Meet Richie, Inwood's Master Tailor   Reading about the Shakers recently made me realize how few of us moderns have well-developed self-sustaining skills. But that's not true for Richie, a world-class custom tailor and one of Inwood's best kept secrets. I first encountered Richie about ten years ago when I'd lost a lot of weight and wanted to try to salvage my "fat" suits. Richie, who at that time worked for Royal Dry Cleaners (I think), turned out to be just the ticket. Although I'm not an easy person to fit, Richie altered my suits with great skill at a very modest price. I was sold on Richie, and subsequently brought him all my tailoring problems from zippers and buttons to rips and rents -- he can do expert reweaving or just great, neat patches, as directed -- and cuffs and shortening, etc. No problem was too difficult for Richie. He can shorten a drape, replace elastic cuffs, make a new self-belt for a raincoat, replace a worn lining, turn the collar on a favorite shirt, shorten a sleeve at the cuff (by building a new cuff!) and make a shirt I could only find in extra-large into a perfect medium.

It would be more than enough if Richie were simply the best alteration tailor around. But it would be selling this fine craftsman short. Richie can also make you a new skirt, shirt, suit or dress to his design and with his materials, or using materials and patterns supplied by you. He guarantees your satisfaction, works quickly, and -- this bears repeating -- does it all at very modest cost.

Now that you know about Richie, you'll understand how I felt when I found out a few months ago that the dry cleaning establishment he worked for went out of business. And you can imagine, too, my great joy and pleasure to find recently that Richie is back on the same old block and now is in business for himself as a dry cleaners and tailor combined.

Click map for blowup and driving directions.

Since this page went online, folks from around the globe have contacted Richie. For example, Maurice Rowlandson of Great Britain, sent Richie a favorite shirt for repair. more...

Now that Richie has his own place, he also does superb, careful and fairly priced dry cleaning. Just moved to Inwood, Washington Heights or the Cloisters in Manhattan, or to Marble Hill, Riverdale, Kingsbridge or Fordham in the Bronx? Let Richie adjust and clean your old window treatments, or make you a whole new set of drapes. Getting married or meeting the mayor? Rent a tuxedo from Richie: he'll make you look like a million.  Naturally, Richie does all the run of the mill dry cleaning -- shirts, pants, trousers, jeans, sport coats, rain coats with repellant, neckties, sweaters, blouses, skirts, etc. -- but you can also trust Richie to clean and alter your wedding or engagement gown, your tuxedo, your best suede vest, and your leather garments too. Whether you need a spot removed from a special necktie, or a whole new outfit for the holidays, call on Richie for old-world craftsmanship and service. Let the secret out!

P.S.  If you already know and like Richie, don't be shy, tell a friend!

While Richie's customer care makes his business grow, another business closes for lack of care.