The New Brooks Brothers

[knittieguy]

I found the article interesting, but have to wonder if the LaBontes should have been a bit more prepared for a tenant abandoning them and their stuff. I would think this is not all that uncommon in the world of rented warehouses. I know it happens in the self-storage and residential-apartment industry all the time, so the owners factor abandoned-goods disposal into their costs. When a company goes bankrupt, they always stop paying their bills, and people who have sold them goods or lent them money always end up not getting paid. That's why they often require deposits or collateral or excellent credit beforehand. That's why merchants stopped selling to Barney's, because they were afraid they weren't going to get paid. Shouldn't the LaBontes have required a sizable upfront deposit, or maybe had insurance for tenant abandonments? I don't know how warehouse rentals work, but I can't help feeling that perhaps the LaBontes, being new to the business, thought, "Hey, it's Brooks Brothers, they've been around forever," and didn't take proper precautions. And now they are saying that Brooks Brothers should act differently (more responsibly) than other merchants because of its long history and tradition. Maybe I just don't know enough about the industry, but I feel that if this wasn't Brooks Brothers, it would not be worth a news story

 

[Southwick]

I found the article interesting, but have to wonder if the LaBontes should have been a bit more prepared for a tenant abandoning them and their stuff. I would think this is not all that uncommon in the world of rented warehouses. I know it happens in the self-storage and residential-apartment industry all the time, so the owners factor abandoned-goods disposal into their costs. When a company goes bankrupt, they always stop paying their bills, and people who have sold them goods or lent them money always end up not getting paid. That's why they often require deposits or collateral or excellent credit beforehand. That's why merchants stopped selling to Barney's, because they were afraid they weren't going to get paid. Shouldn't the LaBontes have required a sizable upfront deposit, or maybe had insurance for tenant abandonments? I don't know how warehouse rentals work, but I can't help feeling that perhaps the LaBontes, being new to the business, thought, "Hey, it's Brooks Brothers, they've been around forever," and didn't take proper precautions. And now they are saying that Brooks Brothers should act differently (more responsibly) than other merchants because of its long history and tradition. Maybe I just don't know enough about the industry, but I feel that if this wasn't Brooks Brothers, it would not be worth a news story

Sad but probably correct.

 

[pacnyc]

Incidentally, I stopped in the Sixth Avenue BB a couple weeks ago and recognized a saleswoman from the Madison Avenue store. She confirmed that the old flagship location is closed for good. My father and my grandfather shopped there, and I suppose Dad’s taking me to Brooks Brothers as a kid for my school clothes is how I developed a lifelong habit of dressing with a little respect for myself as well as for those who have to look at me. Here’s a picture I snapped last time I walked by 44th and Madison.

 

[Norwester]

I was in New York City two years ago and really wanted to drop by the 346 Madison Ave store. But I was with my girlfriend whose tastes run more towards the inexpensive and disposable, so instead I spent nearly an hour in a nearby Uniqlo keeping her company as she bought 3 shirts for $40. Very sad to see that I will never get the chance to go inside. It seems the building is still owned by Del Vecchio, and will probably fetch more than the selling price for Brooks Brothers itself.

 

[dieworkwear]

The 346 outlet line walking by the flagship:

 

[comrade]

From my posting in Ivy Style, April 2nd:

According to a salesman at my local BB in PaloAlto CA when I spoke with him a few months
ago, the store will remain open because the Palo Alto shopping center is already owned by
the Simon Property Group. I haven’t checked recently to see if the store is still open.
Not that it matters much. All I buy from BB are PJs and socks.

Note: I checked yesterday. The store is open and customers are entering.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

I was in New York City two years ago and really wanted to drop by the 346 Madison Ave store. But I was with my girlfriend whose tastes run more towards the inexpensive and disposable, so instead I spent nearly an hour in a nearby Uniqlo keeping her company as she bought 3 shirts for $40. Very sad to see that I will never get the chance to go inside. It seems the building is still owned by Del Vecchio, and will probably fetch more than the selling price for Brooks Brothers itself.

trust me when I tell you, you didn’t miss much. Just imagine your average Brooks Brothers but larger. There was nothing special about it. The only thing different was the floor with their home collection.

 

[comrade]

Not like the "good old days", pre- 1980, when on the street floor there
was a counter for bespoke shirts which displayed a variety of collar
styles not seen on RTW Brooks shirts at the time.It inspired me to
buy detached collar shirts at Harrods 50+ years ago.

 

[classicalthunde]

Is there anywhere that comes close to the old school Madison Ave Brook Brothers model/vibe out there currently?

 

[dieworkwear]

Is there anywhere that comes close to the old school Madison Ave Brook Brothers model/vibe out there currently?

If you mean the vibe -- WASPy clothes -- there are a ton of shops that offer that vibe.

If you mean the actual model -- dressing a broad section of the coastal white-collar workers and American elites -- I think that model has died.

 

[classicalthunde]

If you mean the vibe -- WASPy clothes -- there are a ton of shops that offer that vibe.

If you mean the actual model -- dressing a broad section of the coastal white-collar workers and American elites -- I think that model has died.

sorry, I meant places where the norm is for customers to have a long lasting, even cross-generational, relationship with a particular SA

 

[dieworkwear]

sorry, I meant places where the norm is for customers to have a long lasting, even cross-generational, relationship with a particular SA

I can't think of an example. Maybe there are shops where sometimes a dad introduces his son to his SA, but I can't think of an example where that's the "model."

 

[thatboyo]

Belgian shoes?

 

[comrade]

Paul Stuart was like that to some degree.
I do not know about the present.
Press and Chipp had an informal "clubby" atmosphere
with basically the same salespeople over the years. through the 80s.
H Herzfeld, New York Haberdasher, was a slightly more formal version
of Press/Chipp.
Same for the recently-closed Hound in San Francisco.

 

[dieworkwear]

*hands my son my double monks, Filson 256 briefcase, and copy of **** Yeah Menswear*

"son, it's time you learn how to dress"