Well, Eljo's, a campus shop at the Univ. of Viriginia, is moving from its original location that its held since 1950.  Few campus shops remain in their original locations (Andover comes to mind as one that has, in Harvard Square).  Interesting use of "Trad" -- looks like it's finally entered the lexicon via the Japanese who appear to have originated it (unless you believe that someone's Sainted Father did so).



Corner clothing store seeks new fit
Eljo's departure marks end of era
By Josh Barney
Daily Progress staff writer
Sunday, July 16, 2006

More than five decades ago, Eljo’s began outfitting young men in the clothing that still typifies the University of Virginia in the minds of many: the navy blazer; the button-down shirt; the striped tie, often in Cavalier orange and blue.

These days, though, students stroll to class in sandals and T-shirts rather than sport coats and penny loafers. Even Cavalier football games - where blazer and tie were long the unquestioned student uniform - have gone increasingly casual, in part because of coach Al Groh’s efforts to transform Scott Stadium into a “sea of orange.”

Through it all, Eljo’s has stayed true to its roots, offering traditional clothing for those who appreciate such clothing’s conservative charms. Over the years, the Elliewood Avenue store has built a loyal customer base, particularly among UVa alumni and those who have found it difficult to source old favorites. The Eljo’s customer of today is more likely to come from out of town than from across campus.

And now Eljo’s is leaving the Corner, its home since its founding in 1950. It will trade its location near Mr. Jefferson’s historic Grounds for one where parking is less precious, where the crowds are thinner and where, it’s hoped, townspeople will be more willing to come. In exchange, Eljo’s will sacrifice its proximity to UVa’s undergraduates, the very source of so many longtime customers.

“I don’t think we’ll notice much of a drop-off in student business, because we’re primarily an alumni-based business,” said Trent Thurston, who runs Eljo’s with his father, Myles. Students, he said, “are an important part of our business, but financially not so much as … spiritually.”

Environmental changes

The upcoming move, he suggests, reflects the changing face of the Corner. Starbucks has moved in, as has Qdoba, a national restaurant chain offering what it calls “nouveau Mexican.” Blue Wheel Bicycles, a 30-year Corner institution, recently departed for the Ix building downtown. But despite the business churn, Thurston pointed specifically to the demise of another Corner fixture, the much-loved University Cafeteria, a longtime favorite of UVa students where the food, he said, was “cooked with love and butter.”

When the cafeteria closed, in the early 1980s, it symbolized a shift that Thurston said can still be felt. “Everybody came to the Corner to go to that restaurant,” he said. “That was a centerpiece of Charlottesville of the past.”

Today, the mix of shops and restaurants on the Corner is very different, Thurston said. “It’s tough to do more than one thing up here. … There’s no jewelry store, no florist, no pharmacy.” Previously, the Corner was the “center of Charlottesville,” he said. But in terms of commerce, Thurston said, the title now belongs to the Barracks Road Shopping Center and its environs, where Eljo’s will make its new home at the Shops at Millmont.

The location offers easier access to UVa’s law and graduate business schools, along with the new John Paul Jones Arena. The Thurstons said they are confident their customers will find them, and hope that the move will bring in more local residents. Eljo’s used to operate a store in the Barracks Road Shopping Center, but when that location closed a decade or so ago, many local customers didn’t follow, unwilling to brave the busy Corner area, Thurston said.

“Traffic is really brutal up here. … We want to do a better job of having our townspeople get to us and find us,” he said.

Even so, Thurston said he expects Eljo’s to continue to enjoy the allegiance of UVa undergraduates. “It’s going to come through an older fraternity brother, sorority sister or family member,” he said, noting that most students have cars and are used to driving to shop. “We believe this move will benefit both sets of customers, our townie customers and our UVa-affiliated customers.”

As it is, Thurston estimated that 65 percent of his customers come from outside Eljo’s’ ZIP code. Many come from far away, knowing that Eljo’s will have what they want, be it Bills Khakis, known for reproducing the World War II style, or loafers by Alden, one of the last firms manufacturing men’s shoes in the United States. “They don’t have time to shop at home or they don’t have a store like this,” Thurston said of his customers. “They know we have their sizes on file.”

