I went once. I don't know the name of the gent who served me. He was there solo and no other customers were present during my visit. Frankly its glory days were long gone. The new shop was far busier on the 3 or so occasions I have visited, and had a lot better stock.

But it was in 2 Russell St that I got my sand G9, that still looks wonderful. Even the navy G9 I bought direct from Baracuta a little while later and which also still looks good, is inferior to the sand one in fit.

Last edited by Yuca (2021-10-29 16:43:58)

I don't remember my first visits, from a young age, always with my father on our own.
I was in late teens when I rediscovered the place. I remember going in on my own for the first time on my way to Waterloo to take the Eurostar back home (I lived in France in those days) and falling in love with the window, like so many people.

I was 23 when I moved back to London. I spent a week walking around the west end, resigned to the fate that sooner or later I'd have to find gainful employment. I'd just finished my apprenticeship and returning to London seemed like the best idea.

I walked into Arthur Beales and asked if they had anything going and so I wound up working on Shaftsbury Avenue.
Many of my lunchtimes were spent grabbing snippets of Kenny and Jeff. John was always friendly when he was there but slightly dismissive - I was foolishly deep into the mod thing and so my purchases there were limited to pairs of Weejuns and socks, with the occasional BD Baggies thrown into the mix and it wasn't until my parents came for Christmas and I took my old man into the shop that John put two and two together. I was always treated with deference and ridiculous generosity after that. I don't think I ever left the place without an extra pair of socks tucked into the bag.

After I moved jobs over to Newburg Street, my visits became less frequent - and less frequent still when "she" & I moved to St Albans. They took off again when we returned 16 months later and moved onto the Greys Inn Road. We were buying furniture for the new flat as 2 Russell Street was in the throws of closing down and I remember talking to John about what we'd bought thus far. Ladderax, Hans Olsen dining table, Florence Knoll Sofa, stuff that was affordable back then. I must have caught him in a really good mood, because the next thing I knew, I was being given the telephone table I'm certain a good few of you may remember and possibly even lusted after.

We said our fair-wells, promised to stay in touch and that was Russell Street gone.

I remember my first visit, my last visit and a few in between.
Out on the town one night, with people from the office, we found ourselves in Covent Garden. One friend 10 years younger than me and from Manchester said we are near the American shop. We stumbled upon J Simons, which was shut. I was mesmerized by everything in the small shop window. Next Monday lunchtime I was back there buying shoes and I was back in full ivy mode.

I got myself on the mailing list so that I could hear about when the sales took place and the private pre public offerings. I used to get two copies of the flyers sent out so I must have registered in two sets names.

Thanks for pitching in, chaps.  This is exactly what I had in mind.
Tim, you're evidently second generation.  Who is your Dad?  An old Ivy Shop customer perhaps? 
I remember that telephone table.  Lucky lucky! 
I remember, too, the way John would often pace and sweep around the shop.  He never seemed to be still for long.
JFM told me to be allowed into the basement was quite an honour.  But, if you needed to take a piss... 
The window was often a slightly eccentric joy.  You never quite knew what would be in there next.
And those signs/tags/whatever you call them.  Very John, I should think.

I think my first recollection was from around '85, my Wife & I had taken our kids to Covent Garden, it was probably Nov/December as the fair was out at the Russell St end of CG, there was a guy with (I think) two young kids, he had a big duffle coat on and looked familiar , I realised a bit later it was JS,(must have remembered his face from Richmond 15 years earlier, I've a good memory for remembering people), Paul would probably have been one of the kids, similar age to my Son, not sure if the shop was open, but I'm sure I took a look in the window and thought 'this is just like the Ivy Shop', not realising the connection, ( not sure when they had the reference to the IS above the door at RS, anyone know ?), I use to get the sales flyers and would drive in usually on a Sunday to shop the sale, last visit was in the last week or so before closing in 2010, bought a BD Baggies white BD, ( still have it, not that white now !), and a pair of Liberto 5 pockets in black, ( still can't figure out why I bought black, maybe only colour in my size and at £25 a 'bargain'), I quickly moved them onto my Son, it may have been that visit, or a slightly earlier visit when JS was showing me the estate agents specification for Chiltern St and saying Paul was getting involved, TBH I didn't think it would happen, this was the time when I decided to go (almost) full Ivy again, I'd hit my mid 50's and thought I was getting too long in the tooth for ' comtemporary ' styling, later that year I bought a really nice Harris Tweed 3/2 ( no darts) from Brooks in Regent St, probably last of their Ivy jackets I guess, JS admired it and also Lloyd Johnson when I went to his place one time, couldn't get any higher compliments IMO, filled up my wardrobe with mainly jackets & shoes from Chiltern St up to lockdown I guess, (had a couple of shirts but couldn't get on with them), but like a lot of us probably have enough clothing/shoes to see me out, although I might give one of their new Ivy shirts a go if they introduce a pink, or maybe one of the new flannel shirts that are coming, but I'd need to see & feel it first,

