I visited the Austin Brooks Brothers store when we were there in April since it was on a street we were walking down anyway. Some things never change. It even smelled like I remember a Brooks Brothers does. I miss the 80’s sometimes.
It smells the same, but the style of merchandise it carries started to change when the company was acquired by Marks and Spencer from Allied Stores in 1988. When Marks and Sparks sold the golden fleece to Retail Brand Alliance in 2001, all heck broke loose.
In the 1980s, Brooks Brothers wouldn't display pink and green striped dress shirts with two-button barrel cuffs and a white rounded club collar. Brooks Brothers is now a 'fashion' brand. Some traditional items are left in the stores, but a lot of traditional items must now be ordered from the mothership on Madison Avenue.