RENOVATION DU JOUR: Brooks Brothers Adds A Golf Course To Madison Avenue

Well, obviously, it's not a real golf course, but it's the closest thing you're going to find on a Midtown Manhattan lunch hour. As part of the ongoing renovation of their iconic Madison Avenue flagship, Brooks Brothers has added a state-of-the art, full-scale indoor PGA Tour Simulator by aboutGolf to the third floor which, if reports are correct, is the first system of its kind in an apparel retail store (as opposed to a pro-shop or other golf specialist). If you can't make it out to the links, you can at least get a quick fix on the venerated retailer's just refreshed floor. The simulator offers a selection of courses to choose from including several from St. Andrews Links, with whom Brooks Brothers has had a co-branding partnership arrangement since last year. You will, in fact, be able to practice your swing using Callaway clubs and balls while fully clad in the store's newly launching St. Andrews Links sportswear collection. You may just want to move in permanently.

While the golf simulator is the centerpiece of the 11,875 square foot floor's renovation, there's more there than just a golf shop. The new floor is now home to men's casual sportswear and performance clothing for sailing and tennis as well as golf, including 34 colors of the store's signature polo shirts in both a traditional silhouette and an updated slim fit.

We have been posting a bit about how the current management at Brooks Brothers has worked overtime to correct the many unfortunate business choices of some of the store's previous owners. The Shophound has enjoyed watching the brand's traditions being rebuilt while the company continues to explore fresh ideas and directions without betraying a heritage beloved by a fiercely loyal customer base. It's not without a little irony that we have to notice how one of the city's most dynamic retailers at the moment also happens to be its greatest bastion of tradition. We can't wait to see what what they spring on us next, and we haven't even seen their just opened Upper East Side branch store yet.

Brooks Brothers 346 Madison Avenue at 44th Street, Midtown