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n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m | A u g u s t 2 0 2 2 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 19 Keeping close to the campus origin of J. Press remains important to the brand, according to Onward Kashiyama. "J. Press remains a pillar of Ivy League style and has stayed true to the qual- ity tailoring and crasmanship of its historic past," the company said. "It was very important for the store to maintain this relationship, and the proximity to where it all began is an important aspect of that." Retail rebound e store's return to its historic home is also important to the Broadway dis- trict, adjacent to the Yale Campus and designed as an upscale retail corridor curated by the university's real estate operation, Yale University Properties. Shoppers can visit J. Press then drop into L.L. Bean's Elm Street location before fueling up at Belgian-style cafe Maison Mathis. "We are delighted to see J. Press opened again in the Broadway shopping district in New Haven," said Lauren Zucker, Yale's associate vice president for New Haven affairs and university prop- erties. "J. Press, founded in New Haven, has been a successful retailer in New Haven for over a century and we look forward to our relationship continuing to grow in the years to come." e clothier's investment in its new location also represents another hopeful indicator of the strength of the city's retail sector as it emerges from the pan- demic, said Carlos Eyzaguirre, deputy economic development director for the city and business development director at Economic Development Corporation of New Haven. At least 115 new businesses have opened in first-floor storefronts in the last two years, Eyzaguirre said, with about 70 businesses closing in the same period. Recent ribbon-cuttings in the Broadway district include Warby Parker eyewear – next-door to J. Press – Bull- dog Hotdogs in the Broadway island and Pedals Smoothie & Juice Bar at 284 York. "J. Press is about as iconic a busi- ness to ever come out of New Haven, rivaling brand names like Winchester, Sargent and other famous New Haven clothiers like Gant," Eyzaguirre said. "We are thrilled to see them perma- nently back in the Broadway district with an expanded space on Elm Street." E-commerce expansion e move back to the Broadway district represents not only a return to tradition for J. Press – it's also a step into a future increasingly dominated by e-commerce. e store's second floor is dedicated to online order fulfillment, and the staff spends a good portion of its time picking items from the invento- ry, packing them and shipping them. Not that e-commerce isn't ultra-com- petitive: Start visiting the J. Press website and you'll soon get pop-up ads online for companies like Charles Tyrwhitt of Jermyn Street in London, which offers its "Italian Luxury Narrow Stripe Suit" for a mere $649. Even so, J. Press continues to sell worldwide through e-commerce and reports strong sales. "is part of our business continues to grow alongside our physical brick- and-mortar shops," Onward Kashimaya said in its statement. e new J. Press location will employ several e-commerce workers along with a full-service tailor. e third-floor space may become an event space, Casuga said. n Enson's Menswear on Chapel Street will soon celebrate its 100th year in New Haven. PHOTO | LIESE KLEIN Another New Haven's menswear retailer sees revival By Liese Klein A few blocks away from J. Press's new location, another historic New Haven menswear retailer reported signs of recovery as social life returns to normal aer the COVID-19 pandemic. At Enson's Menswear at 1050 Chapel St., owner Jim Civitello has seen sales return to more than pre-pandemic levels. Selling merchandise via its website helped keep Enson's alive during lockdowns, Civitello said, echoing the increasing importance of e-commerce for New Haven's historic retailers. Several years before the pandemic, iconic New Haven retailer DelMonico Hatter already made more than three-fourths of its sales online, making it one of the largest internet headwear dealers in the nation. Civitello said he is also seeing some sales driven by people who have gained or lost weight during the pandemic and need new wardrobes. "A lot of people are going back to work and going to weddings, so business has increased dramatically," Civitello said. "We're actually at a point in our suit business where we're selling more than we did before." Enson's has also found success selling the creations of another archetypal "Yale Man," Alex Faherty. A former Yale football starter, Faherty founded a sustainable clothing line in 2013, which is now sold nationwide. "Faherty has been a very, very hot brand for us," Civitello said. Along with Faherty, which has almost 40 standalone stores, golf wear by Greyson Clothiers and Peter Millar sportswear also sell well at Enson's, Civitello said. Even as the business thrives, Civitello is preparing for a big transition in the next few years – turning over his business to his son, Nick. e elder Civitello bought the business from the Enson family in the 1980s and is ready to retire. "It's a joint thing now," Civitello said. "Probably in the next year or so, he'll take over completely." e handover will come just in time for another big milestone: Enson's 100th birthday. "We've been here for so long … that we've created a customer base," Civitello said. "e Greater New Haven area has been very loyal to us." n Enson's owner Jim Civitello reports strong sales from upscale brands like Faherty, founded by a Yale alum. PHOTO | LIESE KLEIN PHOTO | GARY LEWIS

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