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Steven Kurutz, a reporter on the Styles desk, has fond memories of shopping while growing up: browsing the family-owned Otto Bookstore in his native Pennsylvania, and riding the escalators over and over as a child in department stores like Macy’s.
“There’s something about being inside a really great store that’s inspiring and aspirational and transporting,” he said.
In today’s click-and-ship e-commerce era, there’s less of a need to go into clothing stores. But in a brick-and-mortar shop, you can feel the merchandise, Mr. Kurutz said, and build a rapport with knowledgeable store associates.
A recent project from the Styles desk, by a team of journalists including Mr. Kurutz, is both an homage to shopping in person and a practical guide to 50 stores across the country where customers can still have that experience.
Mr. Kurutz is no stranger to reporting on clothes; an article he wrote about a quest to revive U.S.-made flannel led to his 2024 book, “American Flannel,” about manufacturing clothing in the United States. But this project took that clothing beat 50 steps further, with 11 reporters and editors fanning out to assess the best clothing shops in dozens of cities.
In a recent interview, Mr. Kurutz shared how the Styles desk decided on America’s 50 best clothing stores, and the place on the list he’d love to revisit. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
What criteria did a store have to meet to be considered for this project?
First, it had to be a brick-and-mortar store. Other criteria included the buy, the edit and the customer experience: how it feels to be in the store, how the salesperson treats you, what the dressing rooms are like.
Picking 50 clothing stores out of the entire country is a major feat. How did you compose an initial list?
As Misty White Sidell, another Styles reporter, and I created a master list, we reached out to the tastemakers we knew — artists, designers, fashion writers — about their favorite stores. We added some ourselves, did a lot of online research and asked people on the Styles desk. After refining the list, a team of reporters went out and visited the stores — I covered the Eastern Seaboard, from Maine down to South Carolina. We also met with some shop owners on FaceTime and had them walk us through the stores virtually while we asked questions. Very early on, the difference between a good store and a great store was apparent.
What is the difference between a good store and a great store?
A great store has layers. There’s a sense of something unfolding. Just when you think, “Oh wow, this is really special,” suddenly there’s a back room. There’s an element of surprise.
Was there a store No. 51 that you wanted to include but ultimately didn’t?
There was some spirited debate about United Apparel Liquidators, or U.A.L., in Nashville — think of it as T.J. Maxx for luxury fashion. It’s really an incredible place, and it’s this secret among the fashion crowd.
What was your in-store reporting process like?
I had restaurant reviewers in my mind. We didn’t want to walk in and announce that we were Styles reporters from The New York Times; you’re going to get special treatment. It’s going to change the vibe. Generally, I would go into the store and browse, sometimes asking questions about the store or a label. And then, once I had a sense of the customer interaction and the space and the merchandise, I would reveal that I was from The Times and working on a big project.
Some readers expressed concern about the price points of the selected stores. Do you have a deeper understanding from writing “American Flannel” of what can drive clothing costs?
Quality clothing is expensive. There’s no way around that. The materials, the labor and the overhead to run a store are expensive. There are many places in the country where you can shop for fast fashion, but we wanted to focus on and praise independent businesses. And that’s not to say there weren’t affordable pieces in those stores. We also included several vintage and thrift stores.
I think some of the reader concern about price is less about the list than it is about the cost of living in America today. You can get sticker shock at the supermarket as well.
Do you have a favorite clothing store on the list that this project introduced you to?
Cuffs, in suburban Cleveland. It’s a wonderful, high-quality men’s store in a gorgeous Italianate townhouse, and the only privately run Hermès boutique in North America is inside. The owners also sell French toiletries and wines. I can’t afford Hermès, but I came away with Buly toothpaste and skin cream for my wife. I would love to go back to Cuffs, just to be in that world.
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