Garment District Blog

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January 18, 2006

Our 200 Broadway Home

Believe me -- I've heard the rumors too. The Garment District is closing. The Garment District is going to become condos. And, unfortunately, there was a bit of truth to all of those rumors. But, today, I have the pleasure of putting those rumors to rest. The Garment District is going nowhere -- we are staying in Cambridge at 200 Broadway.

As of Tuesday, January 17, 2006, The Garment District owns the warehouse that it has occupied for the last 18 years. And, no, we will not be kicking ourselves out. Nor will we be changing much at all. In a year or two we hope to do some basic upgrades to the building, but nothing that will substantially change the charm of the 1890s warehouse. We are really happy that we are now able to make Cambridge The Garment District’s permanent home.

It has been a very long struggle to stay. And, yes, real estate developers wanted to turn this site into the next condo development in town. Somehow, though, we prevailed. Our victory runs counter to the trend in many areas around Cambridge and Boston, and this is sad. Too many locally-owned businesses have had to close or relocate. Cambridge’s eclectic mix of locally-owned shops and restaurants make this a great place to live and work. No, I really never went to Man Ray, but it’s very sad that it is gone. One more condo development isn’t a satisfying replacement. I’m so glad that The Garment District will not suffer the same fate.

The list of people who have helped us stay is enormous. The outpouring of support for our business is greatly appreciated. Sometimes you don’t know how many friends you have until you need help -- and we received a lot of help. One of the unexpected places we received incredible support from was from the City of Cambridge itself. The City Council has been so supportive of The Garment District. City Councilor Brian Murphy went way out of his way and did a great amount of legwork on our behalf - but truly every one of the nine council members did something important to help. The City’s staff also went above and beyond to help us stay. Sometimes you hear only the bad things about how government works, and it is refreshing to see firsthand an example of the really good things that local government can do to help a community. The people of Cambridge should be proud.

I want to thank everyone who has helped keep The Garment District here in Cambridge. We really appreciate it. This place is our jobs, our extended family, and our lives. I’m not sure exactly what to do with myself now that our campaign to stay is over -- I guess I can go back to trying to put the best clothes I can on the racks.

-chris