Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester
1. Business wear – Suits, sport coats and accessories
2. Casual business and weekend/date nights
3. Free alterations
4. Vest ensembles
5. Jeans, tops and sweaters
6. Outerwear
7. Gloves, socks, ties and more for stocking stuffers
8. Womenswear and jewelry
9. Wardrobe consultations and Gift Certificates
10. Complimentary gift-wrapping
Visit us at familybritches.com.
The holiday season is upon us and it’s time to shop, plan celebrations and also enjoy all our communities have to offer at this special time. Here are a few ideas to help celebrate and enjoy the season all while having fun locally:
1. From Friday, Dec. 13, to Sunday, Dec. 15, in Chappaqua, shop artists’ special pop-ups between the King Street Studio and The Art Closet Gallery in the loft at Family Britches. The kickoff will take place in conjunction with the downtown Chappaqua Wine Around Town event on Dec. 13 from 5-8 p.m.
2. For a break from all the preparations the holidays entail, check out the Jane Condon Holiday Comedy Show at Armonk’s Whippoorwill Theater on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Rabbi Josh Strom of Congregation B’nai Yisrael will emcee the evening, which will also include a performance by Boston-based comic Kathe Farris. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com.
3. Westchester’s Winter Wonderland returns this year to Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla. Hours and days vary now through Jan. 4, winterwonderland.com for more info. There’s a circus, ice skating, rides and more. Tickets are $20 for ages 3 and up.
4. While the menorah lighting as well as a tree lighting already took place in Armonk on Frosty Day, before this issue went to press, the details of Chappaqua’s menorah lighting ceremony had not yet been firmed up. Ike Kuzio, superintendent of New Castle Recreation and Parks, said residents can keep abreast of this important annual event at Chappaqua’s community center by checking in on the town’s website.
5. Enjoy a screening of a Big Band Holiday program from Jazz at Lincoln Center in the New Castle Town Hall Assembly Room. The program runs from 6:30-9, p.m. Friday, Dec. 6 starting with refreshments provided by the Friends of the Chappaqua Library and will feature songs both “sacred and secular.”
6. Or attend The Movies’ Greatest Christmas Songs on Sunday Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. at the New Castle Community Center on Senter Street. Jon Reichman will use film clips, photos and piano performance to explore the history of famous holiday tunes White Christmas, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas and Silver Bells.
7. Have yourself a historic Christmas. Visit the Horace Greeley House on Saturday Dec. 7, where a crafts workshop will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. and a tree lighting at 5 p.m. will be accompanied by the Horace Greeley High School Madrigal Choir leading carols, and a visit from Santa.
8. Why not spend some time in early December learning about the traditions of various cultures, communities and religions? Besides boasting many resources for learning about Christmas and Chanukah, the North Castle Public Library has several books about Kwanzaa (Dec. 26-Jan. 1) and a CD of Kwanzaa music for loan. The Chappaqua Library also offers a book about the Hindu festival of Diwali (this year, celebrated already in October), titles about Chinese New Year, and more.
9. To offset the effects of kugel and cookies, give snowshoeing a try. Skip Beitzel, owner of Hickory & Tweed in Armonk, said “Snowshoeing is great. My adage for snowshoeing is, ‘snow and they will go.’” Beitzel, whose shop sells snowshoes for all ages, said his customers snowshoe on local golf courses or on the bike path that runs through Millwood. Those seeking a more arduous experience may even take their snowshoes to ski areas to use them when climbing uphill. “Why not snowshoe as a family?” Beitzel said, since after all many families ski together, and snowshoeing can be done easily and locally–providing there’s snow.
