Wilkes Bashford

Palo Alto, United States

2.9

Closed now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 650-322-7080
Website:
www.wilkesbashford.com
Address:
450 Stanford Shopping Ctr, Palo Alto, CA, 94309
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.5 miPalo Alto
0.5 miPalo Alto Transit Center
0.8 miMarguerite - Y Route To Tresidder Union Arrillaga Alumni Center
Categories:
QR code
Download QR Image Download vCard

Map

Streetview

Activate map

Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Parking
Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Dogs Allowed
Yes

Today

Today 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (Palo Alto) 1:35 AM Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Business hours

Monday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Tuesday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Wednesday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Thursday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Friday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Shop over 300 brands in-​store or online 24÷7÷365! | Free Shipping

Wilkes Bashford is a men’s and women’s luxury retail store in Palo Alto, California. A family owned company, internationally renowned for exceptional customer service, exquisite designer clothing, jewelry and accessories, and multi-​generational relationships with designers and customers alike.

To name a few of the brands we carry… Akris, Brioni, Brunello Cucinelli, Canali, Celine, Eton, Gucci, Hermes, Loro Piana, Michael Kors, Polo, Prada, Sylva & Cie, Temple St. Clair, The Row, Tod’s, Valentino, Vince, Zegna and many more!

History

Established in 1966.

Wilkes Bashford was founded in 1966 by the fashion icon of the same name. Renowned for fabulous special upscale merchandise with personalized customer service and an impeccable eye, Wilkes Bashford has defined Bay Area style for close to 50 years. In 2001, Wilkes opened a store in Palo Alto to cater to the Silicon Valley crowd.

Wilkes was the first retailer to bring many top designers from Italy including Giorgio Armani into the United States; he set the stage for men’s fashion in Northern California and is part of San Francisco’s «local fabric.»

In December 2009, Wilkes Bashford became part of Mitchell Stores, owned by a family he has known for over 25 years through industry events and European buying trips. The Mitchells family and Wilkes share a like aesthetic and commitment to community and customer service.

In November 2012, Wilkes Bashford and the Mitchell family unveiled the full renovations of the Palo Alto store.

Meet the Business Owner

The Mitchell Family -.

Business Owner

Our parents/​grandparents, Ed and Norma Mitchell, founded the company in 1958 with three men’s suits, a coffee pot and a dream…

The heart of their extraordinary vision was to «hug» the customer… to enhance and add value to the retail experience by offering unsurpassed service, a uniquely warm environment, to give back to their communities and to build trusting relationships with customers and friends that would last throughout generations.

Mitchells is still independent, family-​owned and operated by a second and third generation of Mitchells, and has grown over the years to offer eight locations across four brands.

Additionally, in October 2014, we launched our long-​awaited e-​commerce site. It is designed to be a true extension of our store, offering proprietary, never-​before-​seen customer service features.

We look forward to serving our beloved communities (in person and online) for many generations to come!

Wilkes Bashford also recommends

Richards

3

reviews

Men’s Clothing

,

Women’s Clothing

,

Accessories

The Mitchell Family -. says,

«A men’s and women’s specialty store; world renowned for exceptional customer service, exquisite designer clothing, jewelry and accessories.»

Mitchells

12

reviews

Women’s Clothing

,

Accessories

,

Men’s Clothing

The Mitchell Family -. says,

«A men’s and women’s specialty store; world renowned for exceptional customer service, exquisite designer clothing, jewelry and accessories.»

Mitchells

6

reviews

Men’s Clothing

,

Women’s Clothing

The Mitchell Family -. says,

«A men’s and women’s specialty store; world renowned for exceptional customer service, exquisite designer clothing, jewelry and accessories.»

Mario’s

35

reviews

Men’s Clothing

,

Women’s Clothing

The Mitchell Family -. says,

«A men’s and women’s specialty store; world renowned for exceptional customer service, exquisite designer clothing, and accessories.»

Wilkes Bashford

57

reviews

Men’s Clothing

,

Women’s Clothing

,

Accessories

The Mitchell Family -. says,

«A men’s and women’s specialty store; world renowned for exceptional customer service, exquisite designer clothing, jewelry and accessories.»