“Most of our customers don’t need anything. They buy because they like what we sell,” Myles Thurston added. “They like it and they can’t find it very many places.”

Successful seasoning

With such devotion, business has been good of late, according to the Thurstons. “We’ve been on a real strong roll … for about the last seven years,” Trent Thurston said, noting that the store’s casual wear has accounted for an increasing percentage of sales. He declined to discuss specific figures.

Some of those sales, though, have been coming from what may seem an unlikely source for such a small, traditional shop: the Internet.

Thurston said he does a “tremendous” amount of business online, receiving 40 to 50 e-mails per day from existing and would-be customers. While there are plans to increase the handful of offerings on Eljo’s’ Web page, Thurston said most of his e-commerce is, and will continue to be, done by digital camera and e-mail. When someone writes in looking for an item, or if Thurston gets a new tie or belt he thinks a customer will like, he takes a picture of what he has on hand, sends it into the electronic ether and waits for a reply. It’s an old-fashioned method of doing high-tech business.

The online realm has helped spread Eljo’s’ reputation as well, through men’s clothing forums such as Ask Andy About Clothes. A section of the message board there is devoted specifically to dissecting traditional American - or “Trad” - clothing, from the appropriate shape for a suit coat’s waist (like a sack, purists will say) to the most Trad watchband (colorful ribbon). For devotees, Eljo’s is seen as a defender of the faith, joining J. Press, the Andover Shop and a handful of other stores celebrated for their unwavering commitment to traditional American style.

Of course, the Internet cuts both ways, giving small stores a broader reach but also increasing the competition they face. With so many sources for quality clothing, many high-end items can be had for a fraction of the retail price. For example, Dr. Kenny Greer, of UVa’s dermatology department, is a longtime Eljo’s customer who also bargain shops online. Greer appreciates a good deal, and turned out recently for the first day of Eljo’s’ moving sale. He bought three pairs of trousers, two shirts and a belt.

He first stepped into Eljo’s as a student in 1963. “I was broke as a medical student, so I’d say my purchases were quite trim and slim,” he recalled.

Greer said he thinks Eljo’s’ move likely will prove beneficial. “It may broaden their exposure to a bigger customer base that goes to Barracks Road, say, but doesn’t go to the Corner,” he said. “My estimate is that loyal customers will go out there.”

A slight alteration

There are already plans for Eljo’s’ current location, though the building owner and others involved alternately declined to discuss those plans or could not be reached. The proprietor of Ragged Mountain Running Shop, which shares the building with Eljo’s, said he was awaiting more details.

“We’re just weighing all our options. The building hasn’t been officially sold,” said Mark Lorenzoni, who owns the store with his wife. “We’re not really at any decision point yet. … Certainly one of our main options is to stay.”

He wished the Thurstons the best of luck at their new location. “We’re really going to miss them. We’re happy for them. We think it’s a good move for them. But for us, we’re sad to see them go. They’re a Corner institution.”

When the new Eljo’s opens, on Aug. 15, much will be the same as at the old Eljo’s. The sales space will be of similar size, Trent Thurston said; even the shelves will be the same, having been taken from Eljo’s’ original location at 1509 University Ave. But those shelves will have been refinished, and other elements of the store will get a facelift. For example, a section of the shop will be devoted to a Vineyard Vines “concept store,” offering the Connecticut company’s entire line of products, from whale-embroidered shirts to whimsical ties. There will be more Barbour, a traditional English company best known for its waxed jackets and tattersall shirts.

There also will be increased emphasis on Eljo’s’ made-to-measure service, from which customers can have suits, trousers and jackets made to their specifications. (Prices for the suits range from $835 to $3,000 or so.) If they like, they can choose very un-Trad options such as double rear vents for their jackets, rather than the single vent more common in America. The Thurstons have many samples to demonstrate the European styling possibilities.

Even for a traditional shop such as Eljo’s, it seems, some change must come.