10. Or plan a family hike to The Eugene and Agnes Meyer Preserve, a 247-acre spot with more than six miles of color-coded trails. Spanning New Castle and North Castle, the preserve has kiosks at each entrance to help visitors plan their hikes. For more outdoor appreciation, make the Christmas Bird Count a part of your family’s December traditions (find dates and locations on audubon.org) – or even closer to home, join Cornell’s Project Feeder Watch (join.birds.cornell.edu) and find out how families can contribute meaningfully to important statistics on birds and migration patterns. It’s not too late to join this information-collecting effort, which will get you through the winter and into spring.
Family Britches current lifestyle look accentuates the pleasure of Chappaqua’s residential life and the calm, natural beauty that the Town of New Castle offers. The community’s bucolic feel is reflected in the natural texture, seasonal color palette and versatility of the new women’s and furniture collections.
Celebrating its 47th year in town, Family Britches occupies space on King Street that formerly housed the post office, a liquor store, a real estate office and a beauty parlor. When co-owners Barry Mishkin and Rick Buggee bought the building in 1972, the Chappaqua streetscape had a driveway that ran through from the back parking lot to King Street. They built a multi-level addition in 1984 to showcase women’s wear and boy’s clothing.
Freshly repainted, the inspired loft space is now stocked with handpicked items set under the building’s original overhead tresses. Visually appealing and intriguing pieces such as fiber pillows, fuzzy goatskin seats, woven fabric poufs, plush throws and luxe upholstery invite shoppers to settle in and enjoy the refined ambience.
Wonderful gifts, all at different price points, such as Buddha snowglobes, poured candles, organic aromatherapy and beautiful pottery are perfect for hostesses, for teachers and for newlyweds. Whimsical items for new parents and handcrafted jewelry designed and made by Family Britches employee, Stephen, including sculptural pendant necklaces and delicate beaded chains are tastefully displayed throughout the store.
Generations of patrons have long trusted Rick, Barry and the staff to graciously assemble outfits for work, relaxation and special occasions. Shopping at Family Britches has always meant the finest clothes that are fitted to the customer’s preferences. Munzer, the tailor, hand stitches each alteration on garments. Family Britches rewards clients who shop in the hassle-free boys department and the extensive men’s section with friendly service and an educated aesthetic. The evolving women’s selections currently features a large selection of contemporary casual spring/summer attire items that look cleaned up but also have a throw-on vibe, like t-shirts, hoodies, Frye boots, in combination with favorites such as Cambio jeans and Repeat sweaters.
“Come in to be inspired, it’s theatre.” Rick adds, “We want our customers to experience what e-commerce can’t deliver. We personally guide you through the best wardrobe options and provide exceptional quality, comfort and surprises.” Just as dress codes have shifted away from white-collar business garb, Family Britches contemporary selection reflects a more relaxed attitude and active, healthy living. The shop’s versatile clothing can be worn for both work and weekend activities, combining classic style with fresh upgrades.
Family Britches collaboration with J. Seitz, a Litchfield County, Connecticut retailer, brings one of a kind items as well as furniture displayed in composed decorative settings. Manufacturers such as Cisco Brothers and Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams are known for eye-catching styles that are versatile and simple. J. Seitz offers a custom design service to help clients create a comfortable, stylish environment in their homes, whether traditional or contemporary interiors. “Beautiful pottery from artisan sources as well as cashmere throws and pillows of all kinds are also now available in Chappaqua.
You can now furnish your home as well as shop for clothes, in this new lifestyle shop,” states Seitz.
“The healthy 21st century hamlet is much more than a retail destination,” states the 2017 comprehensive plan for New Castle. Family Britches, a vital institution in this commuter town, is committed to always improving its presence on King Street and being aesthetically pleasing on many levels. “We want to give people more reasons to come downtown,” says Barry. “We want them to find a mix of things that are new and exciting to inspire them.” Family Britches’ serene and thoughtful store windows encourage a relaxed pace of shopping.
