Raymond Mitchener wears sweatpants. This is hardly a huge scandal when it comes to most older gents. Except when it comes to the 66-year-old, perfectly coiffed Mitchener, the owner of Ruth Shaw—arguably the most luxurious women’s clothing boutique in Baltimore—it’s practically headline news. Though in fairness, the sweats are from Bergdorf Goodman.

And while Mitchener can sometimes be perceived as snobby or critical—conjure up that NYC salesperson at a chichi designer store to give you a sense of his reputation—the truth is more complicated.

“What many people don’t know is that I grew up in a trailer in the middle of a tobacco field in North Carolina,” says Mitchener. His father was stationed at Fort Bragg before Mitchener and his parents relocated to Wilmington, North Carolina. His childhood was far from fancy, but comfortable and filled with love. Even so, Mitchener learned that regardless of where you came from—at least in the South—“at the drop of the hat you’d get dressed to do anything,” including pumping gas or doing a grocery store run. “My mom always said you never know who you’re going to run into.” That attitude followed him to East Carolina University, where he studied theater, to New York, where he spent some time modeling, and finally to Baltimore, where he followed a boyfriend and ended up employed at Center Stage, back when it was on North Avenue.

Originally, he was working in the box office, but when it was discovered that he could sew, he was moved to the costume shop to make use of his talents with a needle and thread. (Mitchener was working there when arsonists set fire to the theater in January 1974 and the staff had to recreate all the costumes for the just-opened Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, which took up temporary residence at the College of Notre Dame.)

It was while working at Stewart’s Department Store that Mitchener began networking with the fashion heavies of Baltimore. Barbara McConaghy, fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue, cast him in her shows and became an important mentor. “Everything you learn from me you pass on to someone else,” she told him at the time.

After leaving Center Stage, Mitchener continued to learn about the local fashion scene. He also worked at Hutzler’s and for a time with McConaghy at Saks. There was a healthy rivalry among the businesses and lots of ladies who lunched and shopped. Now, says Mitchener, the pain palpable in his voice, “There’s no competitive shopping.” There’s us, he says, “and then there’s . . . them.” Them being all the other women’s clothing boutiques in Baltimore that sell clothes but not the bold European designers Ruth Shaw carries, and certainly no one he would view as direct competition. “I know it sounds like we’re snarky, but we’re not,” he says, shaking his head. “I think now our society has become so permissive you can do anything and wear anything you want anywhere.” For Mitchener, that is not a celebration, it’s a lament.

“What many people don’t know is that I grew up in a trailer in the middle of a tobacco field.”

The need for high-end clothing shops, believes Mitchener, has taken a hit. He thinks back to his mom dressing for errands, and now he looks around on an evening out and no one dresses up anymore. In Ruth Shaw (the person), to whom he was first introduced by McConaghy in 1977, he found a kindred spirit, another person who always believed you should dress your best. Mitchener and Shaw met for dinner and talked for hours. “We didn’t really talk about business. Just ideas about fashion and politics,” Mitchener recalls. Shaw made it clear she wanted to hire him away from Stewart’s. “And that was it.”

Shaw was equally smitten—and still is—with Mitchener. “At that time no one had ever hired a man to do that kind of work,” says Shaw, now 91. But Shaw was never one to follow protocol. “It was never a problem—the fact that I had a woman’s store and he was not a woman. All the ladies loved him. I just felt comfortable with Ray—and I was right about it.”

In the 42 years that he has worked at what has become a clothing institution, a reputation has formed around Mitchener, and not always a flattering one. His husband, Brian Comes, co-owner of Ruth Shaw and the money side of the business, finds it ridiculous. The people who only know Mitchener as this caricature of an unapproachable salesperson don’t know “what a really genuinely kind, generous, and forgiving person he is,” says Comes. “There’s this image that he’s a snoot. There’s an image that he’s intimidating. It couldn’t be any further from fact. He’ll do anything for anyone within his abilities.” On some level, explains Comes, Mitchener could not care less about fashion. His relationship to people through clothes is what matters.

It’s hard to picture Mitchener, who wore a Thom Brown damask jacket and shorts with Jimmy Choo shoes to his 2013 wedding and has a personal shopper at Bergdorf’s, not caring about his own fashion, but he admits that he dons a pair of sweats after work. “The moment I go home, that’s exactly what I put on,” Mitchener says. Comes laughs, “It’s always very easy at Christmas to buy for him, because it’s always time to replenish.” It’s almost as if, in the comfort of his own home, he’s able to shed the fashion guru costume, and all the responsibility and image that comes with it, and just be a relaxed version of himself in front of Comes.

