St. Paul's BlackBlue boutique gets national press

St. Paul menswear boutique BlackBlue has been all over the news as of late, thanks to a mention in a recent New Yorker article spotlighting J. Crew CEO Mickey Drexler's trip to the Twin Cities.

Now, the store is getting attention for its selection of classic, locally-made menswear brands like Red Wing Shoes. From an October 10 article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press:

St. Paul men's store BlackBlue is at the epicenter of the heritage trend, offering the aforementioned Minnesota labels along with other classics such as Woolrich and Penguin that are suddenly hip.

"For us, it's not about fashion; it's more about style," storeowner Steve Kang said. "We're offering timeless clothing that anyone can wear."

Kang's customers range from college kids who like the retro sneakers to businessmen who are replacing their loafers with Red Wing boots to an 87-year-old man who recently bought Tretorn shoes and a Pendleton tribal-patterned cardigan.

"It's the look," Kang said, "but also the quality."

BlackBlue is located at 614 Selby Avenue in St. Paul, 651-260-5340, www.blkblu.com