Written by Laura Wallis
Photographs by Gregory Cherin
A lot of what happens in Hudson, New York, happens by word of mouth. When James Scully secured 548 Warren Street for Jamestown Hudson, the shop he and partner Tom Mendenhall opened in May 2024, it was through a lucky conversation at the dog park. “We’d been looking for a year and half,” says Scully. “Then one morning I met people who had just bought a building and needed a tenant.” He secured the lease on a handshake that day.
Though historic buildings, like those along the main retail drag of Warren Street, can be a bit dark, Jamestown has instant, bright appeal. “We wanted it to be a happy place,” Scully explains. The white, airy space, the music turned up, and greetings from the couple’s Vizsla pup, Esther, make sure it is. And, of course, the wares—men’s and women’s clothing and accessories, from embroidered vintage jeans to boldly colored coats—do, too. They’re stylish, functional, and fun, all at once. “I love clothes with a sense of humor,” Scully says.
The store is what Scully and Mendenhall labeled their “act two,” meaning the follow-up to their careers in the New York fashion world. Scully retired after two decades as fashion show producer and casting director for heavyweights like Tom Ford, Stella McCartney, and Carolina Herrera. Mendenhall was an industry executive most recently at Ralph Lauren. The Hudson Valley had been their escape; it was during the pandemic that they made the move permanent. Scully resisted Mendenhall’s initial suggestions of a store; he’d been imagining a quieter retirement. But he came around, enamored by the artistic renaissance of the Hudson Valley, as well as the newly thriving food scene which had them out and about with their neighbors.
“The thing I noticed, as we were having dinner or at the farmers market, was, these are cool looking people,” Scully says. “They live here, and they look better than New Yorkers, so, where are they getting their clothes? I just thought this would be a good opportunity to dress this person and do something fun in the community.”
And so they dove in, Scully at the creative helm, Mendenhall (who just announced yet another chapter himself, as CEO at Stella McCartney), handling the business side. Scully put together a collection of brands that jibed with his own sensibilities and with those of his new local friends. Hudson style, as he sees it, is “conventionally unconventional.” People here necessarily dress for function, in barn coats and Blundstones, in warm layers and well-worn work clothes, but he found that “all their pieces were individually quite incredible.” Local shoppers, as well as those from the city and throughout the region, quickly became loyal, coming in for well-made classics with a twist, vintage-inspired pieces, workwear with hand-stitched details.
All the wool in these gorgeously colorful Scottish wool hats and scarves is biodegradable.
“If you just buy one thing [from my store],” Scully says, “it’s still going to be the most interesting piece.” It will also, likely, be a responsible one. Among the legacies of Scully’s fashion career is his work fighting abusive work conditions in the industry, and that social consciousness has carried over to this business, via his support of environmentally and socially sustainable designers, and his efforts to give back to the community.
Scully largely avoids brands sold online or in department stores, so the best way to see what’s on offer is to walk into the store, or check Instagram (@jamestown__hudson). But if you see something you love, don’t think too long. New items fly out of the store almost as soon as they arrive. Word, after all, travels fast.
James’ Fall Inspo
Just a few favorite items you might see in the Jamestown Hudson window this season.
1 Scarf Brothers Vintage Embroidered Jean $295
These floral embroidered vintage Levi’s fly out the door fast, snapped up by men and women alike.
2 Hannoh Wessel Harris Tweed Jacket $935
The unfinished hem makes this “look like something someone has worn for a million years and handed down to you,” says Scully.
3 RRL Corduroy Peacoat $995
This wide-wale corduroy coat resembles a 1900’s French worker’s jacket. It was in hot demand as soon as it hit the store’s Instagram.
4 Bea Mombaers XL Tote $1300
This extra-large, bison-leather shopper is “the most perfect weekend bag,” Scully says. “It gets better with use, [is not waterproof but] doesn’t stain if rained on, serves multiple purposes, and doesn’t look like anything else you already have.”
5 Otakara Jamestown Sweatshirt $365
The Japanese hand-embroidery artist behind this brand designed several pieces especially for the store this season.
6 AODress Patchwork Dress $1025
Pas de Calais Tweed Coat $945
This hand-embroidered, silk velvet patchwork dress is a truly special piece, from a small-production Japanese brand. The coat is from another Japanese brand that Scully loves for its deconstructed approach to classic items that gives each piece a twist.
7 Samuel Zelig Embroidered Pant $350
Classic, workwear style pants and sweatshirts with themed, vintage-style embroidered patches. This one is the “Varsity” pant.
