The J. Crew-Jack's Coffee combo has opened in NoHo

Multiple readers pointed out that the J. Crew opened this past Thursday on the SE corner of Lafayette and Bond. (We first noted the signage alert in May 2023.) 

According to WWD, this JC is "primarily focused on the brand's men’s collection but with some space for select women's items." This outpost includes a Jack's Coffee branch.

This debut comes after the bespoke J. Crew men's shop with a coffee shop on the SW corner of the Bowery and Bleecker closed at the end of 2023 after 15 months. 

Back to WWD: 

Over the last several years J. Crew, amid difficult sales trends, cut its store count almost in half, from more than 200 to about 112. But in a December 2023 interview with WWD, J. Crew Group chief executive officer Libby Wadle underscored the importance of brick-and-mortar stores, saying, "The best representation of the brand needs to be in the stores. It's how we are merchandising the stores today. It’s how we are thinking about investment in our stores. We have a smaller footprint, but these stores are in our best markets. We will invest in them to make sure they feel really fresh."

The J Crew on the Bowery is back open

After a nearly two-week closure, the J. Crew Men's Shop on the Bowery at Bleecker is back open as of late last week.

At first, there was a handwritten sign stating that the J. Crew Men's Shop was "temporarily closed."  Then a more formal sign on the storefront at 316 Bowery noted that the shop was "experiencing technical difficulties." 

The reopening has a notable absence: a reader said the coffee bar has been removed, per a reader.

This men's-concept outpost debuted last September. A J. Crew outpost is expected to open in the months ahead on Lafayette and Bond.

J Crew on the Bowery remains closed due to 'technical difficulties'

Updated 9/2: The shop is back open.

This past Saturday we pointed out the handwritten sign stating that the J. Crew Men's Shop on the Bowery at Bleecker was "temporarily closed." 

There's a more formal sign on the storefront at 316 Bowery now... noting that the shop "is experiencing technical difficulties" ...

An EVG reader said he last noticed the shop open on Aug. 16.

Meanwhile, the J. Crew-Bowery Watch© continues.

This men's-concept outpost — complete with a coffee bar — debuted to much fanfare last September.

Noted

Updated 9/2: The shop is back open.

A few readers have noted that the J.Crew Men's Shop is currently — and temporarily! — closed for unspecified reasons on the Bowery at Bleecker...

This comes about 11 months after the brand made its debut in this long-vacant retail space.

A J Crew for NoHo

And from the EVG tipline — coming-soon signs are up for a J Crew on the SE corner of Bond and Lafayette. 

The brand currently has nine outposts in Manhattan, including the men's shop (with coffee bar) that opened last September on the Bowery and Bleecker.

J. Crew signage official a day before its grand opening on the Bowery

Updated 9/13:  From J. Crew:  This is "a new men’s concept store featuring a curated collection of J.Crew menswear, vintage finds including art and furniture, plus coffee from Urban Backyard." 

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 The JC signage went up Friday here at 316 Bowery at Bleecker...

... ahead of the grand opening of a new men's concept tomorrow...

As previously noted, the storefront will be selling coffee-espresso drinks (Think Coffee across the street must love this!) ... and there looks to be space for sidewalk seating.

There's also speculation, via Gear Patrol, that this will be a J. Crew Liquor Store redux. That was the brand's "clubby boutique" in an old liquor store in Tribeca from 2008-2019. 

Also from Gear Patrol: "Even if J.Crew doesn't use the basement, the ground level is still over 3,000 square feet, making this, at least to my knowledge, the biggest dedicated J.Crew Men's Shop in New York City, if not the U.S."

Last year, JC hired Brendon Babenzien — former Supreme design director — to be the creative director of J.Crew Men's. He debuted/celebrated his first collection last week at a party at Jean's, an opening-soon restaurant via the owners of Superiority Burger and Williamsburg Pizza in the former Butter space on Lafayette that featured a 7-song set by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.  

After filing for Chapter 11 in May 2020, J. Crew exited bankruptcy that fall. Per Retail Dive:

Lenders have taken over controlling ownership after a federal bankruptcy court approved J. Crew's reorganization plan. That deal left investment firm Anchorage Capital Group as the retailer's current majority owner. Kevin Ulrich, Anchorage's CEO, said in the release that his firm sees "an immense opportunity for growth and expansion at each brand," which includes the J. Crew and Madewell banners.

J. Crew confirmed for the Bowery; opening scheduled on Sept. 13

A J. Crew men's shop is opening at 316 Bowery on Sept. 13... the location arrived over the weekend on the brand's website... 

As previously reported, renovations have been quickly taking place inside the former restaurant space in recent weeks.

A Bowery Boogie informant first heard that a J. Crew was in the works, though there hadn't been anything official from the company about the new location here at Bleecker. 

In addition, contractors at the scene professed to not know anything about who the tenant was. Meanwhile, other tipsters came forward, stating that this will be a JPress outpost (not true, the brand said) or a Rowing Blazers shop (also not true — they are opening at 8 Rivington St. on Thursday).

As these interior photos by EVG contributor Stacie Joy from late last week show, the shop will apparently offer a coffee service... as seen on the front counter...

After filing for Chapter 11 in May 2020, J. Crew exited bankruptcy that fall. Per Retail Dive:

Lenders have taken over controlling ownership after a federal bankruptcy court approved J. Crew's reorganization plan. That deal left investment firm Anchorage Capital Group as the retailer's current majority owner. Kevin Ulrich, Anchorage's CEO, said in the release that his firm sees "an immense opportunity for growth and expansion at each brand," which includes the J. Crew and Madewell banners.

The company must be doing better financially — they're paying a 24/7 security detail to prevent people from tagging the 316 Bowery storefront. 

There's also a J. Crew men's shop not too far away on Broadway at Broome. 

The restaurant Saxon + Parole, which never reopened after the PAUSE of March 2020, was the last retail tenant in this space.

What's going in at the renovated 316 Bowery?

Photos by Stacie Joy

Workers continue with a fast-moving renovation inside 316 Bowery at Bleecker... space that was most recently the restaurant Saxon + Parole. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy received a tour of the interior on Saturday. Oddly enough, the contractors and security officers here did not know who the new retail tenant was... only that they'd be open in a week or so... 

A source told Bowery Boogie last week that a J Crew was setting up shop here. This space is a retail conversion, ending the run of bar-restaurants here in recent years.

Inside are fitting rooms, merch shelves and sporting decor (Merrimack canoes hanging from the ceiling).     

There's nothing inside the storefront with the J Crew branding (and is this JC's store color palette?) ... though J Crew does have a Merrimack canoe line of items.

There also weren't any posted work permits. (The approved work permits also don't mention the new tenant, just the scope of the work.) So far, a coming-soon notice hasn't been posted to the J Crew website... or even its Madewell brand.

Anyway, it would make sense for a J Crew to open here — they introduced the Bowery pants and the Ludlow suit to the world in 2010.

Get your Bowery pants! J. Crew memorializes the Lower East Side in cotton and worsted Italian wool

According to the new J. Crew catalog, these shots were taken in Portugal. And where are the Clinton Chinos? Or the Pitt Street polos? The possibilities are endless...