J.Crew's newest men's unit opened this morning in its choice spot wedged between Topshop and sister store Madewell.
To be referred to as "The Men’s Shop at the Newsstand", it's not the jewel box concept store that you'll find at the Tribeca Liquor Store branch. The new store presents a much more elaborately art directed version of the basic J.Crew store. You wouldn't recognize the former Universal News shop now lined with repurposed pine left raw to weather over time, giving the store a freshly assembled feeling. There's a lot more room for your basic J.Crew staples like t-shirts and shorts, but here, they are spiked with a few more cherry-picked items from outside vendors. The Red Wing Boots and Sperry Top-Siders you can now find throughout the chain are here along with heavy soled USA-made oxfords from Alden, Persol sunglasses, vintage Levi's 501s and Jutta Neumann's rough hewn sandals among other choice items including vintage accessories and jewelry. In the back of the store, a small separate room is devoted to suitings, and while it's not quite Paul Stuart back there, the chain is doing an admirable job of offering smart looking suits for under $500 –no mean feat, indeed.
J.Crew appears to be successfully surviving the recession through the unlikely strategy of trading up. There's no complaints over here. The new store is a more than adequate replacement for the cramped men's floor at J.Crew's Spring Street store, which, at the moment, is undergoing a renovation of its own.
To celebrate the new store, artist Richard Haines, whose drawings are the centerpiece of the inaugural window display, will be in residence today and this Saturday to sketch...whatever you like. At the very least, we recommend a visit if only to support the beleaguered art of fashion illustration.
J. Crew Men’s Shop at the Newsstand 484 Broadway between Broome and Grand Streets, SoHo
Richard Haines: What I Saw Today (Official Site)
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