This August marks 22 years of the two being together, six of those married. “The year 2013 was the first year we could actually legally get married,” says Mitchener. What they thought would be a handful of guests exceeded 45 and packed their Cross Keys home. The two fit together like pieces to a puzzle—not an obvious match at first—but perfect counterparts upon closer inspection, with Comes sometimes working the shop floor alongside Mitchener and always making sure he’s had lunch. And most amusingly, Comes, who is about the same size and stature as his husband, is the couple’s fit model when it comes to their own wardrobe. “He hates to try things on,” says Comes. “He makes me try them on.” Mitchener grins. “I’m a 5-year-old.” With the exception of pants, due to different inseams, they share everything—shoes, tops, jackets.

Despite his sometimes blasé attitude toward his own fashion, Mitchener understands that when a woman walks through the door of this shop she wants to experience a moment of bliss as she slips something over her head that is beautiful and transformative. “I had a girl one day say, ‘I can’t afford any of these prices. I just want to try on pretty clothes.’” So they put her in a dressing room and let her do just that. “There is such a thing as retail therapy,” he says. It’s almost as though he’s undergone that sensation so many times with his own clients, he gets little pleasure from it for himself.

“I think now our society has become so permissive you can do anything and wear anything.”

What does bring him pleasure is his clients, who have become his family. He has dressed generations and tells stories, but in a very “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” sort of way. He tells his staff it’s doctor-patient confidentiality, the curtain of the dressing room often acting as a confessional.

Even his customers—with their platinum credit cards and staff back at home—have their limits. Mitchener remembers one woman who paused in the middle of a transaction. “How much is that shirt?” she inquired. “$500? Take it off—even a train has got to stop once in a while.” He laughs.

What sets the Ruth Shaw shopper apart in a town like Baltimore, unlike, say, New York, is that those women who are dressed, like really dressed, are pretty rare. “It is easier to stand out here,” says Comes. “But that’s a blessing and a curse.” They almost get defeated, he says. It’s as if they have to apologize for caring about clothing. One client told him, “I just get so tired explaining why I look ‘nice.’ This is just how I look.”

Mitchener tells the story of taking a design rep out to dinner in Baltimore one night. They ordered wine and perused the menu, but she was unusually quiet. She finally said to him, “Ray, how do you stay in business? It’s Saturday night at 8 p.m. and people are in shorts and flip-flops. They look like they are going to wash my car.”

He sighs. As much as he’d like to, he can’t dress all of Baltimore. “Look,” he says, tapping the table. “I want to see people wear clothes that I want—not what they’re asking for,” he says, using leggings as an example. “Ruth used to say back in the day that if she had sold polyester pull-on pants she could have made a fortune. But she said, ‘I don’t want to see people wearing that.’” Shaw opened her store and filled it with what she wanted to wear. “Everyone finds their little niche. And whether that’s right or wrong, that’s just where you are,” she told him. He’s kept that general idea since he bought her out in 2008. Like a Chanel suit, the store has aged well, with a few adjustments. After more than four decades at The Village of Cross Keys shopping center, Mitchener moved the store to The Shops at Kenilworth for a fresh start in the fall of 2017.

Mitchener’s customers have followed. They tend to be smart, sophisticated, and loyal, with a heathy budget and an appreciation that fashion is art.

His customers tend to be smart, sophisticated, and loyal, with a healthy budget.

The move from Cross Keys has given the store a facelift and drawn in some new, younger customers. Tobi Thompson Chiampou is part of Mitchener’s plan to attract that next generation. Chiampou began working for Mitchener when he had just purchased the business from Shaw and she was earning her undergraduate degree. She started there part-time and is now the store manager and assistant buyer. Her effervescent personality is the perfect counter to Mitchener’s perceived character. “We always ying and yang with that a bit,” she says. She was involved in the creation of Cross Keys’ The Girl Next Door, a sister boutique that Mitchener had envisioned with curated brands that appealed to a younger client (her husband, Charlie Chiampou, of cW Design/Build, was even the lead designer). However, when the store moved to Kenilworth, The Girl Next Door closed. “Now I like to say that The Girl Next Door moved in,” says Chiampou. The Ruth Shaw shop at Kenilworth is more mindful of those younger patrons. “We’re trying our best to be more approachable,” she says. “Not everyone wants to spend $1,000 on a dress.” She knows someone walking in that door is also paying off student loans or private school tuition. “We all have to prioritize.” Mitchener sees Chiampou as the future of his shop—just like Shaw saw him. “It’s something that is exciting but intimidating,” says Chiampou. “His apprenticeship with Ruth was a long ride. And I definitely see us in the early stages.” She’s learning the business side of the shop, which is important, but she’s also enjoying the fun side of fashion. “I’m in a huge floral swing dress right now,” she says on the phone, “And a pair of dirty white Converse.”

