Jos. A. Bank
American menswear retailer known for suits, tailored clothing, dress shirts, accessories, and business-casual apparel.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Jos. A. Bank is an American menswear retailer associated primarily with suits, dress shirts, ties, sport coats, trousers, and other business-oriented clothing. The company developed from a Baltimore-area clothing and tailoring enterprise with family connections extending back to the nineteenth century. Its formal corporate lineage began in 1905, when the Bank family business was established, although Joseph Alfred Bank had entered the clothing trade earlier and Charles Bank had already developed experience in tailoring and trouser manufacturing. The business initially operated as a manufacturer and wholesaler. In 1922, Joseph Bank joined with his mother-in-law, Lena Hartz, and formed L. Hartz and Bank, a company that manufactured and sold suits to retailers in the surrounding region. The enterprise later became Jos. A. Bank and Co. in 1945, after Joseph Bank and his son Howard acquired the Hartz family interest. After the Second World War, the company responded to demand for men's tailored clothing by moving toward direct retailing rather than relying solely on wholesale distribution. This transition established the foundation for the retail brand that followed. Jos. A. Bank expanded gradually through physical stores and catalog sales. By 1981 it had eleven stores and a growing catalog operation. That year the company was sold to Quaker Oats and placed in the conglomerate's specialty-retail portfolio. The chain reached approximately 25 stores by 1985, but Quaker Oats exited the business in 1986 as it refocused on core activities. Jos. A. Bank then returned to private ownership before expanding through franchising in the early 1990s and becoming a public company in 1994. Its shares traded on NASDAQ under the symbol JOSB. The retailer sold its manufacturing division in 1998 and increasingly relied on outsourced production, allowing management to concentrate on stores, catalog operations, and later online commerce. The company launched its internet site in August 1998. Its merchandise strategy emphasized tailored clothing sold through a value-oriented retail model, including factory-direct sourcing and frequent promotional offers. This positioning made the brand particularly visible in the American market for affordable business attire. The company became the subject of strategic activity in 2013 and 2014. Jos. A. Bank rejected an acquisition proposal from rival Men's Wearhouse in December 2013, while later announcing a proposed purchase of outdoor retailer Eddie Bauer. Men's Wearhouse challenged that transaction in court, arguing that it was intended to make Jos. A. Bank a less attractive takeover target. Jos. A. Bank subsequently abandoned the Eddie Bauer plan. In March 2014, the boards of Jos. A. Bank and Men's Wearhouse agreed to a transaction under which Men's Wearhouse would acquire Jos. A. Bank for approximately $1.8 billion. The combined business later operated as Tailored Brands, whose portfolio also included Men's Wearhouse, K&G Fashion Superstores, and Canada's Moores Clothing for Men. The brand is associated with a network of more than 180 retail locations and distribution facilities cited in reference material, including facilities in Atlanta, Houston, and Jenkins. Its current corporate status and store footprint may change over time as a result of Tailored Brands' portfolio decisions. Jos. A. Bank remains best understood as a specialist American menswear retail brand rather than a standalone public company.
