Patrick James set to move into a space in the Village
By Kara Chalmers
Patrick James, a traditional men's clothing and sportswear store, will move into a space in the Village in mid- to late October, with a little help from the city of Saratoga.
The city gave the store a one-time $20,000 incentive to move into the Village location, as part of the city's plan to revitalize Saratoga's business districts by "seeding" them with destination-oriented stores, or stores that will bring more business to the city.
The plan also includes minor improvements to the village and the hiring of an economic development coordinator.
Patrick James signed the contract with the city in early August, according to City Manager Dave Anderson. It signed its contract with the landlord Sept. 1.
The store will sell custom suits, as well as weekend and resort wear, according to Patrick Mon Pere, Patrick James vice president, who says the store specializes in better goods.
The 1,600-square-foot space is the former Bit O' Country antiques and collectibles store at 14527 Big Basin Way.
The Saratoga store will be the 12th Patrick James location in California and the sixth in the Bay Area, Mon Pere said. In some locations, the stores carry women's clothes, but Mon Pere said it was too early to say whether the Saratoga store would.
Mon Pere said the $20,000 would go towards construction costs, but that the existing framework of the space will stay the same.
"We're real excited about being in Saratoga," Mon Pere said. "We think we'll be able to bring additional businesses in."
The high-end men's clothing store had lost its lease in the Pruneyard Shopping Center in Campbell, and was looking for a new location in Santa Clara County when the Village location opened up.
But Patrick James and the property owner had reached a standstill with lease negotiations, so the city stepped in with the $20,000 investment in order to bridge the gap and keep the negotiations moving.
Some Saratoga merchants have questioned the city's decision to spend such a large sum to entice a store that they say might not be the right kind of store for the Village. Some have said the incentive doesn't seem fair to existing Saratoga businesses.
The city sees the store as a good and needed addition to the downtown area.
Anderson said the city expects that the money will be paid back to the city within four years through sales tax and business license tax revenues. If the money is not paid back this way, or if Patrick James leaves the location, the store will be responsible for paying the city back.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