That’s what Mitchener loves about fashion. “If you think you look good, you’re going to look good,” he believes. “We evolve constantly. I could talk about clothes forever. I seriously find it totally fascinating—why we wear what we do and how it changes our lives.” Even sweatpants.

By projecting movies on buildings or piers, Baltimore has developed a summer tradition of hosting movies in the fresh air. While the city continues to add to the history of free summer movies, there is a new celebration going on this season.

Eddie’s of Roland Park will show Wallace and Gromit and Jaws outside of its Charles Street and Roland Ave. locations to celebrate the store’s 75th anniversary. Founded in 1944 by the late Victor Cohen, the store has become beloved for its specialty food and locally inspired sandwiches. Still family owned, it is now led by second- and third-generation family members.

“Chances are, if you’re a fan of Eddie’s of Roland Park, you’re also a fan of food,” says marketing director Jared Earley. “So it’s not a far leap to assume we can all identify with the cheese-obsessed Wallace and Gromit, or the insatiable appetite of a monstrously ‘hangry’ fish.”

But that’s just one of many movie series gracing the walls and screens of Baltimore institutions this summer. Mark your calendar for these film fanatic events.

Eddie’s of Roland Park Celebrates 75 Years: Bring a chair or blanket and head to Eddie’s of Roland Park for a free neighborhood screening of films. At dusk, the independent grocer will encourage the community to join them in celebration of its 75th anniversary. Store hours will be extended and refreshments will be available for purchase inside. Free. July 17-18, July 24-25.

Mt. Vernon Movies: The picturesque Mount Vernon Place is the ideal backdrop to escape into cinema. First up is the wildly popular Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, followed next month by the Hitchcock classic Rear Window, and concluding with favorite fantasy film Labyrinth. As an added bonus, MVP will offer free popcorn. Free. June 27, July 26, August 22, 7:30-11 p.m.

Federal Hill Flicks: Visit The American Visionary Art Museum for Flicks from the Hill, which projects outdoor movies every Thursday night during July and August. The Hughes Family Outdoor Theater puts on a show with a 30-foot screen that you have to see from the massive hill to believe. Come early for free admission to the museum before the main feature at 9 p.m., which this year includes family favorites Coraline and Mrs. Doubtfire. Free. July-August, 9 p.m.

The Wine Bin Screenings: Wine Wednesdays have been moved to Saturdays. Join the Wine Bin for a sip and a flick June through September. Every Saturday, the outdoor movie series opens up parking 90 minutes before the show for drive-in style viewing. After that fills up, there is still plenty of room for to set up camping chairs and blankets. This summer is filled with a wide range of films including A Star Is Born and Beauty And The Beast. Free. June-September, 9 p.m.

Fells Point Films: Another year of films on the pier starts up on July 10 with a showing of a childhood classic—The Princess Bride. Bring your own chairs, wine, and food to turn this event into a romantic date or a night out with friends. Take part in this weekly, Wednesday event through August and enjoy other movies like Oceans 8 or Captain Marvel. Free. July 10-August 28, 8:30 p.m.

Lakefront Summer Shows: What better setting for an outdoor event than Columbia’s idyllic Lake Kittamaqundi. Check out a different movie every Monday and Friday this summer, including Disney’s Tangled and the Avengers blockbusters. Free. Through September 7, 8:30 p.m.

Bel Air Airings: Join The Bel Air Downtown Alliance for fun, film, and—now—food. For the first time, summer movie nights include Bel Air’s only food truck rally. Try some local fare from the trucks parked along Lee Street from 5-8 p.m. Six times a year, the community comes together to watch family-friendly movies like Incredibles 2 and Trolls under the stars. These movies are not only free, but also come with popcorn and face painting. Free. June-August, Sunset.

Moonlight Movie Series: Spend time with the whole family this summer in the parking lot of the Shops at Kenilworth. Every other Monday from June 24-August 19, enjoy a movie playing at sunset in the open air, including animated features like Minions, Zootopia, and Inside Out. Free. Sunset.

