Garment District (clothing retailer)
| File:Garmdist.jpg | |
| Company type | Vintage clothing retailer |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Cambridge, Massachusetts |
The Garment District, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a retailer specializing in a diverse selection of vintage and modern apparel. It also incorporates Boston Costume, a combined theatrical and retail costume outlet.[1] Branding itself as "An Alternative Department Store," the Garment District is renowned for its By The Pound section, where clothing is sold based on weight (currently priced at $2 per pound).[2]
History
Originating from Harbor Textile Waste Company, established in the 1940s to provide industrial wiping cloths to sectors like sugar production,[2] the enterprise evolved around 1980 (dates vary by source) with the launch of Dollar-A-Pound. This initiative allowed customers to purchase garments by weight on Saturdays. Rather than dismantling clothing into rags, items were sold as wearable fashion, although without conventional displays or individual price tags. During this period, it was common to find extensive collections of vintage apparel from the 1940s and 1950s at Dollar-A-Pound.[3]
By 1986, responding to growing interest in used and vintage attire, The Garment District was officially established. Presently, the By The Pound section—colloquially called "the pile"—is available every day of the week. The store also offers new, pre-owned, and vintage clothes, footwear, and accessories arranged on standard racks. Onsite sorting still processes hundreds of thousands of pounds of clothing annually.[4]
In 2004, The Garment District faced potential shutdown amid efforts to convert its premises into residential condominiums. Nonetheless, with assistance from the Cambridge, Massachusetts municipal authorities and other supporters, the organization successfully secured ownership of the buildings.[5]
The year 2007 marked the integration of Boston Costume—previously based in Boston's Chinatown, Boston—into The Garment District.[1]