Hooked on Classics

For the next generation of an old-school menswear house, it's back to the basics.

By Brigid Sweeney

Scott Anderson is betting his business that the tried-and-true really never goes out of style. Though his family's company, the iconic Fall River–based menswear retailer Anderson-Little, shuttered a decade ago, Anderson is staging a comeback—with a more modern sales approach. The great-grandson of founder Morris Anderson, he and his father are selling the label's navy blazer only online (anderson-little.com). In addition to a pocket-friendly $139 price tag (shipping included), the jacket also boasts legions of nostalgic fans. "Over lunch, I was trying to convince my dad to relaunch the business, and our waiter chimes in that his high school yearbook photo was taken in our suit," Anderson says. "That sold him." If the jacket sells well, more classic pieces will follow next year.

Originally published in Boston magazine, September 2008