Dive Brief:

• Brooks Brothers plans to open a steakhouse called "Makers and Merchants" at at 11 E. 44th St. in New York City near its flagship Madison Avenue store.
• The company expects to open the restaurant in summer 2014, though it has yet to select an operator or management company.
• The steakhouse will reportedly be viewed as a prototype for similar locations to come near Brooks Brothers' other stores, which number almost 300 internationally.

Dive Insight:

Brooks Brothers just opened up a new flagship store in San Francisco, and it named Vivien Kronengold as its top marketing executive in August. In the competitive world of men's suits, even giants such as Brooks Brothers are looking for ways to emphasize off-line brand experiences that online retailers lack. This steakhouse move sounds like a bid to do just that.