Store Wars 2014 – Where Style and Brackets Collide

Store Wars:  March 18th – April 7th 2014

Welcome to the fourth annual Store Wars competition. Sixteen retailers enter this tournament. Only one will finish unbeaten. 16 of the top retailers in affordable men’s style have been chosen by the selection committee to compete. Unlike that other bracket based tournament which happens around this time of year, YOU have a direct say as to who wins and who loses.

The tournament begins tomorrow, with a different head to head match-up each weekday until one champion is left standing. You pick which store you prefer (how you come to this conclusion is totally up to you) and click to leave your vote. Sometimes it won’t be easy to decide.  The store with the most votes at the end of the day moves on to the next round. The comments section will be open for you to debate the merits of each side..

After years of asking for “regions” comprised of stores that share a similar theme, you guys are getting that this year. Mall Staples, The Web, Big Boxes, and Wild Cards are your four regions. The committee did their best with seedings and placement (not every mall has a Brooks Brothers, and while UNIQLO does have some brick & mortar locations, they’re few and far between), but it was awfully tough this year. Also, last year’s finalists, J. Crew & J. Crew Factory, ARE separate once again. You can find the argument as to why over here.

New competitors this year include UNIQLO, H&M, and perhaps a controversial pick, Billy Reid. Once again, “Thrift Stores”, as a whole, have decided to wear their Goodwill Industries jerseys for the tourney, but they represent all thrift stores, everywhere.

So did the committee get it right? Which “bubble” retailers got unfairly left out? Predictions? It all goes in the comments below.

Region 1 – Mall Staples

1. J. Crew
2. Banana Republic
3. Brooks Brothers
4. Gap

Region 2 – The Web

1. Suitsupply
2. Bonobos
3. ebay
4. UNIQLO

Region 3 – The Big Boxes

1. Nordstrom
2. Target
3. Macy’s
4. JC Penney (back to their original logo/unis now. Gone is the “jcp” square)

Region 4 – Wild Cards

1. J. Crew Factory
2. Thrift Stores (Repping all, but sportin’ the Goodwill jerseys for the tournament)
3. Billy Reid
4. H&M