Teaneck’s West Englewood Avenue has become a destination for kosher consumers looking for a relaxing meal out or ready-made food to bring home. Now, the guys in the family can shop for simcha, Shabbos and business clothes there as well, at Emporio.
This is the fifth and newest Emporio; others are located in Boro Park, Flatbush, Cedarhurst and Lakewood. Emporio is known for carrying the leading brands in men’s clothing, like Vertu, Canali, Citterio, Hugo Boss and Trafalgar and high-end designers from Italy that are less familiar to Americans. Suits come in a range of styles and sizes, from slim to extra wide, with alterations done on the premises by expert tailors. Customers who can’t get the correct fit in a ready-made suit, or are looking for something unique, can order custom suits. For the coming Pesach, Emporio will be offering custom suits in three price ranges.
Emporio is all about quality but with competitive prices, providing more value and service for their customers than department stores. Josh Szpilzinger, one of two partners who began Emporio in 1988, said, “Big box stores may have similar prices, but we stick to our guns on our standards. If we come to a fork in the road, we never sacrifice quality.”
Szpilzinger became interested in retail fashion by working part-time in a men’s clothing store while he was in college. He planned to go to law school—but became an entrepreneur instead. He credits the Italian tailor in his first Emporio store with teaching the partners about quality fabric and craftsmanship, and introducing them to companies in Italy. “We developed connections that would be almost impossible now,” he said. “Italian companies don’t have American customers anymore. Most American clothiers are focused on price over quality. For Emporio, it’s the other way around.” Szpilzinger still visits Italy several times a year to research new styles and trends, and find new lines for the stores.
The exceptional merchandise in Emporio’s Teaneck store is showcased beautifully in a spacious layout thanks to visual stylist Ari Elbaum. Elbaum explained the outfit shown on a mannequin as an example of Emporio’s approach to fashion. The trendy Alesso suit has a slim fit favored by the younger crowd, and can be dressed up or down. It’s paired with a colorful checked shirt and tie, perfect for a business meeting. Put on a white shirt instead and wear it to a wedding. Store manager Gerard Rivera noted that the suit’s postal blue color, a fusion of royal and navy, has become quite popular this year.
The observant Jewish customer can count on the Emporio team’s knowledge of his lifestyle to recommend the right outfit. “We understand our customers and know what they’re looking for. They want something they can wear multiple times—on Shabbos and Yom Tov, to a dressy or casual vort, or a bris. Other stores will sell something that looks great once but not hold up over the long term.”
Shatnez checking and removal is another plus for Emporio’s observant clientele. “We’ll never let a customer leave the store with shatnez,” Szpilzinger said. “We offer free shatnez checking and our experienced tailors know how to take it out. That’s important because almost every Canali and Hugo Boss suit we sell has shatnez, and in the wrong hands a suit can be ruined.”
Store hours are stretched to accommodate observant customers. While the Teaneck store is closed on Saturday for Shabbos and on Sunday by Bergen County law, a recent Motzaei Shabbos sale—that Szpilzinger said will definitely be repeated—was a huge success. He added that next winter the store will probably open almost every Motzaei Shabbos when the clock allows. “Men get out of work late and kids get out of school late. We’re open until 8:00pm or 9:00pm at night but we want to go out of our way to give customers more times when it is convenient for them to shop.”
The synergy of five stores in communities with large Jewish populations allows Emporio to have merchandise appealing to different tastes and makes shopping in all the stores convenient. Someone visiting in Teaneck can buy a suit here and exchange it at one of the Emporio stores in Cedarhurst, Lakewood, Boro Park or Flatbush. The pricing is the same at all locations and so is the return policy—two weeks money back, no questions asked, and 60 days exchange or store credit.
West Englewood Avenue in Teaneck is far removed from the upscale malls and hip urban centers where Emporio would fit in nicely. But the kosher restaurants lining the streets are bringing in the customers from Bergen County, Monsey, Passaic and beyond that Emporio wants to reach. They brought Szpilzinger to Teaneck. “My wife and I live in Woodmere but we enjoy visiting friends and family here and going out to eat,” he said. “I decided this would be an excellent location for our next store as the restaurants are catering to the same customers we are: people who have a sophisticated palate in food and clothing.”
By Bracha Schwartz
