Men Only

This weekend, the LA Times featured a trend piece on men’s-only retail stores, filled with market insights, along with a sneak peak of the soon-to-open J. Crew men’s store in Tribeca.

Apparently, in the current economic environment, men’s shopping has been one of the few bright spots. Why? According to WSL analyst Wendy Liebmann, men traditionally take a more optimistic view on the economy, and there’s “a new generation of style-savvy 20- to 40-year-old male shoppers” making their mark.

Rather than, “just running in with their heads down to buy a blue button-down and a pair of chinos,” this new type of male shopper is “more apt to absorb and experience fashion,” says Liebmann.

And about J. Crew’s new men’s-only space in the former Liquor Store bar at 235 W. Broadway?

”When the Liquor Store location opens later this month, it will be with the original fixtures -- including the bathrooms and the bar itself -- intact, as a showcase for the pricier men’s pieces in the line, including Japanese selvage denim and broken-in chinos, collaborations with Red Wing and Thomas Mason and an assortment of old-school brands like Mackintosh coats and Timex watches.”