Men’s Clothing Stores That Weren’t Suited to Succeed

By Paula Green

In our spring issue of Pittsburgh Fifty-Five Plus, we focused on women's clothing stores that fashionably faltered. This time, it's the men's turn. We are going to examine men's apparel stores that thrived in Pittsburgh, but eventually these stores permanently shuttered their doors.

Fred Hughes and Leslie Hatcher opened their men's clothing shop in Detroit, Michigan, in 1910 and found instant success. In 1946, Hughes & Hatcher opened their fine apparel store on Wood Street in downtown Pittsburgh. Residents welcomed the expansion into the region, and another store soon followed at the Monroeville Mall. Hughes & Hatcher's popularity flourished, and at one point, it had 61 stores in six states. By the early 1980s, the store fell on hard times and began closing locations; by 1983, all Hughes & Hatcher locations had closed.

Robert Hall Men's Clothing opened in Connecticut in 1937. The store soon expanded nationwide, establishing locations in 36 states. Robert Hall found a home on Penn Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh and also had warehouses on Route 51 in the South Hills and McKeesport. The retailer was known for its inexpensive men's suits, with no charge for alterations. For forty years, Robert Hall was a mainstay. They filed for bankruptcy in 1977 and subsequently closed their stores.

In 1967, a few salespeople from Melville's Thom McAn Shoes identified a need in the market for young men's clothing, which led to the opening of Chess King, which offered trendy fashions. The top-selling men's retailer expanded to over 500 shopping mall locations, including one in Pittsburgh. By the early 1990s, this popular merchant had bottomed out. In 1993, Merry-Go-Round acquired Chess King, but Merry-Go-Round itself ultimately filed for bankruptcy in 1994, and all remaining Chess King stores closed in 1995.

J. Riggings, a men's clothing retailer, was founded in 1969 and was in several shopping malls in the Pittsburgh region. The store flourished for 18 years, and in 1987, the chain was sold to Edison Brothers. In 1995, Edison Brothers filed for bankruptcy and closed several locations. It then filed for bankruptcy again in 1999, and this time, all remaining J. Riggings stores were closed.

In 1905, Jos. A. Bank emerged as a tailored clothing manufacturing company and evolved into a private-label retailer. Fast forward 68 years to August 1973, when The Men's Wearhouse was founded. The store's founder, George Zimmer quipped, "You're gonna like the way you look; I guarantee it." 

In 2016, Tailored Brands, Inc. acquired Jos. A. Bank and Men's Wearhouse. When the 2020 pandemic hit, Tailored Brands announced it would close up to 500 stores. Despite these challenges, a few of those stores did close in our area; however, some remain. Ross Park Mall features stores from Jos. A. Bank and Men's Wearhouse. These two retailers can also be found in the South Hills and Cranberry Township. Men's Wearhouse has locations in North Fayette Township and Homestead, showing that these brands are still standing strong.

Although some of these prominent men's stores have folded up, you can store them in your memory banks. Look ahead; there are plenty of storefronts to shop at, and numerous online options are available as well. From classic brands to trendy boutiques, the world of men's fashion is at your fingertips. Have fun finding that perfect fit, and happy shopping!

Sources: 99wfmk.com/hughes-and-hatcher/, www.waterwinterwonderland.com/retaildetail, archive.triblive.com/news/remembering-merchants-and-advertisements-of-old/, forgottenspots.com/robert-hall-clothes/, www.rpwrhs.org/w/index.Robert_Hall_Clothing_Store, drloihjournal.blogspot.com/2019/06/robert-hall-clothes-incorporated.html, finance.yahoo.com/news/men-wearhouse-jos-banks-close, theretronetwork.com/mall-stores-that-youll-never-shop-at-again/, www.tailoredbrands.com/about/history/