Steve and Barry's online store, like its physical counterpart, is now defunct. In early 2009, the company declared bankruptcy and closed all its stores, offline and online.
Steve and Barry History
In 1985, two men by the names of Barry Prevor and Steven Shore opened a college store at the University of Pennsylvania to compete with the sanctioned bookstore. Steve and Barry offered lower prices for similar merchandise, especially University of Pennsylvania branded merchandise.
Business Growth
Soon, other stores opened on Big Ten campuses across the United States. In 1998, both Steve and his friend Barry opened their first mall store and over the next 10 years, would open many more stores in malls across America.
The Collapse
Sales eventually slipped and the company could not keep up with loan payments. They began defaulting on loans and leases and filed for bankruptcy in 2008. January 30, 2009 was the last official day the store was open, and was also the last day of operations for the online store. Incidentally, the company was sued for fraud and misappropriation of remodeling funds.
Steve and Barry's Online Store and Celebrity Clothing Lines
During its most popular time in the mid-2000's, this popular clothing company acquired exclusive celebrity lines for their stores. Because many of the clothes were priced from $10 to $20, families and fashion-conscious consumers could get apparel at inexpensive prices. Some of the lines included:
- Sarah Jessica Parker's BITTEN line was previewed at a fashion show and hit stores in the spring of 2007.
- In the summer of 2007, Amanda Bynes showcased her Dear line, which was geared to teens and young women.
- Two sports stars, Stephon Marbury and Ben Wallace, endorsed sports clothes and Stephon Marbury's Marbury One sneaker, which sold for $14.98. Marbury and Wallace even wore the sneaker for each game during the 2006 and 2007 season.
- Another sports star, Venus Williams, pumped her own clothing and shoe line called EleVen.
- Golfer Bubba Watson endorsed the golf clothing line called "Bubba Golf."
- In May 2008, Laird Hamilton marketed a line of surfing and skating clothing called "Wonderwall."
Options for Finding Steve and Barry Clothing
Since the online store is now eliminated, you will need to seek other sources of the merchandise, especially if you are interested in their celebrity brands.
eBay
Your best option to find the clothing from this shut-down store is on eBay. Most of the prices should be very cheap, even though you'll find varying prices for used and new apparel.
Amazon
Another choice is Amazon. What you'll find at Amazon besides the branded clothing is some celebrity clothing. As of this writing, sellers had some Stephon Marbury and Venus Williams clothing for sale.
Yahoo! Shopping
As a last resort, check out Yahoo! Shopping for clothing from this popular clothing store. The selection may be light, but you might find some rare items.
Similar Stores
Even thought you can't shop at a brick-and-mortar store for these clothes anymore, a few stores exist that resemble the one Steve and Barry ran.
- Old Navy: Old Navy carries men's, women's, juniors', and kids' clothing at inexpensive prices. They do have higher-end merchandise like business clothes, but overall, prices are very affordable. If you can catch clearance sales, you can find even better prices.
- Gap: The Gap, which is owned by Old Navy, mainly deals in children's clothes, but you can find a decent selection of men's and women's clothing. They also carry the Athleta line, which is active clothing for the athlete.
- Rue 21: For the younger crowd, visit a Rue 21. Besides clothes, you can purchase fragrances, shoes, cologne, and other accessories. Most jeans range in the $10-$20 range and many shirts retail around $10.
Gone But Not Forgotten
Even though Steve and Barry's is no longer in business, the retailer remains a part of clothing history. They were unique in their offerings that appealed to a wide mass of people. From those looking for collegiate wear to those wanting the latest in fashion, the retailer had a lot to offer their customers at really low prices.
