Brooks Brothers Greenwich Avenue Store Closes, New Tenant Sought
GREENWICH, CT — Signs that read "for lease" have gone up at the Brooks Brothers clothing store on Greenwich Avenue, and the building's broker confirmed Wednesday the store is closed.
Tom Torelli of Allied Property Group said the store at 181 Greenwich Avenue officially closed last week, and they are seeking a new tenant for the two-floor building. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)
"We're the exclusive broker on the property," Torelli said. "We actually put Brooks Bothers in [that space] in 2001."
The Brooks Brothers website also lists the location as "permanently closed."
"They were an institution, and they're leaving," Torelli said. "It's unfortunate, but it is something we're seeing especially in apparel companies for men that are more formal. The trend has been for less formal clothing for men, and apparel companies have been hit hard by [the coronavirus]."
Greenwich Chamber of Commerce president Marcia O'Kane said the chamber was "looking forward" to seeing how the Greenwich Avenue property is utilized.
"This is another example of how [the coronavirus] has affected buying trends and retailers in general," O'Kane said in an email.
With the store space now up for lease, Torelli said he is optimistic they will find a new tenant for the building soon due to its location.
"That block and the block below it are considered the two best blocks on Greenwich Avenue," Torelli said.
He also noted the building's location in front of a large municipal parking lot offers it a unique advantage over many other businesses along the avenue, as customers can simply park in the lot and enter the store.
The size of the building, which measures 12,500 square feet on two floors, also affords Allied the opportunity to split the store's lower level from its upper level and lease them both individually, Torelli said.
"We're optimistic," Torelli said. "We are going into a tough time of year for retail leasing...[businesses] are so busy with the holidays, they're [usually] not out looking for space. Then they come out and start looking again in February."
Despite restrictions and safety measurements still in place due to the virus, also referred to as COVID-19, Torelli said Allied, who manages and owns a number of properties along Greenwich Avenue, has seen "a lot of activity" over the past few months.
"We've had...a lot of apparel retailers and restaurants calling to inquire about our listings in Greenwich," Torelli said, "mostly from New York, but also a couple of national tenants."
He also said they've seen fewer vacancies along the avenue this year than during the financial recession a little over a decade ago.
"In 2009, we were not getting any phone calls from tenants looking for space," Torelli said. "We get two a week now."
Patch has reached out to the First Selectman's Office for comment.
In June, Brooks Brothers closed its Stamford Town Center store after more than 38 years in business. According to Dan Stolzenbach, the mall's general manager, Brooks Brothers was one of the mall's original tenants when it opened in 1982.
"As such, we have a very special place in our hearts for Brooks Brothers," Stolzenbach said in an email, "and we're sorry to see them close due to these unprecedented external factors."
Last month, the Greenwich Time reported Brooks Brothers had permanently closed its women's store in Westport and its full store in Darien. Brooks Brothers still operates a men's store in Westport and a number of other stores in Connecticut, including one in Danbury.
According to their website, Brooks Brothers offers clothing for men, women and children. Founded in 1818, the store recently celebrated its 200th anniversary.
This article originally appeared on the Greenwich Patch
