Landau's unfazed by competition as U-Store moves to Nassau Street

One might think that the prospect of a large competitor moving in next door would be unsettling to the management of local clothier Landau's, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

"We think we can out-quality and out-create the U-Store," Landau's president Robert Landau said, as he mingled with customers and joked with employees. "We delight in competition. I think that if competition is attracting people to the area, it will be best for us."

The University announced Monday that the U-Store will open a location on Nassau Street next fall at the current location of Micawber's and The Children's Place while Labyrinth Books will take over the retail space now occupied by Foot Locker. Rather than worrying Landau's and other local retailers, the U-Store's competitors said they welcomed the change.

Landau, who is the grandson of the original owner, expressed confidence in his business' ability to compete with the U-Store. Landau said he believes that Labyrinth Books and the U-Store will revitalize Nassau Street.

"There's really nothing on Nassau Street that appeals to students," he said. "If you said Hoagie Haven was moving next to us I'd be happy, but not as happy as having the U-Store move in."

"We've been here 51 years, and I think this is the most positive thing to happen to Nassau Street in the past 20 years," he added.

In addition, the greater proximity to the U-Store will allow Landau's the chance to compete more directly.

"Customers often come here and ask how to get to the U-Store. Some of them go there and then come back and say, 'We like your prices and products more,' but many just don't want to walk back that far," he said. "Now we'll be able to say, 'You can go check out the U-Store five doors down and then come back to compare.' "

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U-Store president Jim Sykes said he believes the U-Store's larger selection of items will give it an advantage over Landau's.

"You can buy pretty much anything with the Princeton logo from us," he said. "Even if Landau's can match us in service, we don't think anyone matches us in terms of selection."

Other local businesses also hope the U-Store will bring more customers to the area. "If it brings more people to Nassau Street it will be good for us," said Michael Bonin, owner of Princeton Army and Navy.

Becky Miller, a manager of the Princeton Running Company, awaits the greater business the U-Store will bring as well as the departure of Foot Locker, the Running Company's main competitor.

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"It's great because they do overlap with us a little, so we're glad to be rid of the competition," she said. "It was an exciting announcement because we've been joking about how we're going to drive Foot Locker out of business, and now they're actually leaving."

Carol Gould, an author and sales associate at Glen Echo Books, said she regrets the loss of a local institution like Micawber, which contributes to the personality of the town. She placed the arrival of Labyrinth in a series of encroachments by non-locally-owned businesses.

"Princeton is becoming generic, instead of a town with personality," she said. "Stores like Banana Republic and Ann Taylor replaced locally-owned stores. Princeton is becoming a boutique town."

Still, she is relieved that the University's book sales are not being taken over by a large chain. "We're glad it's not another Barnes and Noble, like Harvard and MIT," she said.