Related places

You might also consider:
390
ft
Brooks Brothers
383 Stanford Shopping Center
390
ft
Gap
Stanford Shopping Center 165 Stanford Shopping Ctr
390
ft
Armani Exchange
353 Stanford Shoppng Ctr
480
ft
J.Crew
317 Stanford Shopping Center
560
ft
Nordstrom
550 Stanford Shopping Center
620
ft
Boss Hugo Boss
155 Stanford Shopping Center

Vicinity

Browse nearby places:
230
ft
Bobbi Brown Cosmetics
400 Stanford Shopping Center
300
ft
Sprinkles Cupcakes
393 Stanford Shopping Ctr
320
ft
Neiman Marcus
400 Stanford Shopping Ctr
320
ft
NM Cafe
Neiman Marcus 400 Stanford Shopping Center
390
ft
Tiffany & Co
149 Stanford Shoppng Ctr
390
ft
Sephora
355 Stanford Shoppng Ctr

20 reviews of Wilkes Bashford

No registration required
Place rating: 1
Los Angeles, CA
I would give this store a minus star if you had one. I have never been so badly treated by a store clerk. I went in with a very large amount of money to spend on my Aunt’s burial attire, this was a woman who spent most of her time in couturier so money was no object. I had just come from her bedside at Hospice and I was not dressed up or prepared to shop but she was dying and time was of the essence. I walked in the shop with my sister and my wife, I was given the stink eye by a clerk who then said he would be right with us and promptly walked away. Then as I looked through the rather limited inventory, this clerk would waft by with veiled insults, «I love your cargo shorts» and «please come back again with those 3 great tops you are wearing». This store needs to get a clue you don’t insult people and walk away from them and then expect to get their business. People with money don’t have to dress up to impress anyone. I took my business somewhere else. Good luck with your snarky clerks,
Place rating: 5
Jean, NV
This place is awesome. Bought a very nice gift for my wife and received awesome help from the sales clerk.
Place rating: 4
Oakland, CA
I’m always down for quality service. I never paid attention to service as much until I opened my own business (Feelmore Adult Gallery/​Oakland). Even though the ncaa football games were playing that day should be no reason I cannot get the much talked about WB service… especially when I’ve read the books the owner has written on the service.
I purchased pants a few months before and since I’ve lost weight. Called up the company and said as long as their is a profile on file, I can return/​exchange without issue. Grateful for the option. I’ll go back.
Place rating: 1
Menlo Park, CA
Ordered shoes (two pair) in November. Custom so they were going to take 3 – 4 mo. I was willing to wait. I never hear from store again. I call up 5 months later to find they missed the order window and now it would take 5 more months! 9 — 10 months to get a pair of shoes? Oh, and they lost the order for one of the two pair. Terrible service. Shop elsewhere.
Place rating: 5
Woodside, CA
A curated shopping experience for extraordinary pieces. Everything Wilkes carries is of the highest quality, and the fabrics, styles, and designers are beautiful, interesting, and remarkable.
Personalized and friendly service by extremely professional staff
Place rating: 5
Redwood City, CA
I walked in here and immediately felt welcome and content. Outstanding service, friendly staff, high quality garments. They even took the time to show me how to thread my antique sewing machine. Many thanks for the great service.
Place rating: 1
Palo Alto, CA
Middle Eastern lady has worst service orientation of any in-​store Associate at any store. How ironic that they wrote a book on customer service! Hilarious
Place rating: 4
Garden Grove, CA
It’s almost upsetting to see so many bad reviews for a business that I not only frequent, but admire. I love the staff at this particular WB, they’ve never been rude to me and have only been helpful, even when I’m just wearing jeans and a wrinkled button-​up from J. Crew. I don’t come often, but when I’m in the area, I make it a point to come to Wilkes to see what they’ve got in stock. The buyers generally choose things you won’t find at Neimans or Saks and while they’ve got a more conservative slant than Bloomingdale’s or even Nordstrom, the quality is top notch. I know that if I brand I’ve never heard of is hanging at WB, it’s good and it’ll last.
I still wear the pieces that I’ve picked up here, years and years after I bought them, which is a testament to the store’s style and their classic, non-​trendy buying. In regards to the staff and sales people, they’ve always helped me find what I’m looking for (even if I’m looking through the sale rack) and have always gone out of their way to make sure I leave happy.
Place rating: 1
Sunnyvale, CA
Some years ago, I went to this Wilkes Bashford looking for the Borrelli Royal Collection shirts. I found the service to be terrible. The sales woman was on her cell phone the entire time and followed me around as if I was going to steal something (never asking once if she could help me). I almost offered her my business card and credit card just so she would stop watching over my shoulder.
If you want to pay top dollar and get treated like a thief, then by all means go to this particular Wilkes Bashford. Otherwise, I’d avoid this place like Ross Dress for Less.
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
They offered me complimentary wine while my fiancée was shopping. That in and of itself earns five stars in my book!
Place rating: 1
Saratoga, CA
wtf happened to this WB? It used to be a place to find the nicer clothes, assuming you wanted to spend top dollar on stuff like this. But we were in there yesterday, and the place was a mess. Clothes fallen from hangars just sitting on the floor, womens shoes tried on and left all over the floor. Selection was crap really. Atmosphere was flat, traffic inside zero, and finally the sales lady rude and uninterested. High end retail in the whole Stanford mall is looking down in the mouth, WB is not the only one suffering from cancer of the economy.