I can't remember exactly when it was but it was early 80's. I was already regularly shopping at Harrington in Guildford and both Ivy Shops (Windsor & Richmond). Both Ian's (Herd-Smith & Strachan) who owned both shops told me I need to have a look in J. Simons, I asked where it was. I was told Covent Garden.
What I distinctly remember is going up on the train with my other half who was at that time my girlfriend, getting to Covent Garden and looking for JS thinking it was in the Piazza. I couldn't find it, what I did find was S. Fisher. Now S. Fisher & J. Simons, I thought I misheard them and thought S. Fisher was JS. So I went inside. There was chunky fisherman sweaters, Shetlands, Corduroys etc. I bought a chunky fisherman sweater, John Malloy I think, could be wrong. When I told Ian (of Harrington), he laughed and said no it's across the way from the Piazza. About a month or so later I went up again and this time found it. I went in John was in there, he looked me up and down noticed the shoes I was wearing (Cole Haans) and asked me where I got them from, I said Harrington, he said oh Ian's shop, I said yes. Now bearing in mind I lived in the suburbs and only got up to JS 3 or 4 times a year, he always remembered me and asked how Ian (of Harrington) was doing.

Another memory is of turning up on a wet Monday morning, having been contacted by Jeff, made an offer by John.
Amongst the stuff I brought away, in four bulging bags (great fun on the Tube) were about half a dozen Fred Perry sweaters: dark green, no logo, smelling like my old cub scout jumper.  'Fred Perry', said John, 'buy those from us' - though he didn't elaborate.  None were in my size so were quickly resold.  But I've often thought about them and how old they might have been.  It's become such a no-no, Fred, whereas once upon a time...  And you could pick them up quite cheaply...  But the collars were never too great, were they? 
They also sold me some saddle bucks.  John pointed out their historical Ivy associations.  Later, I bought a pair and wore them, but I never loved them as much as I loved those old Dexter bucks, one sun marked from having sat for too long in the window.

First time I was there Jeff sold me a pair of Bass Weejuns. I was a bit shy and probably looking like some indie hipster channeling Dylan or Syd Barrett. I remember Jeff being very friendly, and I remember the shop being cozy and dimly lit. That first time must have been around 1999 or 2000 when a friend of mine was living in London. Stefan used to play bass guitar but he studies double bass now. He wants to get a place in a symphony orchestra which is pretty hard. His plan B, of course, is getting back to jazz. Stefan then talked to Ken Lovegrove. I think he bought a Madras shirt then. I will ask him how he got to know the shop back then but I think he went there a few times before I did.

I only ever talked to John Simons for the first time years later when I bought a couple of shirts there. We talked about art and I mentioned that I can only do drawings and John sold me a Façonnable linen jacket that was a better fit than any jacket I ever had. Wore it for a show that night in an East End venue.

At the Chiltern St shop John showed me the Hollywood & the Ivy Look book which had just come out when we were playing two London shows a few years ago.

Last time I was there I was a bit busy and only Paul was there. Just bought a tie and Keydge. I learned that they were out of business now but JSA do Unstructured, unlined jackets now almost exactly like the old slack jackets. Is that correct.

I do believe, Hank, that the newer jackets are rated by some as superior to Keydge.  Haven't visited Chiltern Street in years, though, so I'm only going on the expert eye/experience of one of our senior posters.  I stopped wearing jackets several years ago, the last two to go being J.Press - one tan cord the other unlined tweed - and thus continuing my move from 3/2 (or otherwise) to mostly fly-fronted raincoats and now a fairly heavy woollen overcoat. 
I'm very reluctant now to buy from the United States.  Postage and customs charges.  Others feel my pain. 
I'm 'plaining down' as I grow older.  I was never a massive buyer anyway (my wife would question that), but I still got up to two dozen pairs of shoes and boots.  I'm now down to eight.  More reasonable. 
A good deal of what I might have considered twelve to fifteen years ago no longer interests me.  Certain items I might covet from Chiltern Street are way out of my price range.
But I can hearitily recommend their Japanese socks!

Did Keydge simply go out of business?  JS seemed pretty struck on them at the time, reckoning the very slouchy sand number to be very 'modern jazz'.  Sure.  And I liked it.  But I still hold the same reservations about Chinese-made clothing.  I don't blame the Chinese - if I see a Brooks shirt and it says clearly 'Made In China' then I know what I'm dealing with.  I blame the stupid, greedy, lazy Americans and Europeans for selling the pass.  In fact, I blame the Americans in particular.  In spite of my reservations about 'generic Americana' and knowing that American-made doesn't always guarantee quality (or something worthwhile as regards overall style), my heart is still warmed by those few words 'Made In The USA'.  Is that fair?

A few odds and ends (about four actually) for sale on Ebay.  Vetra seem to have taken their place.

This is heresy I know but - Vetra is vastly superior to Keydge! There I've said it. Better materials, better colours. Keydge got too slouchy, too much like an old cardigan. Vetra has shape, some styling and a fabulously soft shoulder. I also don't mind a smidgen of shape in the silhouette and Vetra has just enough. I put a Keydge on and feel like a slob.