NewHavenBIZ

18 n e w h a v e n B I Z | A u g u s t 2 0 2 2 | n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m concept for the company," J. Press parent company Onward Kashiyama USA said in a statement. "is New Haven location will again play a large role in the operations of the business, re-connecting J. Press to its hometown and providing a foundation for the next chapter of the business in New Haven and beyond." A division of a Japanese retail giant, Onward Kashiyama USA bought J. Press in 1986 and operates two other J. Press stores, one at 51 E 44th St. in Manhattan and the other at 1801 L St. NW in Washington, D.C. J. Press was founded on the Yale campus in 1902 by Latvian immigrant Jacobi Press, whose descendants still hold advisory roles at the company. By Liese Klein W hen is a suit not just a suit? When it is a navy chalk- stripe model with classic "Ivy League" tailoring, stitched in North America and designed to last for decades – if not a lifetime. at's what menswear retailer J. Press is selling at its new location at 262 Elm St. in New Haven, along with wool scarves, vintage-looking Yale merch and lots of classic sportswear long consid- ered the essence of "preppy" style. But be sure to check your credit limit – that J. Press suit costs $950, and few items in the store fall below triple digits in price. "It's expensive, yes," said J. Press Assistant Manager Carl Casuga. "But you have to think of it as an investment because that suit will last you years, you can pass it down to your grandchildren. It never goes out of style." e suits are also easy to wear during long workdays, said fellow Assistant Manager Stephen Mason, who wore J. Press for 33 years practicing law in Los Angeles before taking a job at the New Haven store. He fell in love with the brand aer buying his first wardrobe there in 1984, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. "It's very comfortable," Mason said, modeling his own three-button Ivy League suit jacket. "I would call it restrained elegance," he said of the sig- nature J. Press look. "It's not something that is speaking loudly." Historic roots High quality at premium prices is what J. Press has been selling since it first opened on York Street in New Haven in 1902, launching a brand that became a signature look for "Yale men" and business leaders in the decades since. e J. Press tailored look helped shape what is considered an American suit and has influenced the look of men's office wear across the globe. (e brand does not sell women's clothing, although many of the items are functionally unisex.) But all that history and tradition couldn't save J. Press from 2013's Winter Storm Nemo, which dumped 34 inches of snow onto its century-old building at 262 York St., in a February blizzard. e weight of the snow caused floors to sag and the facade to peel away, prompting the city to declare the building unsafe and order its demolition. Where the old J. Press once stood is now a patch of gravel fronted by a chain-link fence. Plans were soon underway to relo- cate to an adjacent property owned by J. Press on Elm that had been home to Tyco Print. Tyco agreed to move down the street, and aer several temporary locations along with pandemic and other delays, J. Press finally opened its doors at 262 Elm in May. e new Elm Street location "rep- resents a centralized omni-channel J. Press moves to new Elm Street location as New Haven menswear retailers rebound Suiting Up PHOTOS | GARY LEWIS A statue of Handsome Dan, Yale's mascot, on the J. Press sales floor is one of many mementos of the university in the store. J. Press Assistant Managers Stephen Mason (left) and Carl Casuga with a selection of the Ivy League brand's signature ties.

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