Merriweather Movie Nights: Normally, you would catch your favorite band at Merriweather Post Pavilion, but now you can enjoy the lawn throughout the summer with its movie nights in Columbia. After kicking off the series in May with a Sound of Music sing-a-long, the next showing is Smallfoot on July 7. The film will be screened on the lawn, so grab a blanket and friends to join the fun. In the event of rain, the movie will be screened inside the pavilion. $10. May 25, July 7, August 16, 5:30-8 p.m.

Pics in the Park: Join the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore for feature film night, on select Saturdays in June through August on the lawn in downtown’s Center Plaza. Movies begin at sunset, but exact start times will be posted on the event’s Facebook page on movie nights. The plaza is bike-, stroller-, and pet-friendly and movie-goers are encouraged to bring a picnic, lawn chairs, and blankets. Free. Times vary.

B. Willow to open in Canton
After two years of laying down roots on West 27th Streetin Remington, everyone’s favorite plant palace, B. Willow, is opening a second location in Canton. The two-story space just off O’Donnell Square will host their already excellent array plants and terrariums, as well as a selection of furniture and home goods from Cedar & Cotton, a local company specializing in new and vintage furnishings. We have a feeling that everything in this store will spark joy. Sorry Marie Kondo. 2822 O’Donnell St.

Radcliffe Jewelers thrives in new Kenilworth home.
This past September popular local jeweler Radcliffe made the move from Towson Town Center to The Shops at Kenilworth and has been received with open arms—and more parking spaces. After over 30 years in the mall, Radcliffe is happy to be in a new space that has a real community feel with other local retailers like Ruth Shaw, About Faces, and South Moon Under. Along with their new digs, this location offers styles from Rolex, David Yurman, and many more. Keep an eye out for upcoming trunk shows and their big annual sale in April. 800 Kenilworth Dr., Towson, 410-321-6590

Poppy and Stella to open in Old Ellicott City
Fells Point favorite Poppy and Stella announced they will be opening a location in Old Ellicott City this April. The store, which was once home to toy store All Time Toys, will feature a similar assortment of shoes, apparel, accessories, and gift items from brands like Sam Edelman, Knot Sisters, and Dolce Vita to name a few. Follow along on social media for more details on the new store and an opening date. 8185 Main St., Ellicott City

Cohen’s Clothier closes after 115 years in business
It’s the end of an era for preppy style institution Cohen’s Clothier. After 115 years in business, the shop announced via Facebook earlier this month that it would be closing its doors for good. Originally located on South Broadway in Fells Point, Cohen’s was first opened in 1904 by Max Cohen and has stayed in the family as it evolved, expanded, and relocated to its Cockeysville location. In a message to his customers, owner Gilbert Cohen explained that their current lease was up and that the time had come for him to retire. “Goodbyes are never easy,” states Cohen. “But the satisfaction of filling a need in our community for so many years will remain.” 64 Cranbrook Rd. 410-666-8020

If the big Trader Joe’s move of 2017 didn’t bring you into the newly renovated Shops at Kenilworth, then ZenLife should. This yoga studio, boutique, and juice bar (hello, convenience) offers everything to get your mind and body right. Along with an extensive retail selection, they also offer acupuncture, massage, holistic health counseling, and a relaxing meditation room. We talked to owner Dena Leibowitz about ZenLife and what yoga means to her.

What is the mission of ZenLife?
To provide the community with a place where they can practice yoga and learn the tools for healthy living. We provide a delicious juice bar and we host workshops on everything from reducing stress to healthy eating. It’s really just a fun place where we can all practice, learn, and study together to grow and advance our lives. 

How long have you been teaching yoga?
I’ve been teaching formally now for five years, but I’ve been learning and studying for 20 years. I started teaching because a group of friends invited me to study with them and their professor. I don’t really think of myself as a fitness instructor though. I think of myself as a student and a spiritual junkie. I see myself as someone who is still studying, learning, and growing with people everyday. 

How would you describe one of your classes?

The classes that I teach here are Vinyasa style, meaning the practice is breath driven and heart lead. Which means we promote moving from a place where you’re a little bit more compassionate in your thoughts and you’re aware of the sensations that come up in your body and how you respond to them.

What is your favorite yoga pose?

My favorite pose is triangle. I always say if I got nothing done today, I got triangle done. Triangle pose represents the capacity of doing things mindfully and lovingly and it reminds me we’re all doing great things. 

What are some tips for people just starting their fitness journey?

