Coming soon to Dot: Chic men's clothing

Since owner Patrick Targete opened its doors in the summer of 2006, MOD Boston has given fashion-conscious Dorchester women a taste of Newbury Street right in the heart of their own neighborhood. Targete plans to launch the next phase of his business’ growth next week by opening a MOD boutique stocked with menswear. (Photo courtesy of MOD Boston)

Tierney McAfee

MOD Boston keeps abreast of the latest fashion trends, according to store manager Shantae Romain, stocking new merchandise each week from private labels based in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Atlanta, and working to offer shoppers one-of-a-kind finds. “We’ve always got something new coming in,” Romain said. (Photo courtesy of MOD Boston)

MOD Boston has all the trappings of a Newbury Street shop — upscale, designer garments and accessories in a chic, intimate showroom.

So what makes this boutique unique? Location, location, location: It’s smack-dab in the middle of downtown Dorchester.

“I’m from the area and I felt like somebody needed to change something around here, and I wanted to play my part,” said store owner Patrick Targete, a Mattapan native and real estate investor. “No one else around here is doing what I’m doing. But I’m here now and I’ll be here forever.”

And shoppers, both within the community and outside it, have taken notice.

“Customers from our neighborhood love us because it’s so much easier for them to come shop here than on Newbury Street,” said Targete, who is black. “Before people head downtown, they shop here first. When the weather is inconvenient, they shop here first.”

And it’s not just a neighborhood destination — MOD gets visitors from downtown Boston, Framingham, Quincy, New Bedford, Braintree, and even out-of-staters from Maine, New Hampshire and New York.

But Targete knew one group of MODsters was missing: men.

Until now, the store has catered exclusively to women, but dudes looking for MOD duds won’t have to wait much longer. The women’s store, which opened in the summer of 2006, will finally meet its mate when the men’s store opens next door on Jan. 15.

The shop will be stocked with contemporary, high-end, “slightly Euro” clothing and accessories for men. Most importantly, Targete added, it will be affordable.

“Men’s and women’s goes together like peanut butter and jelly, so it was only a matter of time,” Targete said. “I like to buy nice clothes and I have a lot of male friends who like to buy nice clothes, but it’s hard because not a lot of places in downtown Boston have affordable clothes.”

And that’s a niche that Targete thinks MOD can comfortably fill.

“The men’s store will allow my customers to express their style for a reasonable price,” Targete said. “I’m not concerned with high markups. MOD is all about branding and taking care of customers and providing a good vibe. The money will follow.”

In a time when many business owners are being forced to close up shop, it’s surprising to see someone setting one up. But as Targete sees it, an economic downturn can be a golden opportunity to reaffirm the loyalty of current customers while also bringing in new shoppers.

“The economy has got people feeling depressed, and when people are depressed they like to get dressed and go out,” Targete said. “They want to take their minds off things and cheer themselves up. So we are here for them as always, but at the same time, you have to change as a business and put a twist on it to keep their attention.