Shop New England’s Outlet Stores
Maria Anderson came all the way from Minneapolis to outfit her daughter’s wedding at one of Filene’s Basement’s legendary bridal gown sales. Every price tag in a sea of white lace and pastels had been slashed to $199.
Although she and her daughter were weary, they posted trophies: a flowing antique white extravaganza (original price: $2,000), a silver-gray gown (from $850) and four square-necked, peach-colored bridesmaid’s dresses (each reduced from $700).
Filene’s Basement’s bridal sales occur two or three times a year. Sales of women’s designer-label suits ($150 to $285 reduced to $75) are held twice yearly, and sales of men’s designer suits ($185 to $235 reduced to $79) are held once a year. Discounts of 50% to 70% on casual to formal clothing and some home accessories occur every day.
Although some of its items are available in limited sizes or colors and labels are often removed, Filene’s Basement draws shoppers from around the nation.
The granddaddy of New England’s off-price stores, Filene’s Basement was founded by Edward A. Filene, who sold marked-down goods in the basement of his pricey department store.
Filene’s Basement became a separate business in July, 1988, with its own chain of stores. The flagship is still in the basement of Filene’s at 426 Washington St. Seven other stores are in the Boston environs: Framingham, Burlingon, Danvers, Dedham, Saugus, Braintree and Kingston. Still others are elsewhere in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Connecticut.
Don’t believe for a moment that the Andersons’ pre-nuptial trek to Filene’s Basement was unusual, because discount shopping is one of New England’s top tourist attractions. In addition to Filene’s Basement, hundreds of discount outlets, selling everything from shoes to top-quality porcelain at 30% to 50% off regular retail prices, abound.
Outlets at factories or in nearby stores offer shoppers an opportunity to see how goods are made.
The Cheese Outlet, 398 Pine St., Burlington, Vt., is in a huge 120-year-old brick building next to a factory that gives mouth-watering tours. Happily, the firm sets out samples of Vermont cheddar, gouda, feta and all sorts of imported cheeses. In all, the store carries about 100 varieties of cheese at low prices. Creamy French brie is only $1.99 per pound.
General Manager Steve Lidle says that the Cheese Outlet also sells other gourmet goodies. “Three times a year we offer pure Vermont maple syrup for $20 per gallon, and there’s always a selection of about 30 close-out and private-label wines for $3.99 each, or two for $7. We ship everything, except wines, so shoppers don’t have to carry their purchases, including our crustless Vermont Velvet cheesecake.”
About 50 miles to the north, Johnson Woolen Mills Factory Store, on Main Street in Johnson, Vt., punctuates an otherwise rural experience with some high-tech weaving and wonderful bargains on hundreds of woolen and natural-fiber blankets, sweaters, outerwear, sportswear, mittens and fabrics. These are sold at 20% to 40% off list. A seconds and samples section also reduces prices, by 50% to 70%.
Discounters, offering overruns or second-quality local and imported goods, put otherwise obscure towns on the map. In Mount Washington Valley, N.H., the stretch of Route 16 near North Conway Village boasts 39 discount outlets.
Looking for home accessories? You’ll find Corning/Revere, Dansk, Gorham (china, crystal and Norman Rockwell prints at 60% off list) and Alpine Sheets and Towels (Fieldcrest and other labels). For clothing: Izod, J. Crew, Jonathan Logan, Calvin Klein, Evan Picone, Guess?, Leslie Fay, Liz Claiborne, London Fog, Levi Strauss, Timberland, Andrew Marc, Aileen, Anne Klein and others. For shoes and accessories: Swank, Converse, LeSportsac, Johnston & Murphy, L’Eggs/Hanes, Dexter Shoes, Reebok/Rockport and others.
Some chain store discounters have identical stores in several popular discount malls. Anne Klein, Calvin Klein, Harve Bernard, Dansk, American Tourister and Villeroy & Boch are frequently featured.
For out-of-towners, discount malls are best bets for variety of merchandise. Connecticut’s two examples of the well-groomed New England mall are easily accessible from New York City by car or public transportation:
--Milford Factory Outlet Center, 321 Post Road, Milford. Its super shops include Harve Bernard (men’s shirts for $30 and slacks for $39 to $79, silk ties for $12 and women’s gaberdine coat dresses for $200 and suits for $149 to $220, silk scarves for $20, Van Heusen (men’s shirts for $12 to $40 and silk ties for $7 to $20, women’s jeans for $19 to $25 and sweaters for $33, all with the Van Heusen label), Micki’s Designer Separates (washable silks for $40 to $75 each), Leather Loft (briefcases by Carlo Anabaldi from $70 and Renwick for $239 and London Fog garment bags for $140), Hathaway/Warner’s/Olga (Christian Dior all-cotton dress shirts for $18, blends for $14, plus discounted bras, camisoles and lingerie) and Commuter Station (men’s trenchcoats for $47, ladies’ raincoats for $30, Rayban Aviator sunglasses for $64, golf umbrellas for $15 and suitcases for $30 to $45).
--Norwalk Factory Outlet, 11 Rowan St., Norwalk. It features Clark’s of England (Clark’s, Rockport and Hanover men’s and women’s shoes for $30 to $100), Dress Barn (40% discounts on remaindered Cherokee, Calvin Klein and Jordache fashions), American Tourister (40% to 70% off a huge selection of luggage and business cases), Royal Doulton Shoppe (first- and second-quality china from $25 per setting with Grasmere firsts at $97 per setting and Romance firsts at $150 per setting, and figurines from $99 to $500 or about 20% off retail), Villeroy & Boch (open stock on bone china seconds are at least 35% off list), plus Harve Bernard, Van Heusen, Micki’s Designer Separates (each with the same merchandise and prices as at Milford), and more.
Massachusetts’ biggest concentration of discount shops is in Bristol County at Fall River and New Bedford, actually closer to Providence and Newport, R.I., than to Boston. The area has more than 90 factory-direct and off-price outlets, including Hickey Freeman, Alexander Julian, Oleg Cassini, Vakko Leather & Suede, Fenn Wright & Manson, WilliWear, Gitano, Carlos Falchi and others, at 50% to 75% off list.
In Freeport, Me., the L. L. Bean Factory Store on Main Street, offering discounts on discontinued catalogue merchandise, has been surrounded by dozens of other factory outlets, including those of Laura Ashley, Jones New York, Patagonia, Bass Shoes, Cole-Haan, Coach Leather, Mikasa and others, offering 30% to 50% off list.
