photo: Foosball machine in men’s clothing store

Eat, Drink, and Shop

Some people are just born shoppers. They can be found happily buzzing back and forth between bursting racks and bustling dressing rooms. This disciplined species needs no encouragement - the goods themselves are incentive enough. But what about those of us who need a little bit of a push to get us into a boutique? At some stores, customers can indulge their vices - a taste for beer, wine, chocolate, and even Foosball - while also picking up some stylish necessities. At these spots, it's almost more about the perks than the products.

photo: close-up of man's shirt and jacket

Would you like your jeans shaken or stirred?

Him, a Chicago men's clothing boutique that opened last year, offers a Foosball table, stacks of lad magazines, and even free cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer (in a cooler from the 1930s) to tempt the nonnatives. "It's designed to look like a man's basement or bedroom," manager Erin Kennedy says. "We want them to feel at home."

At home with chic closets, that is. Shoppers will find shirts by Rufus, Artine jackets, and Taverniti So jeans among other brands. In the back of the store, a pinball machine is piled high with pairs of Stronghold jeans (available online at katedaniels.com). There are accessories, too, including Tracey Mayer cufflinks and dapper hats from Goorin Brothers. If you spend too much, you can always pretend you overpaid for a beer and the cashmere sweater was complimentary.

The Kiehl's flagship store in New York City mixes it up by selling Mud brand coffee and espresso along with the goods the company is known for: high-quality beauty products in low-tech packaging. The only danger is buying up the store on a caffeine high.

Need a cigarette in order to get through a day of shopping? You'll find yourself in luck if you wander into Hobo Books in Cincinnati, where a display case is stocked with tobacco and rolling papers. Readers are encouraged to light up. And at the Atlanta men's store Lui-B, shoppers sip a complimentary glass of wine or cup of espresso while they peruse the store's selection of tailored shirts and ties. (Careful not to spill).

As for Him, the store recently snagged a trendy girlfriend when the women's boutique Her opened up just down the street. It's a match made in shopper's heaven.

Posted on February 20, 2006