History
The company's roots lie in the Baltimore clothing trade. Charles Bank immigrated to Baltimore from Lithuania in the nineteenth century and established a tailoring operation that later expanded into trouser manufacturing. Joseph Alfred Bank, Charles's grandson, joined the business as a cloth cutter in 1898 at the age of eleven and later worked as a traveling wholesale salesperson in the American South. In 1905, a men's clothing manufacturing company associated with Moses Hartz was established. After Moses Hartz's death, his widow Lena continued the business, while their daughter Anna worked as a traveling salesperson. Anna married Joseph Bank, and in 1922 Joseph joined Lena Hartz to create L. Hartz and Bank. The company manufactured suits and distributed them to retailers across the region. In 1940, it acquired a Baltimore building on Hopkins Place that housed offices, a showroom, shipping operations, and a cutting department. Joseph Bank and his son Howard bought out the Hartz interest in 1945 and formed Jos. A. Bank and Co. The postwar shortage of tailored men's clothing encouraged the company to concentrate on that category. It also began moving from manufacturing and wholesale toward direct consumer retailing, including an arrangement to sell clothing through Louie's, Inc. in Washington, D.C. Joseph Bank died in 1954, after which Howard assumed responsibility for the operation. By 1981, the business had eleven stores and a growing catalog channel. Leonard Ginsberg, a member of the extended Bank family through marriage, oversaw the sale of the company to Quaker Oats. Jos. A. Bank became part of Quaker's Specialty Retail group alongside other retail businesses and expanded to about 25 stores by 1985. Quaker divested the chain in 1986, returning it to private ownership. A franchise concept was introduced in 1992, and Jos. A. Bank Clothiers became publicly traded in 1994 on NASDAQ under JOSB. The company sold its manufacturing division in 1998 and outsourced production, including much of its tailored clothing. This allowed it to focus more directly on retail operations, catalog sales, and brand merchandising. It launched an internet site in August of that year. The retailer subsequently became known for suits and related business clothing offered through a value-focused model, with factory-direct sourcing and promotional pricing forming important elements of its market identity. Strategic pressure intensified in 2013 and 2014. Jos. A. Bank rejected a takeover proposal from Men's Wearhouse, then attempted to acquire Eddie Bauer. Men's Wearhouse sued to stop the Eddie Bauer transaction, and a Delaware court required disclosures and advance notice concerning any closing. Jos. A. Bank later terminated the Eddie Bauer plan. In March 2014, the two menswear retailers agreed to combine, with Men's Wearhouse acquiring Jos. A. Bank for approximately $1.8 billion. The resulting corporate group eventually became Tailored Brands. Jos. A. Bank is now part of that broader apparel-retail portfolio, alongside Men's Wearhouse, K&G Fashion Superstores, and Moores Clothing for Men.
- 2020
Tailored Brands enters Chapter 11
[2]The parent company filed for bankruptcy protection amid structural retail challenges and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2020
Parent company emerges from restructuring
[2]Tailored Brands completed its bankruptcy restructuring and continued operating Jos. A. Bank as a private-company brand.
- 2016
Parent group adopts the Tailored Brands name
[2]The combined Men's Wearhouse organization was renamed Tailored Brands, with Jos. A. Bank continuing as a distinct operating brand.
- 2014
Acquisition by Men's Wearhouse
[1]Men's Wearhouse agreed to acquire Jos. A. Bank in a transaction valued at approximately $1.8 billion. Men's Wearhouse completed the acquisition of Jos. A. Bank's parent company, bringing the two large menswear retailers under common ownership.
- 1998
Manufacturing divested and website launched
[1]The company sold its manufacturing division and launched an internet site, increasing its focus on retail and outsourced production.
- 1994
Public listing
[1]Jos. A. Bank Clothiers became publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker JOSB.
- 1986
Return to private ownership
[1]Quaker Oats sold the company as it refocused on its core businesses.
- 1981
Sale to Quaker Oats
[1]The retailer, then operating eleven stores and a catalog business, was acquired by Quaker Oats and placed in its specialty-retail group.
- 1945
Jos. A. Bank and Co. formed
[1]Joseph Bank and Howard Bank acquired the Hartz interest and established Jos. A. Bank and Co.
- 1922
L. Hartz and Bank formed
[1]Joseph Bank joined Lena Hartz to form a suit manufacturing and wholesale business.
Products and positioning
Accessible American menswear focused on suits, tailored clothing, business attire, occasionwear, and value-oriented wardrobe offers.
Tailored clothing
Men's suits
Suits are the brand's central product category and include coordinated jackets and trousers intended for office wear, formal business settings, and other occasions requiring tailored clothing. The retailer's historical identity was built around specializing in men's tailored merchandise and presenting it through an accessible, value-oriented retail model.
Menswear
Dress shirts and neckwear
Dress shirts complement the brand's suit and businesswear assortment. They are designed to be worn with tailoring and neckwear and form part of the conventional office wardrobe sold through Jos. A. Bank's stores, catalog operations, and online channel. The brand sells dress shirts in a range of collars, fits, colors, and patterns, together with ties, pocket squares, cufflinks, and related accessories. These products are designed to coordinate with suiting and business wardrobes and are also sold as individual replacements or components of multi-item outfits.
Accessories
Ties and neckwear
Ties and related neckwear serve as accessories for the retailer's business and formal clothing ranges. They extend the brand's tailored-outfit offering beyond jackets, trousers, and shirts and support complete-look merchandising.
