Charivari was a chain of clothing stores in New York City. Its first store opened in 1967 and had grown to six stores before finally closing in 1998. It is known for championing avant-garde fashion designers in the 1980s. The name translates to "uproar" in French.[1] Its rise to prominence in fashion coincided with the gentrification of its neighborhood, Manhattan's Upper West Side.[2]
History
The Charivari stores were founded by Jon Weiser, his mother Selma and his sister Barbara Weiser in 1967.[3]
In 1976, the men's department relocated to its own store across the street. That year, Esquire magazine included Charivari in a feature on America's eight top stores.[2] During the 1970s and 1980s the store grew from one to five locations (four on the Upper West Side and one on West 57th street).