Langrock Building (GANT Store)

Standing nearly four stories tall in Tudor-Revival style, the structure’s York Street façade is simultaneously stylish and simple—suggesting the snazzy yet classic styles it holds (1). Crafted entirely of rusty-red brick stone and beige-colored traprock, the façade appears symmetrical in form and entices potential customers with its Ivy- League feel (1). Upon closer look, however, the building’s balance is often broken— randomly dispersed beige stones interrupt the continuity of the building’s rusty-red tessellation-like brick pattern (1). This asymmetrical design on both facades heightens the “boldness” of the commercial site, and its randomness is mirrored with the architect’s choice to construct three and a half stories, rather than an even four (1). The store’s historically consistent commercial use is evoked with the large glass windows that line the first floor of both facades; one on the York Street façade and five on the Broadway façade. 

1927 – Built for David Langrock, Langrock Fine Clothing (2).

1976 – Switched to M Co Men’s Clothing – Owned by Arthur Rosenberg (5).

1994 – 2003 – Barrie’s Ltd. Booters (6).

2010 – Present - GANT 

Prior to holding the center of New Haven’s male fashion scene, the site was similarly commercial, frequently serving as a local pharmacy for the Broadway and York Street areas (13). The Langrock Building wasn’t constructed until 1927, but various drugs stores sat on the same site (13). An 1886 map of New Haven displays a structure for “Drugs” on site (13). This store’s layout barely shifts between 1886 and 1901, suggesting the permanence of the building as a central pharmacy for the area (13,14).

The pharmacy narrative is maintained throughout the early 20th century, and in 1910, a dark wood drugstore stood at the intersection of York and Elm, likely owned by I.L. Sanford, B.R. Ward or C.P. Wilson, who were all listed as owners of the site in 1911 (15,16). The structure had a cabin-like shape, a white scalloped overhang, and a large commercial sign that read “DRUGS” (15). In a 1910 image of 268 York Street, crowds of people stood under the overhang, suggesting the pharmacy as a popular site of social interaction (15). This structure frequently switched hands in the early 20th century, owned by Colburn’s York Pharmacy in 1917 and Lichter’s York Pharmacy in 1921 (17,18).

In 1924, only three years before the emergence of the Langrock Building, the site had significantly expanded its square footage, with additional structures behind the York Street façade (potentially for expanded distribution or manufacturing) (19). Thus, over the course of the late 19th century and early 20th century, the site held a similar commercial and social power to its more contemporary counterparts, as it was frequently passed between the hands of various pharmacy owners. 

As a New Haven icon, the Langrock Building sits atop a long history of both gender and socioeconomic inequality. Mirroring Yale University’s 20th century development as a predominantly masculine space, the Langrock Building advanced as a site primarily for the refinement of the “Yale male” (8). While the university went coeducational in 1969 (with the exception of the “Fine Arts School,” which had been coeducational since 1869), 268 York Street maintained paternalistic associations of “male education” even after women were admitted (9,10).

David Langrock, the original client for the production of the Tudor-Revival structure, laid the foundation for the site’s paternal associations in 1927, when he presented the University with the task of “reviewing the architectural plans” for his new store (2). James Gamble, the official “University architect” at the time, declared the plans must “conform with present and future Yale buildings” (2). Essentially, Gamble asserted the site must be constructed as a natural extension of the existing campus, indistinguishable in style from other Yale structures (2). In doing so, Gamble physically joined Yale with Langrock fashions—as if to suggest the preppy fashions as a uniform for the Yale male student. The original structure was a haven for all things preppy—the basement held the clothing store, while the other floors were filled with “haberdashery,” hats, shoes, and custom tailoring (2). The original store even had a barbershop (2). Langrock dedicated his store to the belief that “men should dress in a style fitting their station in life,” a phrase further emphasizing the necessity of collegiate “style” for the elite, Ivy-League man (2). Langrock, however, entirely ignores the woman (2).

As Langrock expanded his efforts into Princeton and other top universities, his New Haven location suffered and was ultimately replaced by M. Co. Men’s Clothing in 1976 and Barrie’s Booters in 1994 (5, 6, 8). While little is known about M. Co. Men’s Clothing and its styles, the declaration of the site as primarily for “Men” fits strongly with Langrock’s male-centric styles. Similarly, Barrie’s Booters Ltd. entered New Haven as part of a tradition of “men’s stores,” offering no options for female Yale students (6). The site’s contemporary tenant, GANT, fits with this timeline of paternal fashion, and while GANT offers select female styles, the store promotes itself as selling “Men’s Shirts, Blazers for Men and Clothing”—with no mention of women (11). Thus, while the site historically served as a commercial hub, it stands as a site of restriction and gender inequality.

Originally as a multi-use space, the site attracted significant traffic, paving the way for the structure as a central, communal and commercial hub. However, the community fostered within the space was largely restricted to elite, wealthy Yale students—not the New Haven community at large (8). Spatially, the structure’s association with privilege is heightened by its place within campus; rather than sitting in a more universally accessible spot in downtown New Haven, the Langrock Building is tucked conveniently between Branford College and Davenport College (both of which carry Yale’s pretentious aura) (12). The Langrock Building sat next to J. Press for years, another store with pricey offerings—the combination of the two intimidated the New Haven landscape (8). Socioeconomically, the attire offered was for the elite of the elite—prices were high and virtually unattainable to the lower classes (8). The contemporary landscape fits with the historical timeline of inaccessibility—although J.Press has closed, the GANT store produces “upscale” label clothing for students and wealthy residents willing to spend (11). Despite these downfalls, the Langrock Building proves a local monument, and GANT upholds the historical trends of its original occupants. 

At the corner of York Street and Elm Street, the store marks the start of the Broadway commercial district: an area dedicated to upholding the Ivy League look (8). Less than 20 feet away and sitting directly across from the site, Broadway is lined with Patagonia, Barbour, and J. Crew, all shops accompanying GANT’s classic, pretentious prep. TYCO, a local printing shop, separates GANT from a future L.L. Bean store— thus, even the developing sites fit GANT’s historic, male-centric fashion theme.