J. Press to Reopen Store in New Haven

J. Press is returning to its roots.

The preppy retailer, which was founded in New Haven, Conn., in the shadows of Yale University in 1902, is reopening a store in that city this spring.

J. Press operated a store at 262 York Street in New Haven for over a century until 2013 when it was severely damaged by a storm. It has been operating in temporary spaces since then, but the company, which is owned by Onward Kashiyama in Japan, has secured a new permanent location adjacent to the old one at 262 Elm Street. The 1,780-square-foot location is scheduled to open in May.

The two-level store is designed with a classic yet modern aesthetic intended to bridge the gap between a traditional haberdashery and a contemporary clothier. Over the years, J. Press has defined Ivy League style with its Shaggy Dog Shetland sweaters, oxford button-down shirts and blue blazers. The new store will house the Heritage and Pennant collections along with sportswear on the first floor while tailored clothing, the made-to-measure department, custom shirts and a tailor shop will be upstairs. The building will also house the J. Press e-commerce distribution center and administrative offices.

“J. Press has a long history in New Haven and we are thrilled to find a permanent home for our store in the city of our founding,” said Jun Murakami, president of J. Press USA. “We look forward to continuing the rich tradition of classic American style for years to come.”

J. Press was founded by Jacobi Press, a Latvian immigrant, who opened a store on the campus of Yale University, and has been owned by Onward Kashiyama since 1986. It currently operates units on 44th Street in Manhattan as well as on L Street NW in Washington, D.C. There is also a freestanding store in Tokyo and 83 shop-in-shops in Japan.