Great Boston shops (with photos)

[NukeMeSlowly]

Fortunately, Boston has other clothing establishments besides the Andover Shop.

Drinkwater's


I really need to apologize to Gary for not taking photos of his fantastic shop. I had just come from my awful experience at the Andover Shop and completely forgot I had my camera with me. Gary's shop is really unique in my experience. There are a number of one of a kind items from small manufacturers; really interesting stuff. His prices are quite good as is his selection. I picked up an excellent pocket square and a pair of silk knots. Gary is very professional and personable and I highly recommend that anyone in the Boston area check out his store.


Keezer's

By the time I got to Keezer's I remembered I had my camera and Len the proprietor agreed to let me take some snaps. He gave me some background on his shop; it has a very interesting history. It is a pretty unique place with A LOT of formal wear for sale (and to rent, I think). I picked up another great pocket square and a vintage summer cotton blazer (red/white yacting stripes) with some really unusual metal buttons.



That's Len in the middle





























Bobby from Boston

What an amazing place and Bobby is a very friendly, knowledgeable guy. I photographed everything in the shop and Bobby told me that his offsite warehouse has 50 times as much merchandise waiting to be catalogued and rotated in. He does a lot work with film and theater productions looking for costumes. I was quite interested to hear about the reps from different design houses making pilgrimages to his shop to mine the past for ideas for their lines. There were a number of really, really cool fedoras that I wanted but none large enough to fit my giant skull. I bought a very cool red and blue silk pocket square. Everyone interested in clothing should definitely come see Bobby's.



The Man Himself

[eagle2250]

What a wonderful assortment of pictures...thanks for sharing your experience with us!

[jjl5000]

Plus 1!

[Bertie Wooster]

Wow @ Bobby's, I have never, ever seen a vintage store with that sort of selection. I shudder to think just how much I could blow in a store like that ! Now that Bertie Wooster is closed, I'd guess the closest thing we Brits have is Hornets.

[windsor]

I'm impressed with Len's place and its customer friendly atmosphere...No returns, no refunds , no exchanges. (no sale) I didn't say favorably impressed.

[Reddington]

Thanks for sharing the pictures! I do believe it's time to plan a trip to Boston. Bobby's looks like a fantastic store. Where in Boston is it located?

Cheers.

[mcarthur]

^thank you for posting pictures

[acidicboy]

Great set of pictures. Thanks for posting them. Too bad about Drinkwater's exclusion.

[mipcar]

Originally Posted by windsor

I'm impressed with Len's place and its customer friendly atmosphere...No returns, no refunds , no exchanges. (no sale) I didn't say favorably impressed.

Beat me to the punch there. I would not buy from a shop with a sign like that.

Mychael

[mrkleen]

Originally Posted by windsor

I'm impressed with Len's place and its customer friendly atmosphere...No returns, no refunds , no exchanges. (no sale) I didn't say favorably impressed.

The prices at Keezer's are so favorable...that it (for a while), became the place to buy clothes for costume parties...and halloween events.

I can see under those kind of circumstances and with all the colleges in the area, why the owner doesnt want an empty store on October 30th, and line out the door with returns on November 1st.

[stainless]

Do a lot of places that sell used clothing offer refunds?

Not that everything in the store is used. But finding a 100% wool blazer in my size for $40 is worth not being able to return it. Your mileage may vary.

[Northeastern]

+1 for Keezer's and Bobby's.

Keezer's is the best spot in town to find formalwear, particularly for the young man buying his first dinner jacket. You can also find all sorts of great deals on any number of other items. My family, along with many others, have used Keezer's for generations.

Bobby's is just a great experience. You really have to go there to appreciate it.

[S. Kelly]

Bobby's was great, I went there today. I bought a nautical flag belt (shown in one of the above pics) and had a ball looking around. It's located in the South End of Boston, a neighborhood they are trying to call SoWa, so it can sound hip and NYish.

[brokencycle]

I feel happy on the inside now.

[Absolute Beginner]

Originally Posted by S. Kelly

It's located in the South End of Boston, a neighborhood they are trying to call SoWa, so it can sound hip and NYish.

That's right, it's SoWa. I mistakenly called it some other stupid acronym on this post in the SF.

I live in Southie, but I don't think that I can get SoBo to catch on...