I was just thinking about how I was struggling to the mat myself last week and I own a yoga studio! You are not a flawed person if you struggle getting to the gym or to your yoga mat. Just knowing that, relieves a lot of pressure. But I think creating a daily routine and having your mat readily available helps. The other thing I suggest is working out with a friend. That kind of motivation is super helpful.

How has yoga affected your life?

Yoga is an opportunity to just let go and feel liberated. I can get to my mat and just be me and not have to care about what’s going on around me. It has allowed me to learn more about myself, overcome obstacles that limit me, and helped me get out of my own way. 

Believe it or not, it’s been 25 years since local fashion favorite South Moon Under opened its doors at Kenilworth Mall in 1992. The third-ever retail store for company, South Moon Under has come a long way from its roots of slinging surf boards and swim essentials in Ocean City to becoming one of the area’s leading retailers for the sartorial minded. 

Over nearly half-a-century of business (yes—the company will turn 50 next spring), there have been many changes, most recently when founder Frank Gunion retired last year. Gunion brought in married couple Michael Smith, who now serves as the CEO, and Patricia Darrow Smith, the chief creative officer. The Smiths are not new to retail scene, as Patricia founded White House Black Market and the pair oversaw its expansion before selling the company to Chico’s in 2003. 

“When this opportunity came up, it was exciting to us because we saw the strength of South Moon Under,” Michael says. “We saw the loyal customer base, and we saw the way the brand really wrapped themselves around their customers and we’d like to try to bring that to a larger audience around the country.”

The company hopes to expand even more in the coming years with leases signed in Raleigh, North Carolina; Birmingham, Alabama; and in the holy grail of local storefronts—Georgetown in Washington, D.C. But that doesn’t mean current stores will be overshadowed, as South Moon Under has always paid homage to its roots. As the largest store in the SMU portfolio, the Towson location has been around long enough to build customer relationships that span generations.

“The customers in the Towson area have really grown up with us,” Michael says.” You have mothers and daughters shopping together and the mothers used to be in the daughters position 25 years ago. It’s really cool to see.”

To celebrate the milestone, the Shops at Kenilworth location will be having special events all weekend long, November 3-5, with special sales, giveaways, the chance to shop with Patricia Darrow Smith, and mimosas and massages on Sunday. 

“Selling surf boards and swimwear has evolved into a fashion brand,” Michael says. “It’s a much different business than it was 50 years ago and we’re a much different business than we were 10 years ago. We’re evolving and growing.”

After almost 45 years of serving the Baltimore community with the latest designer fashion, iconic women’s boutique Ruth Shaw will be saying goodbye to The Village of Cross Keys.

But not to fret—customers can still count on Ruth Shaw to supply the latest styles to hit the runway in their new space opening in The Shops at Kenilworth at the beginning of September. The shopping center, which is already home to several establishments like South Moon Under, Stebbins Anderson, About Faces Day Spa & Salon (and most recently a brand new Trader Joe’s), is currently undergoing a $20-million dollar expansion.

“It’s time for a facelift,” says Ray Mitchener, co-owner of Ruth Shaw. “I think it’s really important to be in an area where there is a lot of service and stores that compliment each other. You can now get your hair done, nails done, pick up something at Trader Joe’s, grab a bottle of wine, and still shop in the same place.”

That doesn’t mean Mitchener and his team won’t miss their original Cross Keys store. “I did a lot of my growing up here,” he says.”I came to work for Ruth in 1977 after I left Stewart’s department store and it’s such a beautiful space.” Mitchener eventually bought the store from Shaw and maintained the well-known reputation of bringing high fashion and quality customer service to its customers. 

In 2014, the team launched sister store The Girl Next Door after a successful holiday pop-up shop. The store, which carried more of the youthful, contemporary lines, will still have a presence in the Kenilworth store but won’t be its own separate entity. “We will be introducing some new designers in the store this fall that are less expensive,” says Mitchener. “We are hoping to captivate a new customer from the Towson area including some of the students at Towson University.”

The new 3,100-square-foot space is being designed by Jay Jenkins of Jenkins Baer, who was a perfect fit for Ruth Shaw’s aesthetic. “He just gets us,” says Mitchener. “He understands our look and the store is going to be beautiful. It’s going to be very modern, open, and airy.” The team at Ruth Shaw is excited to provide more of an experience for customers—offering glasses of wine, cappuccino, and espresso while they shop. 

“It will just be great to meet new people,” he says. “I always tell people we are captive here from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., whether we want to be or not, so you guys are our entertainment.”