North River Outfitter, the preppy high-end men’s and women’s clothing store that opened in Wellesley Square last summer, now has something in store for the younger set on Church Street. NRO Kids will soon be filling the space vacated by the Moxie women’s shoes and accessories store.
A peek at their website reveals pricey clothing offerings for infants, toddlers, boys, and girls, as well as baby gear and toys. We’ll just have to wait until they open their doors to see how much space they’ll devote to clothing every bit as preppy as the threads mom and dad buy over at NRO in Wellesley Square vs. $1,000+ Bugaboo strollers and Melissa & Doug toys.
We couldn’t help but notice last summer that the company was dogged by negative Yelp reviews, generally slamming NRO’s customer service regarding its returns policy. Like preppy clothes that never go out of style, those reviews hang on. Perhaps they’ll take on some kind of cult classic status, like needlepoint belts or Barbour waxed jackets.
In the meantime, old-timers can hearken back to the good old days when Rugged Bear was the only place a parent needed to kit a kid out in sensible, durable clothes with prices that reflected the sturdy practicality of their offerings rather than the whiff of boutique-y cachet.
Negative reviews notwithstanding, the place seems to have found its people here in Wellesley. Why mix it up with mall riff raff when you can find all the plaid, cashmere, and discreet-but-coveted labels you need to bounce between the Country Club, Nantucket, and the slopes right here?
NRO already has kids’ stores on Charles Street in Boston as well as in Edgartown, so it’s only natural one in Wellesley would be added to the list.
(Hat tip to reader NC for pointing out the new store sign.)
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