After a recent expansion, Oak Hall has reopened as a 12,000-square-foot retail destination beating at the heart of the Hill Center in Green Hills. The bright, sweeping space is filled with designer goods for men and women from labels like Rag & Bone, Eleventy and Derek Lam to name a few. The store’s scale and offerings give it the essence of a large volume luxury specialty store, but the shopping experience transcends that of a large retailer. At Oak Hall, you’ll find expertly curated high-end apparel that comes with customer service that is reminiscent of another era. “We wanted the store to have clean lines and a more modern take while offering the same customer service that has given us longevity in the retail world,” says Store Director Brent Reece.
Their increased footprint has brought with it even more ways to elevate your shopping experience. Much of Oak Hall’s magic takes place behind the scenes. Tucked away just beyond the sales floor is a room they’ve appropriately dubbed the “Oak Room.” It is here that they host guests who prefer a private experience. They stock the room with what you like to eat, drink and even your favorite aroma. “We pull it all together and do a full consultation … some people want to be catered to, and we’re all about it,” declares Brent.
A short elevator ride to the second floor brings you to their fully functioning tailor shop. “We have five master tailors on site,” explains Brent as we walk past a row of industrial sewing machines, all in use. Nearly all tailoring for both men and women is complimentary, and you can expect it to be ready “when you need it,” he adds. They go above and beyond for their customers, even if that means making a house call. They are happy to schedule at-home shopping events and wardrobe consultations. “If you can’t make it to us, we come to you,” says Brent, adding, “We’ll help you edit what you no longer need and dress up or add to what you already have.”
For now, menswear takes up the bulk of the real estate on the sales floor, but the ladies department is established and growing quickly now that space is available. “Since we’ve expanded, we’ve exploded with ladies, and we built the store so that we could do that,” says Brent. They are working to secure more designers to round out their list of mainstays that includes Rag & Bone, Vince, Barbour, Rebecca Taylor, Eleventy, Karolina Zmarlak, Zadig & Voltaire and MaxMara. The list of lines exclusive to Oak Hall is also expanding and includes Derek Lam, Piazza Sempione and Polish designer Karolina Zmarlak. You’ll also find local jewelry designers like Ever Alice and Carden Avenue among others. With everything from clothing, shoes and accessories, they are delivering on their objective, which is “all about taking her through her lifestyle needs,” says Ladies Department Manager Aaron Manser.
Aaron is hyper-focused on catering to what local women want, curating a selection that speaks to their Nashville clientele. He points out that a lot of people shop in their Nashville location as well as their flagship store in Memphis because the selection is different. “Our salespeople get a chance to go to market … so we can buy specifically for certain customers – that is a big point of difference,” says Aaron.
When Oak Hall was established in 1859, they focused solely on fine menswear, and that tradition remains strong today. Their extensive selection of men’s suiting has everything a guy needs to look updated and dapper. You can even create made-to-measure pieces that are all your own. Everything is fresh and modern, including on-trend, hand-selected fabrics.
“Made-to-measure is huge for us right now,” says Brent while showing me the bespoke details on the inside of a jacket. “So many guys love coming in now, and they love to make their own sport coats.” Fabrics from Ermenegildo Zegna, Samuelsohn, Hickey Freeman and Isaia provide endless options, so you can be as creative or classic as you like. Luxury Italian fashion brand Ermenegildo Zegna has a major footprint at Oak Hall and takes customization a step further. “Zegna even does made-to-measure leisurewear. So a guy could have anything from a leather jacket, to a sweater, to even jeans and joggers made for him. They’re the only company that does that,” says Men’s Clothing Manager Elise Carr.
Oak Hall stocks a diverse range of products, including well-curated collections of ties, sunglasses, pocket squares, shoes, cufflinks, belts, socks – even underwear. Elise says, “We cater to both the updated traditional guy and the hipper, cooler guy,” with a room full of denim and contemporary casual styles from Eleventy and Faherty to an entire wall of men’s dress shirts from Swedish company Eton. Anybody can create a well-rounded wardrobe complete with accessories. If you’re not a big shopper, the expert staff is happy to pull it all together for you. “I don’t want you to come shop us,” says Brent, “I want you to be a part of us.”
As a sixth generation family-owned business, Oak Hall takes pride in building relationships so that they can provide a service that is personal. They set the bar when it comes to customer service, bringing exceptional quality (and a little old-school glamour) to the shopping experience. “We create friendships that last. We don’t consider people our customers, it’s like family,” adds Brent. At Oak Hall, shopping is an experience, and we think it’s one worth investing in!
Oak Hall is located at 4017 Hillsboro Pike, Ste. 303, Nashville, TN 37215. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Learn more at (615) 454-6497 or visit OakHall.com.
This article is sponsored by Oak Hall.