[mrkleen]

Originally Posted by S. Kelly

It's located in the South End of Boston, a neighborhood they are trying to call SoWa, so it can sound hip and NYish.

Man, that is just stupid. Boston has its own history (which is a lot deeper and longer standing than NY) hope something like this dies a swift and painful death.

NYC can have Soho and Tribeca. I will take Southie, Eastie and the Fens anyday.

-Signed a Townie.

[windsor]

Originally Posted by stainless

Do a lot of places that sell used clothing offer refunds?

Not that everything in the store is used. But finding a 100% wool blazer in my size for $40 is worth not being able to return it. Your mileage may vary.

Most thrifts do not allow refunds but in this neck of woods Goodwill is the exception. Returns within ten days with receipt and tags. Blazers and sportcoats 14.00 or half that on special sale days.

To be fair, if Keezers only had the sign up for Halloween stuff I can understand the policy.

[Alexander Kabbaz]

Originally Posted by mrkleen

Man, that is just stupid. Boston has its own history (which is a lot deeper and longer standing than NY) hope something like this dies a swift and painful death.

NYC can have Soho and Tribeca. I will take Southie, Eastie and the Fens anyday.

-Signed a Townie.

Them's fightin' words!

We have Union Square. It was known as "uptown" back when the ancestors of Pats fans were trying to figure out why the tea they poured into the harbor wasn't brewing.

Q: Where was the first capital of the United States?

Q: Where was the first inauguration of a U.S. president?

Q: What is the U.S. center of fashion ... and bespoke clothing?

Q: From what city do the 2008 Superbowl champs hail?

A: New York City!



P.S.: NukeMeSlowly - That was a very pleasurable photo essay. Thank you. I could easily go broke in Bobbys.

[mrkleen]

Originally Posted by Alexander Kabbaz

Them's fightin' words!

We have Union Square. It was known as "uptown" back when the ancestors of Pats fans were trying to figure out why the tea they poured into the harbor wasn't brewing.

Q: Where was the first capital of the United States?

Q: Where was the first inauguration of a U.S. president?

Q: What is the U.S. center of fashion ... and bespoke clothing?

Q: From what city do the 2008 Superbowl champs hail?

A: New York City!



P.S.: NukeMeSlowly - That was a very pleasurable photo essay. Thank you. I could easily go broke in Bobbys.

Alex - with all due respect to you, my second favorite city, and your special powers to delete me from the Ask Andy universe...I will keep my reply short and sweet here.

The parade for the 2008 NFL champions will start in Copley Square at Noon on Tuesday. Let me know if you need directions.

[jcusey]

Originally Posted by Alexander Kabbaz

Q: From what city do the 2008 Superbowl champs hail?

A: New York City!

Unequivocally false. Even if the Giants were to win, they hail from New Jersey, not New York.

[Alexander Kabbaz]

Originally Posted by mrkleen

Alex - with all due respect to you, my second favorite city, and your special powers to delete me from the Ask Andy universe...I will keep my reply short and sweet here.

The parade for the 2008 NFL champions will start in Copley Square at Noon on Tuesday. Let me know if you need directions.

Have it your way ... but I suggest you start earlier as you're gonna have one helluva long walk to get to the reviewing stand on Broadway.

Originally Posted by jcusey

Unequivocally false. Even if the Giants were to win, they hail from New Jersey, not New York.

I can't help it if they play in the NYC suburbs. Don't forget, the Meadowlands have a long and cherished history of providing unmarked cemetery space for some of New York's better-known characters.

[gng8]

We in Chicago don't think much of either city's sports teams and rather like our history. But I am planning a trip to Boston for its history and to see these great shops.

NYC--maybe in my next life.

[Alexander Kabbaz]

Originally Posted by gng8

We in Chicago don't think much

[jcusey]

Originally Posted by Alexander Kabbaz

Have it your way ... but I suggest you start earlier as you're gonna have one helluva long walk to get to the reviewing stand on Broadway.

Personally, I'm holding out hope for the first tie in Super Bowl history. Either that, or to have both teams disqualified before kickoff.

[NukeMeSlowly]

Originally Posted by Alexander Kabbaz

P.S.: NukeMeSlowly - That was a very pleasurable photo essay. Thank you. I could easily go broke in Bobbys.

Happy to contribute.