Andover Shop
The Andover Shop was founded by Andover native Charles Davidson, the grandson of Armenian immigrants, and his brother-in-law Virgil Marson, an Armenian immigrant, in 1948. The 127 Main Street building was owned by Davidson's father, Leon who himself had operated clothing and food businesses out of the building. The Andover Shop is known as a clothier to the students and faculty of Phillips Academy in Andover as well as to the affluent professionals in the Town of Andover. Famous for imported fabrics and custom tailoring, The Andover Shop has hosted trunk shows at prep schools such as Groton, St. Pauls and Exeter. Davidson's sister Dorothy Davidson Marson was the longtime manager of the business operations.
Although the Andover Shop management was known for not discussing it's clientele, customers themselves were know to publicly acknowledge the sources of their high-end menswear. The Harvard Square location, opened in 1953 on Holyoke Street, was known for it's salon-like ambiance as much as it's bespoke menswear offerings. While a student at Phillips Academy, Hollywood actor, Jack Lemon had a job at the Andover Shop stocking shelves. Customers included Presidents George H. W. Bush and President George W. Bush, Massachusetts Governor William Weld, Boston Globe columnists Bud Collins and George Frazier and Mike Barnicle, writer Malcolm Gladwell, Historian Henry Louis Gates and jazz musicians Miles Davis and Bobby Short.
A Boston outpost of The Andover shop was opened on Clarenden Street. That location closed in 2006.
See
Preached gospel of 'style, not fashion': Longtime proprieter of Andover Shop Boston Globe 12 Dec 2019: B.1.
Charlie Davidson, the Andover Shop's 'Baron of Bespoke,' dies at 93 Boston Globe 11 Dec 2019.
Virgil Marson, co-owner of legendary Andover Shop, dies at 94 05 Nov 2018.
The Andover Shop, a Harvard Square salon for jazz artists and literati, is up for sale 18 Apr 2018
DOROTHY MARSON, 66 ANDOVER SHOPS OFFICE MANAGER Boston Globe 16 Mar 1989: 55
Andover Shop's 'Prince of Tweeds' dressed U.S. Presidents, Supreme Court judges Andover Townsman 18 October 2018.
Andover Shop owner dies at 94 Eagle Tribune 25 Oct. 2018
Ivy Style The Rake
--Stephanie (talk) 10:21, 28 October 2021 (EDT)
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