Top Hat & Tails Holds Grand Opening on Springfield Avenue

The sun shone on Horace Kinard and Brian Berry today as they held a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the new location of their men's sports and formal wear business, Top Hat & Tails, at 1860 Springfield Avenue.

Maplewood Mayor Vic DeLuca tried on a sports jacket. Guests mingled and enjoyed soft drinks, cheese, wraps and cookies. Little Bria Kinard, who attends Seth Boyden School, greeted friends.

Finally, the jovial crowd moved outside where Horace Kinard pulled out a ribbon for the cutting ceremony. Despite the fact that Kinard called the rather skinny strand his "recession ribbon," spirits were as bright as the afternoon winter sun that had dignitaries squinting as photographers snapped their pictures.

The new store location is on the ground floor of the new Yale Street Commons condominium and apartment building. (A Springfield Avenue business owners tells us that two of the 15 units have sold and three more are rented.)

This new location puts Top Hat & Tails closer to the center of the action on Springfield Avenue. Top Hat & Tails now has a 40+ space parking lot behind the business and is just across the street from Shakti, HLS Grill, East Side Fitness, The Gym and Kari's Cafe, and down the street from Stories in Motion, Fringe Salon, Churrasco, Soups & Scoops and more.

Patch reporter Sonya Kimble-Ellis will have a full profile on Top Hat & Tails coming this week.