Hamilton & Adams: Upstate And Chill

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May 13, 2024

In spring 2017, a fresh new brand made its debut on John Street in Kingston: Hamilton & Adams, a men’s emporium offering top-notch clothing and gear, the creation of Clark Hamilton Chaine and Andrew Adam Addotta, whose middle names just happen to evoke a whiff of the Revolution that happened here so long ago.

“If I’d stood here in 2017 when we opened and said, ‘This is what I want to do,’ I don't know if we ever would have been able to accomplish that,” says Addotta. “It's all happened organically and, I think, just the way it was supposed to.”

The store weathered the pandemic in style with a major website expansion and has now shipped to every state in the union. “So ‘Upstate & Chill’ has really gotten out into the world,” says Addotta, sounding pleased and a bit amazed. “So many people have made this place a part of their story, and it’s really neat and sweet to be part of that connection when they’re looking for a gift or a piece of memory lane for themselves. And it totally works as a way to balance out the highs and lows of a bricks-and-mortar store.”

‘Upstate & Chill’ has really gotten out into the world. So many people have made this place a part of their story, and it’s really neat and sweet to be part of that connection when they’re looking for a gift or a piece of memory lane for themselves. – Andrew Adam Addotta

The 500-square-foot Atrium holds women’s wear with the same kind of classic clean lines and versatility that have made the shop a destination for men.

As the brick-and-mortar world bloomed back to life, Chaine and Addotta carved out a larger piece of it, starting with the 500-square-foot Atrium, which holds women’s wear from brands like Alex Mill and Karen Kane with the same kind of classic clean lines and versatility that have made the shop a destination for men: clothes you can wear everywhere.

“People wanted women's wear from us, and it just wasn’t going to fit in the original space,” says Addotta. “So when we got the opportunity to add additional storefronts and combine them, we grabbed it, and we’ve gotten a nice reception. I feel like we’ve carved out a niche as a place where a woman can find casual clothes that look and feel wonderful—from a great pair of jeans onward.”

In 2021, when the realtor on the corner sold his business, the third piece of the puzzle fell into place. It’s now the Lodge, home to all the home goods, personal care products, and “Upstate & Chill” merch. “That was a shower idea, actually,” says Addotta of the slogan, “back when we were first thinking up T-shirt graphics. It really encompasses what visitors find here: you can enjoy great art, great food, great nature, all of it among great people, and just show up as yourself. That acceptance, that’s the essence of chill, and it’s also the essence of upstate.”

This past spring, H&A expanded the Upstate & Chill line with new sunwashed graphic tees, hoodies and sweatshirts for spring and summer, all 100% American cotton, printed in Kingston using environmentally friendly water-based ink. They’re playing to their strengths: flannels, sweaters, and woven goods that will last and look great for years and years. “We're continuing to edit and refine what we have,” says Addotta. “I really want to focus on our assortment, balancing the needs of our local and digital customers—finding great brands that people maybe haven't heard of or haven't been able to try on in person, matching people to products that they've not seen before. We definitely have better success with things that are unique, not basic or common.”

Possibly it’s that flair for the unique that’s made Hamilton & Adams such a neat fit for the Stockade District, a place for the singular to thrive: This is where a woman born a slave won her court case in 1828, and where an annual festival lets performers and artists swap work for medical care. Addotta told us in 2008 that he felt right at home here as soon as he arrived, and he relishes watching the place change, grow, and diversify.

“I think the neighborhood is much more vibrant than it was when we opened,” he says. “Some of the places that closed left big holes, but overall, there are more businesses to support the people that are living or visiting here.

The restaurant scene has expanded—more places to go and break bread together is always good. And it feels much more like a community than it did. For a whole bunch of reasons, this area just seems to attract like-minded people, each one of them completely different, so many of them absolutely wonderful.”

hamilton and adams
32 John Street, Kingston
845-383-1039
hamiltonandadams.com