John Varvatos to open Detroit store
A new John Varvatos store will be arriving in Detroit next year, the designer’s first boutique in the Midwest as well as his first in his hometown (he already has 14 stores across the country, as well as outposts in Toronto, London, and Bangkok).
Set to open in Spring 2015, the 4,000 square foot store will be housed in a historic Gordon Lloyd-designed, Queen Anne-style mid-rise building on Woodward Avenue. Stocking the brand’s full menswear lines, and the Converse by John Varvatos footwear collection, it’s the first high-end fashion store to open in downtown Detroit in a number of years.
« For me, this is much more than a business opportunity, » explained Varvatos. « It is also about changing the complexion of a great city and creating a different kind of legacy. Detroit is well past its tipping point and I’m thrilled to be playing a role in the city’s ongoing transformation. »
The move is part of a wider trend which is seeing ‘Motor City’ recover something of its past glories, inspired by the town’s musical and design heritage. Located on the ‘Madison Block’ famed for housing tech start-ups in the city, the new Varvatos store will join Detroit-based watch and lifestyle brand Shinola, which opened its first international store in London this month.
