Company founders Clemens (1812–1902) and August (1819–1892) Brenninkmeijer open their first C&A store with regular opening hours on 14 August 1860 in Sneek. In the beginning, the shop only carries women’s fashions. It is the convention at this time for shops to specialise either in menswear or ladieswear – but not to sell both. Around 1900, when C&A enters the menswear business, this system of keeping the sexes apart is still in place. As from 1920s, however, it is abolished in most C&A branches in the Netherlands. Now the whole family can buy clothes under one roof. Hence the advertising slogan “C&A is toch voordeeliger” (“C&A offers even more advantages”) is accompanied by the phrase “Ook voor Heerenkleeding” (“Also for menswear”).