I noticed as I entered was the fragrance of a nice cologne for men and gospel music, very different from the usual jazz or urban music that I hear when I enter other stores for men. I was greeted by three very nice and quite humorous gentlemen whose delightful nature and cheerful banter made it hard for me to actually do “serious” shopping. The next day, I revisited with a color sample from my attendants’ dresses. When the owner, Prem, assisted me every step of the way and gave me a deal that I was not expecting, I knew that I was sold on this store. Every time I visited the store after that — to change an order or pick up a tux — these men made me feel comfortable and, most importantly, appreciated. This is why the moment I knew it was time for me to do my third At Random, I knew I had to call Looking Good, Inc. Prem informed me, before agreeing to an interview, that he and his Looking Good team were a packaged deal. Therefore, I braced myself for a challenge with this unique trio and Friday I made a visit to the store for an after-lunch chat. This story is a journey into the life of a man who not only thrives in business, but also thrives in friendships, faith and other matters of the heart.





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When 53 year-old Prem Sadarangani came to the United States in 1987 with his wife and their two children, he immediately targeted Valdosta as a place to grow financially as well as a stable place to raise a family. Though he was born and raised in Bombay, India, where he lived for a large portion of his life before moving to Barcelona, Spain, he wanted to pursue his dream of owning a clothing store in the “land of opportunity.” This land became the birthplace of his third child and the home of his store, Looking Good, Inc.

“When I opened Looking Good about 21 years ago, I had some heavy competition,” Prem said while pointing out spots on Ashley and Patterson Streets, where old apparel shops once existed. “There were five stores on or around this block and all of them kept business.”

When asked about how he dealt with all of that competition, Prem’s contradicting response was, “Although it was competition, I don’t have any competition. My service has spoken for itself over the years.”

One of the things Prem prides his continuous success on is his strong religious background. Prem’s primary religion is Hinduism. Although there are several variations of this particular religion — one being the devotion to one single god with the acceptance of the existence of other gods — Prem solely believes in one God and closely combines his religion with the Christian religion.

In fact, one of the Prem’s favorite sayings, which he likes to relate to his business, comes from the book of Luke in the New Living Translation of the Holy Bible, “Bring out the finest robe and put it on him,” taken from the parable of the prodigal son.

Another reason Prem feels that Looking Good has been one of the city’s top places for men’s clothing for years is because of the friendly and family-like atmosphere that has been developed in the store. On entering the store, it is not difficult to realize that Prem and his two employees, Richard and Suni, are more than just co-workers. If truth be told, these three men are best friends and can almost always be found in public together.

Richard McClary has worked with Prem for four years and describes their relationship as one based on respect.

“Prem is always first in line to help out and seeks nothing in return,” Richard said while mentioning some of the best qualities he saw in Prem. “He also does a lot for charities in the community and many times his contributions are anonymous.”

Though he and Prem often joke around to pass the time away, Richard, who has a quite disciplined background from his service in the U. S. Navy and work in the funeral home industry, does not deny that he is glad that his life crossed paths with Prem.

Although Richard is not Prem’s blood brother, as is their other co-worker, Suni, he can easily be mistaken as their blood brother after one conversation with any of the three men.

“Richard has a very good relationship with my wife and children, as well as Suni’s wife and child,” Prem said. “Our trio frequently gets together on Sundays to visit different local churches. A business that prays together stays together.”

Suni, Prem’s younger brother, came to Valdosta from the Caribbean five years ago to be closer to his brother and help with the business.

“I am very proud of his managerial and entrepreneurial skills,” Suni said after being asked how he enjoyed working for his brother. “He is a good, honest and hard-working guy.”

Two common dishes that can be found in the store on any given day are soul food and seafood, Prem’s favorites.

“There is nothing like a hot plate of oxtails or pig feet, collard greens and rice,” Prem said with a smile. “That is one of the best things I like about living in the South — eating soul food prepared by people who know how to cook it right.”

Because of Prem’s strong love for family, he believes that everyone in the community is part of one big family. This is what has driven most of his philanthropy efforts since Looking Good, Inc. opened. Prem is always donating funds to help local churches and funeral homes. In fact, Antonio Harrington of Harrington Funeral Home, who refers to his relationship with Prem as a father-son relationship, said that Prem has helped the funeral home provide affordable clothing for grieving families to dress their loved ones.

In 2001, Prem presented the New York Fire Department with $2,258.82 for the 9/11 relief fund. Prem expressed hopes of providing funds to other establishments in the near future, such as the Boy’s Ranch and different school boards in and around Lowndes County.

In addition to his efforts, Prem’s dedication to the community has helped his business receive an ample amount of recognition. Looking Good, Inc. has received awards from Community Partners in Education, the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce and it was named Business of the Month in the July 2002 edition of Rejoice magazine.

When Prem is not engaging in his favorite hobbies (he says his favorite hobbies are counting money and work, work, work), serving the community or spending time with his Looking Good family, he can be found at home enjoying life with his wife, Jaya, and their 10 year-old son Raja.

Prem’s oldest child, Roshni, 26, graduated from Georgia Tech about four years ago. She is now a chemical engineer who lives in St. Francis, New York.

Prem’s middle child, Sarika, 24, attended Valdosta State University and graduated with a double major in business management. She now works in New Jersey as a marketing research associate for Campbell’s Soup Company. She was also recognized last month in Fortune magazine.

“While I am proud of my personal success, I am more proud of the lives my daughters have made for themselves,” Prem said. “They now have the opportunity to bask in their own glory.”

Prem says that in the next five years, he sees himself still carrying the Looking Good tradition of diligence and honesty. He is fulfilled with his business and the friends that he has met along the way and hopes that his success is inspiration for others.

“Although I am an avid promoter of business, I still like to encourage that people stay ethical and keep God first in everything they do,” Prem said.

Before the interview came to an end, Prem added, “I also want the world to know that my friend Richard is still single and looking for the love of his life!”