Brooks Brothers Fits Right Into the Scarborough Building

Menswear institution opening in Congress Avenue landmark Fall 2011

The august Scarborough Building at 522 Congress Avenue is no stranger to retail apparel, as it was occupied for generations by E.M. Scarborough’s & Sons, one of Austin's first fine dry goods establishments.

Well, now that purveyor of men's elan, Brooks Brothers, will soon open a 9,000-square-foot store there, no doubt rattling the measuring tape of the ghosts of tailors past.

Built in 1931, the first two floors of the building were created to house "the finest department store in central Texas", and so Scarborough's became the first retail store west of the Mississippi with “manufactured weather", or air-conditioning. The Scarbroughs left their downtown location in 1983, so it's been awhile since anyone was measured for shirts there. Scheduled to open this fall, this Brooks Brothers location will the latest addition to the 200-year old clothier that operates more than 300 stores around the world.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

Support the Chronicle  

READ MORE
More Downtown
Austin's ROTten Roads
Austin's ROTten Roads
How to navigate around the Republic of Texas Biker Rally

Richard Whittaker, June 14, 2013

A Dense Discussion
A Dense Discussion
Downtown density debate to unfold on dais tomorrow

Wells Dunbar, Dec. 7, 2011

More by Anne Harris
Making the Cut
Making the Cut
New season of Project Runway puts Austin designer Lindsey Creel in the spotlight

Aug. 7, 2015

Austin Dames Host Kitchen Sale Fundraiser
Austin Dames Host Kitchen Sale Fundraiser
Rummage for groovy kitchenware at Mueller Farmers' Market

June 12, 2015

KEYWORDS FOR THIS POST

Brooks Brothers, Downtown, Scarbrough Building

MORE IN THE ARCHIVES
One click gets you all the newsletters listed below

Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events

Keep up with happenings around town

Kevin Curtin's bimonthly cannabis musings

Austin's queerest news and events

Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news

Information is power. Support the free press, so we can support Austin.   Support the Chronicle