Where do you go for men’s clothing in Bozeman? For a town that’s growing as quickly as ours, that question used to be surprisingly hard to answer. Especially if you rolled in for a fancy wedding and forgot your shoes, vest, or heaven forbid, the whole suit—what’s a gent to do? No longer does Bozeman have the Hartman Mockel menswear, Corral West Ranchwear, or Chambers-Fisher Company options of yore, those local destinations for getting a casual pair of jeans or finding dad that tie for Father’s Day. Fortunately, there’s a new sartorial sheriff in town.
Meridian Men is an elevated men’s clothing store at 107 East Main in downtown Bozeman, opened in July 2023 by husband-wife owners, Josh Bowden and Haley Connolly. The couple, who own Meridian Boutique, a sophisticated women’s clothing store just a few doors down, decided to open a men’s clothing store after years of planning and customer requests. Meridian Men offers distinctive men's collections, including everyday essentials like hoodies and tees, statement pieces and suiting, footwear, accessories, a small apothecary, and personal styling. With new arrivals every week, each piece is personally hand-selected by Connolly and Bowden, inspired by a desire to provide unique fashions for men with a modern yet Montana feel.
The selection of clothing found in Meridian Men truly is one of a kind. Even large department stores in cities may not carry some of the lesser-known and contemporary brands found here. “It’s all ready to wear,” explains Bowden. “We carry brands that are tried and true, like Rag and Bone and Double RL, a couple of our best. We have some newer lines, like Descendant of Thieves and Kestin, that are more style-forward. We carry local designers like Beringia, and obscure Japanese denim like orSlow and Nanamica.” And for that guy whose suitcase got lost by the airline, or just wants a new dapper look, suiting is available at Meridian Men—separates can be tailored to one outfit.
Where the art-supply section of the former Phillip’s Bookstore once sat in the historic 1888 Nevitt building on Main Street, Meridian Men was most recently Silver Annie’s, a jewelry store owned by Phillip Arnold’s daughter, Jeannie. She decided to close her doors in 2022, after 30 years. “Jeannie and Silver Annie’s were such an important part of the fabric of downtown Bozeman,” says Connolly. “We wanted to keep her legacy going by having her jewelry in our men’s store.” To that end, Meridian Men carries many of her pieces, including turquoise, sterling silver rings, bolo ties, and necklaces. “Jeannie was here on our opening day; she’s been such a great support,” Bowden adds. “Carrying her jewelry is like having a little piece of her in here.”
Another thing in there is the cultivation of community. “When we were conceptualizing the space, we really wanted it to have a community element,” Connolly says. “We’ve had men’s groups meet here, we’ve had live music—we just did a great event with Beringia, where we played their promotional ski video on the wall, brought in sushi from Hooked, and created a totally different culture from some of the other events we’ve done.” Adds Bowden, “There are a lot of interesting locals that we want to showcase – we’re trying to invite that and be a community space.”
Even on a small scale, Meridian Men succeeds in providing this sense of community. It’s not uncommon for a father, for example, to come in for a certain piece, find it, and for his son to suddenly find something for himself, too. “There’s nothing more satisfying than a 70-year-old coming in and picking out a Billy Reid or polo Ralph Lauren shirt, telling us there’s finally a place for him to shop; that he’s seeing pieces for someone his age,” Connolly smiles. “That gets me really excited, for that guy to walk in and find something for himself.”
And the clothes at Meridian Men are indeed exciting; both Bowden and Connolly wear their inventory. “My wife can’t have all the fun,” jokes Bowden. “Men’s style is really intriguing right now – there’s a resurgence in men’s brands; there’s a lot of cross-over between men’s and women’s.” For anyone who likes to express themselves through fashion, both men and women, Meridian Men is a must.
I"t’s not uncommon for a father, for example, to come in for a certain piece, find it, and for his son to suddenly find something for himself, too."