The Most Innovative Menswear Stores in America in 2019

I love to buy online, but there is something special about going into a physical store to shop for clothes. Here are my top choices for truly exceptional men’s clothing stores in America.

Buy In Store or Online

The great thing about nearly all of these physical shops is that they also sell online. Even if you’re nowhere near Allentown, Pennsylvania, you browse the incredible selection of dry goods that Assembly 88 has curated, or see the latest collections from Portland Dry Goods in Maine.

Just remember to buy from these amazing retailers. If you only browse but don’t buy, they won’t survive the retail apocalypse.

Around the holidays, stop in these stores if you can to shop locally for deals on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.

Portland Dry Goods

235 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101

The fact that Portland Dry Goods has been around since 2008, and was buzzing with customers during my most recent visit, gives me hope that there is a future for thoughtful brick-and-mortar retailers. As I wrote in my review of Portland Dry Goods,

PDG is an extremely inviting, well-curated destination for men and women that is damn-well worth visiting in person, but also worth shopping online. It offers a couple of things that Amazon, Walmart and even Nordstrom can’t: opinions, a short list of young, innovative and/or under-the-radar brands, and a personal touch.

Assembly 88

Hamilton St., Allentown, PA 18101

Assembly 88 is a relatively new menswear store in Allentown, PA, ” aimed at the mature male who wants to look smart and confident, whether in a boardroom or at a ball game.” Assembly 88 stocks a variety of innovative menswear startups including Barbour, Bonobos, Faherty, Grayers, Herschel Supply (I love Herschel Supply Co’s bags), Hudson, Mizzen and Main, Peter Millar, Southern Tide and Vans.

Stag Provisions

Multiple locations across Austin, Dallas and Houston, TX and Venice, CA.

I’ve had the chance to visit Austin for SXSW for the past couple of years (where I’ve run into innovative brands like the Cremo Company and Austin-based Penny Luck Shoes). Every time I go, I try to leave some time to wander around Austin’s Stag Provisions. You can get lost in Stag’s well-stocked shop, where sales staff let you alone to look at the wares (and, if you ask nicely, take photos of the shop to include in your blog).

Stag maintains a wonderful stable of brands for men including Alex Mill, American Trench, BILLYKIRK, Faherty, Filson, Gitman Vintage, Hamilton Shirt Company, Malin and Goetz, Pendleton, Portuguese Flannel, Richer Poorer, Todd Snyder, Weiss Watch Company and many more. (See Modern Fellows’ guide to gorgeous watches for men for more brands like Weiss Watch Company.)

Stag recently introduced a “daughters collection” of clothes for women, featuring brands including Aunti Oti, Bridge and Burn, Esby, Fog Linen, Imogene and Willie, Levi’s Made and Crafted, Meadows, Nice Things, and Raen Optics.

Stag also maintains a fabulous website where you can shop online.

Todd Snyder

25 E 26th St, New York, NY 10010

I love Todd Snyder’s sensibility. The Huxley, Iowa-born menswear designer and entrepreneur has made a name for himself across several continents — his clothes are popular in Japan as well as the United States. Todd Snyder’s midtown-Manhattan flagship store is a pleasure to browse. His physical store and online storefront include clothes, accessories and shoes from his own line as well as collaborations with the likes of Champion and Timex.

Ball and Buck

675 Ponce De Leon Ave, Atlanta, Georgia 30306

I had the chance to interview Ball and Buck founder Mark Bollman a while back, and have followed his journey over the years to promote quality, durable products and American manufacturing. Founded in 2008, Ball and Buck has evolved into a brand synonymous with quality goods for the sporting gentleman. They began in Boston but now have a shop in Atlanta and also take their mission on the road across America.

Blue Owl Workshop

124 NW Canal St. Ste. 1, Seattle, WA 98107

Blue Owl has been serving Seattle since 2008 and focuses on promoting quality denim and other men’s clothing and accessories made by select artisans from Japan, USA, Canada, and Europe. The shop features American, European and Japanese designers including 3sixteen, and Wander, Freenote Cloth, Japan Blue, Momotaro, Oak Street Bootmakers, Railcar Fine Goods and Unbranded. Blue Owl maintains an easy-to-navigate and attractive e-commerce store.