Customers who love Family Britches good taste and quality now can have a well-dressed home too, with furnishings, linens, bedding and accents that reflect today’s balanced cool and simple comfort.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF J.SEITZ
By Rich Monetti
Entering Family Britches off King Street, one is struck by an inviting layout designed to offer a warm welcome. The four-room expanse of impeccably arranged displays of men’s and women’s fashion has, in fact, been welcoming customers to browse, try on and enjoy for many years. “For us, this is theater,” says Barry Mishkin of the 10,000 square foot “emporium of quality.” He and co-owner Rick Buggee have made their particular clothing house a home for Chappaqua for nearly 45 years by making sure the part they play is commensurate with the role of a great host.
Whether coming to someone’s house to provide an alteration, staying open late to accommodate customers or making sure something fits just right, says Mishkin, “We offer a family type service that no one else does.”
The duo first pulled up their Britches in 1970 because the possibility of setting themselves apart presented itself. “Fashions were changing, and we saw the need to provide more contemporary clothing,” said Mishkin.
Bell-bottoms going south at the time, Family Britches initially took the high road at the top of Bedford Road. “Chappaqua was a sleepy little town with a few mainstay stores, and we were able to move downtown in 1972 to this location,” says Buggee.
As much as Mishkin and Buggee like to buy from American manufacturers when possible, such as Allen Edmonds shoes and Bill’s Khaki sportswear for men, they also offer quality European design such as René Lezard for women and Zegna and Canali for men. Indeed, Family Britches doesn’t necessarily try to reinvent the wheel when it comes to accepting what’s a given on the worldwide fashion scene.
“The Italian manufacturers are probably the most popular,” says Mishkin.
As everyone in town would likely agree, education is important. Family Britches feels similarly, and is often a first stop for young men in need of a suit or blazer. “It’s an opportunity to give them an education and introduce them to fashion,” says Mishkin. So, having an event like Cannoli with Canali makes perfect sense. “We do events with our vendors twice a season. It’s an education for our customers to learn from the manufacturers,” says Mishkin. “Why they do what they do. How fashion is changing, and what direction it is going.”
Girls, usually more fashion-aware and self-educated, become customers later when they become young women. “We leave young girls to some of the other shops in town,” says Mishkin. The wait, on both sides, is worth it, in Buggee’s estimation. “We’re one of the few stores that do women’s alterations free of charge,” says Buggee.
In fact, attention to alterations and ongoing service are hallmarks of what makes Family Britches stand out in the business. “Barry and Rick have done multiple re-alterings for my sons as they have grown, and at no cost,” says longtime customer Laurie Brecher. “They always go above and beyond what is expected. I am certain there would be an endless tribute were we all asked to recount memories of Family Britches stepping in to the rescue- a personal delivery to a home on the eve of a Bar Mitzvah, a search for a hard-to-find out-of-style item for a special performance, and, if their endless supply of choice isn’t on the floor, they will find it. They provide ways to recycle and refurbish a wardrobe–something lost in an era of large stores and online purchases,” continues the Chappaqua Mom.
Unsurpassed service with heart and soul is Brecher’s way of summing things up. It’s an apt tagline that might actually make the modest and committed mainstays blush. At the same time, these professionals are not immune to the appreciation, and take special pride in how Chappaqua has conveyed a sense of having one less thing to worry about when putting together family events. Maybe sending us a picture or a note of gratitude on how good everyone looked, says Mishkin, “they often express that we made it easier because they knew they were in good hands.”
Those stories span several generations now, and while Barry and Rick certainly enjoy the memories, both know the passion that still drives them is the front door swinging open each day. “We really live in the moment,” says Mishkin. Still, there’s no way to deny all the years that have passed; the original children who now bring in their children and possibly grandchildren must make them regrettably wonder where the time went. Or maybe not? “It doesn’t make us feel old. It makes us feel young because we’re still here, doing what we love doing,” concludes Buggee.
Rich Monetti lives in Somers and has been a freelance writer since 2003. He works part time at Mount Kisco Childcare Center and writes on Sports, Politics and Entertainment.