Store

Owner and tailor Scott Kuhlman could survive on the style-conscious 25-40 year-old set coming in for the front half of the store alone. Small, sought-after designer names like Park & Ronen and Tulula give casual a touch of class, while screened tees from local skateboard heroes Manik, along with Spiewak's street-credible threads, offer a more hardened urban feel. But it's the custom tailoring in the back of the store that makes his space a true find.

Though it may not seem like much at first glance, the stacks of cloth and style sheets are your ticket to truly unique clothing, as Kuhlman's practiced hands are ready to re-create worn-out favorites as well as new designs you have in mind.

Need to replace your favorite, now-tattered pair of jeans, or that coat you scored in the East Village, done in by a wobbly glass of red? You can get their reproductions made here (a pair of custom jeans would run you about $175), and unless you got measured for the originals, Kuhlman's will fit you better. Creating everything from pants and jackets to wedding clothes or even outfits for your band's international tour, this custom fabricator only shies from stitching women's dresses.

Set beneath the hipster's Ace Hotel, Kuhlman's chipped brick walls, distressed fir floors and expert customer attention stand in stark contrast to the bright lights and over-anxious sales staffs of many of its peers. And with comparable prices, the latest trends on the racks and endless creations awaiting your approval, it more than holds its own. Rather than designer jeans, next time try a pair designed just for you. It's a look you can't beat.

Justin Paul
Special to NWsource