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Filene's Basement?

post #1 of 18
2/29/08 at 9:32am
Thread Starter 
I'm in Boston this week for work, and took a cab over to FB yesterday. I must have caught it at a bad time, because there was nary a deal to be found. Oxxford suits for $1200? Borrelli shirts for $260? Zanella trou for $170? Plus, the vast, vast majority of stuff was junk. I could not find a single decent tie, regardless of price. Is this just bad luck, or the norm?
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post #2 of 18
2/29/08 at 11:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawman View Post
I'm in Boston this week for work, and took a cab over to FB yesterday. I must have caught it at a bad time, because there was nary a deal to be found. Oxxford suits for $1200? Borrelli shirts for $260? Zanella trou for $170? Plus, the vast, vast majority of stuff was junk. I could not find a single decent tie, regardless of price. Is this just bad luck, or the norm?

Which one did you go to? The quality of stock varies wildly store to store. Also, their supply chain was just recently infused with stuff from the Borrelli store, Louis Boston and Mitchell's, which means there is lots of labels, but nothing has been marked down yet.
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post #3 of 18
2/29/08 at 11:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joel_Cairo View Post
but nothing has been marked down yet.

FB usually prices the good stuff at the high end, which I think seems out of place with the nature of the store. But they often has insane markdowns. It's all about luck and timing there.
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post #4 of 18
2/29/08 at 11:43am
I'm a longtime FB denizen, and used to spend my lunch hours browsing the downtown crossing basement. I live in the Back Bay, and so am also familiar with the Boylston/Newbury store. Simply put, there's no comparison. There is much less stock, many fewer deals, and no automatic markdowns. And it's just pathetic to see so many nice Borrelli items at way too high prices. Might as well just shop at the boutique.

They've had the very same Luciano Barbera and Oxxford suits hanging on the racks for at least 6 months (over a year with respect to two 38R similar chalkstripe Barberas). LB way over-priced at $999.99. and the Oxxfords at $1199 and up.

Around December, they put the men's "Vault" items on sale for 40%-off, which brought certain items down into the more usual range. I picked up a pair of Borrelli lux vint jeans for $90, and a dark blue/grape pair of Borrelli cotton Napoli pantalones for the same price. I've gotten some so-so cashmere and merino sweaters from the big markdown rack that greets you when you enter the Boylston side for very good prices.

It's not worth a special trip. If you're in the area, it's worth dropping by in case you get lucky.
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post #5 of 18
2/29/08 at 11:53am
I don't know if they do sales by store but I know in DC the FB suit sale starts on Monday. If you ask, and see something you like they will hold it for you until Monday so you can get the discount.
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post #6 of 18
2/29/08 at 1:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmhollis View Post
I don't know if they do sales by store but I know in DC the FB suit sale starts on Monday. If you ask, and see something you like they will hold it for you until Monday so you can get the discount.

+1 on that... and it depends on which stores you go to, sometimes you'll need to hit up a few. There is only so much stuff to go around.

As for the deals, when they first get them, like any other store, they'll price them at the higher end of the discount spectrum. As time goes on, and at FB a few days to a few weeks is a long time, the price drops. You can take the risk and wait or buy it and if they have a lot of stock still left over after about 2 weeks, go back for the adjustment.
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post #7 of 18
2/29/08 at 1:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeWoah View Post
+1 on that... and it depends on which stores you go to, sometimes you'll need to hit up a few. There is only so much stuff to go around.

As for the deals, when they first get them, like any other store, they'll price them at the higher end of the discount spectrum. As time goes on, and at FB a few days to a few weeks is a long time, the price drops. You can take the risk and wait or buy it and if they have a lot of stock still left over after about 2 weeks, go back for the adjustment.

I find the FB in Chevy Chase to be completely underwhelming. Was there a few weeks ago and I was so sickened by the shoe selection that I had to leave. I think their "best" shoes were Bostonians.
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post #8 of 18
2/29/08 at 1:57pm
The only decent FB in the Washington area is on Connecticut Avenue, the quality is certainly better than Chevy Chase and also better than the one off Pennsylvania Avenue. Although I have only been once, the one in Rockville had a decent tie selection when I went last year.


On another note, Syms in Rockville is wonderful when the have sales. I was able to get a few Burberry tie's for $45. I stole a beautiful Bill Blass suit for $150. They even SOMETIMES have some nice bowties. It's best to go when they have a sale, which seems to be with some regularity.
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post #9 of 18
2/29/08 at 2:17pm
the FB in Tysons, for us in DC, is ok....they did have a big selection of Barbera suits when I was there 2 weeks ago. How does this store compre to the one on Conn. Ave??
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post #10 of 18
2/29/08 at 2:33pm
I actually didn't know there was one in Tyson's! I'll have to check it out. The one on Conn. Ave, had Hickey, Brioni, Oxxford, Canali and a few more. They had some great shoes by Todd's and one pair of D&G loafers.
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post #11 of 18
2/29/08 at 2:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by noVA99 View Post
the FB in Tysons, for us in DC, is ok....they did have a big selection of Barbera suits when I was there 2 weeks ago. How does this store compre to the one on Conn. Ave??

I was at the Newton,MA store about 2 weeks ago.They had marked everything waay too high.I found ONE Kiton/ Ciro Paone Cashmere/Silk sportcoat which had the Louis Boston tags for $4700,and it had been marked down to $470 after all the "Red Tag" discounts were in place.Call me crazy,but I walked away from it.
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post #12 of 18
2/29/08 at 2:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 42 Dandy View Post
I was at the Newton,MA store about 2 weeks ago.They had marked everything waay too high.I found ONE Kiton/ Ciro Paone Cashmere/Silk sportcoat which had the Louis Boston tags for $4700,and it had been marked down to $470 after all the "Red Tag" discounts were in place.Call me crazy,but I walked away from it.

That's the best one, IMO. They're flooded with excellent stuff right now, but I won't even endanger my credit card by browsing for another few weeks.
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post #13 of 18
2/29/08 at 2:48pm
As an aside, the Back Bay store has mismakred some of the Armani Collezoni dress shirts at $79.99. Say what you want about their quality, but I'd imagine they're worth that if you find both your size and a pattern you like (I didn't).
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post #14 of 18
2/29/08 at 2:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by noVA99 View Post
the FB in Tysons, for us in DC, is ok....they did have a big selection of Barbera suits when I was there 2 weeks ago. How does this store compre to the one on Conn. Ave??
Well the Tysons one opened recently so it's obviously much newer and cleaner and you don't have to trek upstairs for the Vault items and the suits. I'd have to give the edge to the Conn. Ave store overall though... although for me it just boils down to being in the right store at the right time when the right stuff is there at the right price... you can get lucky at either store though. Joel_Cairo - any Thom Browne up your way?
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post #15 of 18
2/29/08 at 4:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joel_Cairo View Post
That's the best one, IMO. They're flooded with excellent stuff right now, but I won't even endanger my credit card by browsing for another few weeks.

Ditto. My biggest gripe with them is they ruin the clothes by not putting them on decent hangers.
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