Man, do I hate shopping for clothes…read more
I think this all stems from my long and fraught history with The Lehigh Valley Mall.
When I was a youngster Paul K., I would spend what felt like eons at that damn mall, pretending I wasn't with my mom, shopping in stores that sold dumb clothes in sizes that never fit me, and wanting to be almost anywhere else (even the Whitehall Mall).
After college, I dabbled in online shopping, which always felt to me a little like ordering GrubHub. The pictures look amazing, but then the stuff shows up at your door and you're often disappointed. Sure, I no longer had to go to the mall (any mall!) and I found clothing brands I liked, but the fit was usually off and, also like GrubHub, who is really going to send back an order you don't like?
So when assembly88 launched during the early Downtown Allentown revitalization it was like it opened for me. Santo, the owner, had not only curated a varied and extensive selection of really cool clothing, he had placed it all in a space that was everything The Lehigh Valley Mall is not: welcoming, organized, and low-pressure.
During the many years I've been shopping here, I've discovered brands like United by Blue, Gitman Bros., and Vuori. Their sales are frequent. The inventory is always fresh. And when Santo isn't there, his staff knows their stuff.
And if all that sounds like I love shopping shop for clothes now, well, I'll admit that that's partly true.
Yes, I love shopping for clothes now, but only at assembly88.