Bonobos Sizes Up Georgetown; Brand's First Try-Before-You-Buy D.C. 'Guideshop' Opens Today

GEORGETOWN -- Charged with a simple mission to create a better fitting pair of pants for men, Bonobos was born in 2007 as a pure play online retailer. As sales exploded, however, so too did its product offerings, with the New York City-based company now offering everything from shirts to suits to shorts and beyond.

Last year, Bonobos made the leap from the online to offline worlds, with the opening of its first 'real world' store location in Boston (a NYC pilot program paved the way). Such a transition to 'bricks-and-clicks' marked a radical departure for company co-founder Andy Dunn, who had always espoused the virtues of an online-only slant.

But the first to admit when he is wrong, Dunn quickly realized that a hybrid approach to retailing, which combined the breadth and depth of the Internet with the personalization provided by an in-store experience, offered the best of both worlds. And so the Bonobos 'Guideshop' was born.

Staffed by the brand's expertly trained 'style ninjas', each Guideshop location provides complimentary by-appointment-only service (walk-ins are accommodated if time permits) that allows customers to try-on the company's wares before making a purchase.

While Bonobos has already opened five such brick-and-mortar stores around the country, Washington gets its first today, thanks to a modernly decorated new showroom that opened this morning in Georgetown.

A select group of insiders were invited to a private launch party held on Monday evening at the store, which is located just off of the neighborhood's trendy Cady's Alley. Between cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, guests had the chance to test drive the Guideshop experience firsthand, with the flashing of credit cards (once a selection has been made, orders are still fulfilled online) signaling definitive approval.

This shouldn't come as a surprise, however. The District's residents have long been loyal supporters of Bonobos. Don't believe us? Just ask last night's caterer, Chef Geoff Tracy, who owns several pairs of the brand's chinos.

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Bonobos is giving a special discount to REVAMP.com readers who book a Georgetown Guideshop appointment at www.bonobos.com/guideshop. If you book your appointment by February 15th, you will receive 20% off a purchase of $150 + at the store by simply referencing "REVAMP" in the notes section when scheduling an appointment."