David C.
Yelp
I hesitate to sing the praises of dear old Dave's too loudly--it's already pretty overrun with tourists stocking up on American products that cost them twice as much in Europe. But shucks, Dave's deserves your business, so I sing I will. (Figuratively, natch.)
Now, unless you're the kind of guy who spends $60 or more on a pair of jeans--which I'd take serious issue with--this is the best place in the city to get, you know, actual denim. (The kind of jeans they used to call dungarees.) Rigid, regular fit 505s. 501s. And old-school Levi's corduroys. And black denim. All below the MSRP. (Try *that* trick anywhere else, cats and kitties.)
And while Dave's does have a pretty terrific selection of other Levi's styles, they keep the crap (stonewashes, trendy reissues, etc.) to a minimum, instead focusing on stocking lots of sizes of the good stuff. They also have all sorts of other first-rate tough guy clothing you'll have a hard time finding under one roof anywhere else: Levi's Trucker and Sherpa Jackets, Schott Pea Coats, Wrangler Western shirts, and a great selection of Red Wing boots. Get the idea?
And if Dave's isn't a truly traditional Army/Navy store (aka a "Military Surplus Store") with insignia patches, canteens and compasses behind a glass counter, they do have a deep selection of fairly priced, solidly built work wear, rain wear (Carhartt and others) and winter wear (from top of the line Canada Goose parkas to more modest but equally respectable Carolina iterations), as well as long-johns, t-shirts, wool socks, caps, et. al.
And besides the price and selection, there's something else that's special about Dave's: the service. I stop in once a week to see what's new (they reorder and restock constantly) and over the past three or four years, the same people have been working at the store, both on the floor and behind the counter. They know their inventory, they're helpful without being pushy, and, frankly, it's really nice to see the same faces every time you go. Retail jobs being what they are (i.e. difficult, low-paying) I'd say this qualifies as a minor miracle.
As does Dave's itself.