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The Brooks Brothers Downtown Pittsburgh location on Oct. 30, 2020, in Pittsburgh.
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Between COVID-19 and a bankruptcy, fate of Downtown Brooks Brothers store hangs in the balance

Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Between COVID-19 and a bankruptcy, fate of Downtown Brooks Brothers store hangs in the balance

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit earlier this year, the lights have been out and doors closed at the venerable Brooks Brothers clothing store in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Now there are signs that the store, a Golden Triangle institution for decades, may not be returning.

On Friday, Brooks Brothers Group filed notice in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware that it was rejecting the lease for the store, located at 600 Smithfield St. in the center of the Downtown retail corridor.

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The rejection of the lease, which would have to be approved by the court, could mean that the store is targeted for closing by the chain’s new owners. Or it could be an attempt to renegotiate the lease with landlord McKnight Realty Partners.

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McKnight declined comment Wednesday. A Brooks Brothers representative could not be reached for comment. McKnight can file an objection to the lease rejection in bankruptcy court should it choose to do so.

During a visit to the Smithfield location earlier this week, it did not appear that the store would be reopening any time soon. Tables and racks were empty. Unclothed mannequins were lined up side by side.

Signs in the windows stated that the “in light of current circumstances, this Brooks Brothers store is temporarily closed.”

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That contrasts with the retailer’s website, which states that the Downtown store is permanently closed.

In many instances when a retailer rejects a lease, it means that that store is going to shut down, said Herky Pollock, a CBRE executive vice president who specializes in retail.

“It certainly reduces the landlord’s leverage to keep them as a tenant. In most cases, it means the end is near,” he said.

However, there are instances when a lease rejection serves as an opening to renegotiate the terms and leads to a deal to keep the store open, Mr. Pollock noted.

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There are several instances where that has happened in Pittsburgh, he pointed out.

JC Penney was set to close at Monroeville Mall but renegotiated its lease and stayed open. Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery did the same thing at the Waterfront in Homestead, he said.

Brooks Brothers, a 200-year-old company that has fitted many U.S. presidents, filed for bankruptcy in early July, with plans to close a quarter of its U.S. stores.

At the time, a company spokesman said the Smithfield Street store was not among those closing and would reopen soon.

In September, Authentic Brands Group and mall giant Simon Property Group acquired the chain. With the sale, at least 125 stores were to remain open. Before the pandemic, Brooks Brothers operated more than 400 retail and outlet stores worldwide.

The Downtown store has been a retail stalwart since the 1950s. With its central location in the heart of the Golden Triangle and half a block from the Duquesne Club, many of whose members likely shopped at the store, the retailer did brisk business for decades.

Losing Brooks Brothers, should it occur, would be another big blow to Downtown retail, which has lost the Kaufmann’s/Macy’s and the Saks Fifth Avenue department stores over the past eight years.

In July, Jos. A. Banks, another men’s clothing store, closed its Downtown location on Fifth Avenue as part of a pandemic-related cost-cutting move by its parent company, Tailored Brands.

Mr. Pollock said COVID-19 has not been kind to menswear, particularly with so many people working from home. Furthermore, Brooks Brothers “has had a challenging time remaining relevant with today’s younger consumers” because of changing fashion tastes.

“Even prior to COVID, the country was becoming far more casual, which does not bode well for a company that has thrived on suits and slacks and dress shirts,” Mr. Pollock said. “Certainly during COVID, men are not buying clothing for their Zoom calls.”

Should Brooks Brothers close its doors for good, there could be other retailers ready to fill the void, Mr. Pollock said. The location is a “highly desirous” one and could attract much interest.

He noted that the retailer Target has signed a deal to open an urban format store at the former Kaufmann’s/Macy’s building several blocks away on Smithfield.

“As evidenced by Target, there are retailers looking to enter the Downtown market as we speak,” he said.

Mark Belko: mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262.

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First Published: November 5, 2020, 11:00 a.m.
Updated: November 5, 2020, 1:03 p.m.

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The Brooks Brothers Downtown Pittsburgh location on Oct. 30, 2020, in Pittsburgh.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Brooks Brothers Downtown Pittsburgh location on Oct. 30, 2020.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
The Brooks Brothers Downtown Pittsburgh location on Friday, Oct. 30, 2020.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
The Brooks Brothers Downtown Pittsburgh location on Friday, Oct. 30, 2020.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
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