Photos: Matthew Gilson

Owner Adam Beltzman

The Destination
Haberdash, 1350 North Wells Street; 312-440-1300

 

The Owner
“Most men want snazzing up,” says Adam Beltzman, 30, whose long, lean style may be just the inspiration guys need to get it together. A former lawyer, Beltzman channeled his affinity for his favorite clothing lines into the ultimate walk-in closet.

 

The Vibe
At a time when every shop owner has a shtick, Haberdash is handsomely straightforward. The in-store plasma screen television is standard fare; not so the warm and woody interior with spacious dressing rooms delineated by tall walnut pivot doors that actually provide privacy. A white marble Saarinen table offers a contrasting selection of silk neckties. Heavy S-hooks suspend jeans in many styles and washes.

 

The Goods
As the personal service here recalls another era, so do some of the clothes. The T-shirts ($60) by Barking Irons feature references to the New York Bowery in the 19th century; Greige’s finely tailored blazers ($230 to $345) and trousers ($160 to $195) are inspired by Depression-era photographs; and Duncan Quinn’s Egyptian-cotton dress shirts ($275) and silk ties ($125) bring to mind the swinging London inhabited by a young Mick Jagger. Beltzman also offers other limited distribution favorites: Anthony + Mo cashmere sweaters ($265 to $285), Ovadafut’s bright premium socks ($25), and shoes by Tsubo (from $90) and Terra Plana (from $230), as well as the new Billy Jealousy grooming line for men.

 

The Verdict
The clothing here separates the men from the boys.