A Look at Larrimor’s: High-End Fashion in Downtown Pittsburgh

By: Meghan Rosedale

When asked where the future of retail lies post-pandemic, Larrimor’s third-generation co-owner Tom Michael fondly recalled an in-store shopping experience with his daughter.

“We were riding bikes and we stopped because we were going somewhere and we needed a few pieces of gear. We had a lovely time just shopping the store, and we threw the stuff in our backpack and finished our ride,” Tom said.

While it is convenient to shop from the comfort of our homes, there’s just something about the social experience of shopping in person that Tom says will bring back the vibrancy of brick-and-mortar retail. In fact, Larrimor’s has already seen the growth.

“We’re not quite to where we were in 2019, but we are well on our way,” Tom shared.

Located in Downtown Pittsburgh, Larrimor’s is a luxury clothing store marked for its extensive selection of high-end, high-quality brands and exceptional customer service. This has been the store’s vision since its inception.

Larrimor’s was born in 1939 from the collaboration of two men, Larry Morris and Harry Slesinger. Morris, who had experience in clothing manufacturing, and Slesinger, who was a top salesman at Kaufmann’s, combined their expertise and opened the store to sell American-made men’s suits and sportcoats with a specialty in on-site custom tailoring. Since then, Larrimor’s has greatly expanded its product selection into both men’s and women’s high-end clothing lines.

“We’re carrying a little bit of Italian brands, a lot of European brands and a good number of American brands,” Tom said. Larrimor’s only carries brands that align with its core values: high-quality clothing and sustainability. Zenga, for example, is a high-end Italian brand that Larrimor’s sells. As a part of its commitment to sustainability, Zenga takes direct control of its material sourcing.

Larrimor’s also offers its own brand of high-end men’s clothing.

“We source our product out of Europe,” Tom said. “We only source things that we really believe in and meet our quality standards.”

The other significant goal of the business is to provide superior customer experience. From its roots, Larrimor’s has focused on assisting shoppers to find the best products that help them look and feel their best.

Tom said that “it is our DNA to be focused on customer service, and we have long-time employees who are extremely well-trained, know their product and know how it fits.”

Larrimor’s most recently developed service is personal shopping. Provided customers pay a fee, a Larrimor’s personal stylist will interview them about the clothes they are looking to wear and take them shopping all over Pittsburgh to find the best items.

Additionally, the store offers made-to-measure men’s custom wear clothing so customers can feel confident that the pieces they choose will fit perfectly and match their individual style.

Be sure to stop into Larrimor’s on your next trip downtown to shop these quality high-end brands and find the perfect statement pieces. In the meantime, check out Larrimor’s e-commerce site to save your favorites.