Menswear
Business-casual apparel
The assortment also includes less formal garments intended for business-casual wardrobes. These products broaden the brand beyond traditional suiting while retaining its emphasis on coordinated men's clothing for professional settings.
Formalwear
Suits and tailored separates
Suits, sport coats, blazers, trousers, and related tailored separates form the core of Jos. A. Bank's historic assortment. The brand has served customers purchasing everyday business suits as well as clothing for interviews, weddings, ceremonies, and other formal occasions. Store-based fitting, alterations, and coordination across jackets, trousers, shirts, and accessories are central to the offering.
Casualwear
Business-casual clothing
Jos. A. Bank's broader assortment includes chinos, polos, sweaters, casual shirts, five-pocket pants, and relaxed jackets. These products extend the brand beyond traditional formalwear and respond to the decline of rigid office dress codes and the growing demand for versatile work-to-weekend clothing.
Footwear and accessories
Shoes and accessories
Footwear and accessories include dress shoes, casual shoes, belts, wallets, bags, socks, ties, and other finishing pieces. The category supports the brand's wardrobe-building approach by allowing customers to purchase coordinated elements for formal, professional, and casual outfits.
Tailoring services
Custom and made-to-measure clothing
Custom and made-to-measure services allow customers to select garment details and obtain clothing adjusted to their measurements. Alongside ordinary alterations, these services reinforce the brand's tailoring heritage and distinguish its store experience from purely transactional apparel e-commerce.
Brand decisions
2020
Restructure through Chapter 11StrategyBackground
Tailored Brands faced declining demand for traditional business clothing, store and mall pressures, digital competition, and severe disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Action taken
The parent company filed for Chapter 11 protection, pursued debt restructuring, and rationalized its retail footprint.
Aftermath
Tailored Brands emerged as a private company and retained Jos. A. Bank as a core brand.
2014
Agreement to be acquired by Men's WearhouseM&ABackground
After competing takeover proposals and litigation surrounding a proposed Eddie Bauer purchase, the boards of Jos. A. Bank and Men's Wearhouse reached an agreement.
Action taken
Men's Wearhouse agreed to acquire Jos. A. Bank for approximately $1.8 billion, while Jos. A. Bank terminated its Eddie Bauer acquisition plan.
Aftermath
The combination became part of the corporate structure later known as Tailored Brands.
Transaction value. $1.8 billion (2014 announced acquisition)
- Men's Wearhouse — Men's Wearhouse first made an offer that Jos. A. Bank rejected, later challenged the Eddie Bauer transaction in court, and ultimately agreed to acquire Jos. A. Bank.
2014
Accept acquisition by Men's WearhouseM&ABackground
Jos. A. Bank and Men's Wearhouse pursued a contentious combination while competing over control of the two menswear businesses.
Action taken
Men's Wearhouse completed the acquisition of Jos. A. Bank's parent company, preserving Jos. A. Bank as a separate consumer-facing brand.
Aftermath
The transaction created a larger specialty-menswear group that later operated under the Tailored Brands name.
1998
Outsourcing after manufacturing divestitureStrategyBackground
The company sought to concentrate its resources on retail operations rather than owning its manufacturing division.
Action taken
Jos. A. Bank sold its manufacturing division and outsourced production, including much of its tailored clothing.
Aftermath
The change enabled greater emphasis on retail merchandising, catalog operations, and internet commerce.
1945
Shift toward direct retailing and tailored clothingStrategyBackground
After the Second World War, the company identified strong demand for men's tailored clothing amid a shortage of such merchandise.
Action taken
It concentrated on tailored apparel and moved from a primarily wholesale manufacturing role toward selling directly to consumers.
Aftermath
This decision established the retail focus that later defined the Jos. A. Bank brand.
Recent events
3DLook works with Tailored Brands on retail rollout[3]
Reported:
3DLook disclosed that it was working with Tailored Brands to roll out its body-measurement technology at Men's Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank. The companies had beta-tested the technology in 100 stores and expanded it to 200, with rollout to more than 1,000 locations planned for the fall.
Tailored Brands plans to close 500 stores[4]
Reported:
Tailored Brands decided to close 500 stores in response to the pandemic's impact on its business. The company said the closures would be phased in, and it was not yet clear which locations would close.
Sources4 sources
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