Owner Sam Kaufman with a photo of his father Fred, who opened the tall and big clothing store in 1958. (Photos by Lily O’Neill)
Denver’s big fellas will have to find a new place to shop.
Kaufman’s Tall and Big Shop at 3395 S. Broadway in Englewood is offering 50 percent off all items in the store throughout August, with plans to close by the end of October.
“There are very few places like mine in the country, and I have been getting a massive outpouring of responses from people because they don’t know where to go now,” said Sam Kaufman, whose father Fred started the business in 1958.
The shop offers a variety of large sizes of name-brand casual or dress suits, shirts, shoes, socks, tuxedos, swim trunks and ski jackets.
Kaufman, who inherited the 7,280-square-foot building from his father 40 years ago, has decided to retire and sell the real estate. It’s listed for $3.6 million, or for lease for $32-$34 per square foot.
Kaufman’s Tall and Big Shop is closing after 62 years.
“My dad would be very happy we made it to 62 years, but I think he would be sad with how the business has changed,” Kaufman said. “People just don’t dress up like they used to, and big-ticket items, like suits, aren’t selling like they used to. People are more interested in golf shirts and khaki pants.”
Through the years, athletes have become fond of the store. Kaufman said 18 Oakland Raiders football players were once in the store at the same time.
“When I was a kid, my dad was on the advisory board that helped form the American Basketball Association and the Denver franchise, which is now the Denver Nuggets,” Kaufman said. “We’d go to the games, and then we’d drive the players down to the store and open it up in the middle of the night for them to shop.”
The plan was always to retire by the end of 2020, Kaufman explained, and the pandemic just pushed the finish line a little closer. He’s hoping to sell out of his inventory of Tommy Bahama, Levi, Columbia, Polo by Ralph Lauren and other name brands before he closes shop.
Everything in the store is 50% off.
Kaufman said he plans to focus on family, fly fishing and traveling, but that he’ll miss his customers and employees.
“We’re going to leave a big void because we serviced a segment of the market that was completely overlooked and underserved,” Kaufman said through tears. “We didn’t make tall guys feel tall. We didn’t make big guys feel big. We made everybody feel at home.”
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