Boyds' losses were heavy in Nov. fire

A fire at the Boyds clothing store in Center City last month ruined millions of dollars in merchandise and destroyed the store's tailor shop, the firm said Friday.

The high-end retailer said in a statement that a small fire and resulting water damage on Nov. 30 "caused millions of dollars in losses in destroyed clothing and other items." The precise amount is still being assessed, it said.

The store, at 1818 Chestnut St., was closed for a week after the blaze, but has reopened.

The blaze broke out in the fifth-floor tailor shop and triggered the sprinkler system, causing flooding. The store said the flooding also seeped to the fourth floor, where the popular Big and Tall Shop is located.

The water damage destroyed all of the men's and women's clothing in the tailor shop, the "will call" area where items ready for pickup are stored, and the entire men's Big and Tall section.

As the store rebuilds the tailor shop, tailors are working throughout the building, the statement said. - Emily Babay