Place rating: 1
Mountain View, CA
The brutal truth about this place is that it’s a playground for burning up cash by the ultra-​wealthy. I’m not even certain that there are enough people in the area who can actually afford this place, but I suppose if you’ve got that much cash to burn you could care less what a dress might cost.
I came here with a woman I knew many years ago. She had to pick up a skirt that she bought from here that had finished being tailored. It had a vague resemblance to tie-​dye shirts of the 80s, although it’s more likely that I just don’t have a clue about high-​end women’s fashion. I must be more of a brute that I thought I was. We were there looking at other clothing they had while they brought up the skirt.
What blew it for me wasn’t the sheer inflated prices for skimpy garments (which alone might send me looney if people in my household came home with a $ 3000 skirt that was made in Asia), but the pompous and rude attitude that came from all of the staff. They must have a «you weren’t born with a silver spoon» detection device behind their counter, because I don’t think I have ever seen the pretention as thick as this before.
A little voice inside my head wanted to shout at them «You’re just a retail schlub who likely can’t afford to buy what you’re selling so cut it out with your pretentiousness. You don’t know me.» but I totally refrained because that’s not really my style. Who am I to judge in return. But trust me, you’ll want to shout the same thing.
If I am going to pay top dollar for something, I certainly expect the best service. I’d never recommend this place to anyone I know.
Place rating: 4
South Bay, CA
looking for a new suit for a wedding is a daunting task when shopping is not your forte. Sitting off in a quiet area of it’s own is Wilkes Bashford. An oasis to people who enjoy the finer things essentially. I’ve learned way too much about men’s suits in the last month and I can say the Zegna, Brioni, and Kiton that they carry here is on the upper echelon of what one can pay for a suit. Certainly very nice to wear but not nice on the bank account. Of course as I was done trying on various things, someone calls my name. Who the hell would know me or even know that Im here? turns out it’s my old boss and his wife. He who used to like next to Charles Schwab (yes that trading dude) in a phat pad with 6 cars where they should have shot a rap video/​MTV cribs. He’s more of a person that can afford to regularly shop here. Anyways, the service was very nice and didn’t judge the fact that I dress like a total bum :)
Place rating: 3
San Francisco, CA
Bought by an East Coast company.
Different. More… corporate. They also created a play space for children that includes «chalk» so check your garment carefully… if you plan to purchase.
Place rating: 3
New York, NY
Very helpful service and I love the pants here even if it is a silly to pay this much for pants, especially if the tailoring isn’t included.
Place rating: 2
Menlo Park, CA
Here’s a review of mine that Unilocal keeps filtering. i’m not sure what their filtering policy is but his is a real review from someone who’s shopped many times as wilkes bashford.
This place was recently acquired by another company. That company seemed to go to a lot of expense to advertise since I received a large catalog in the mail talking about the company and describing all the employees. Yet when I walked in, the service was no better than what I’d have gotten at Macy’s. Except at Macy’s the bad service wouldn’t have come with a lot of attitude.
I walked in today looking for a pair of pants. I asked someone if he could help me. He said he could show me where the pants were but there wasn’t anyone available to help. He pointed me to an aisle with pants and left. No smile, no apology, no saying that he’d be back as soon as he could. From my perspective, I’m in an extremely expensive store getting no help whatsoever (since I know what pants look like and could have found them in this somewhat small store). Also either the aisle I was shown wasn’t everything or this store has very little merchandise.
I’ve shopped many time at wilkes bashford in the last few years. The help always had attitude but at least there was good selection and enough people to help. Now, there’s practically no selection and a handful of useless people who for some reason have convinced themselves they have a right to behave as if they’re superior. I probably won’t go back but I’d say the company should save their advertising expense since it might be better to use the money to stay in business a little longer. A luxury store with no service isn’t going to last very long, so it might as well keep as much in reserve as possible.
Place rating: 2
Castro Valley, CA
This place is pretentious, I went in looking to try on an Oxxford brand suit. Its tough to find stuff here because of the way the store is laid out. It isn’t by size or any recognizable brand. Instead all the different brands and sizes are scattered all over the store.
When I asked about Oxxford I was met with a snicker by the female sales person. She said we do not carry that brand because its not that great. (only ranked best of the best by a bunch of different magazines) and that if I want a really great suit I should go for Belvest. I asked what makes it better and her response was «it just is».
I really wanted to try on an Oxxford so I told her I was not interested in the Belvest at which point she personally attacks me by saying that If I knew anything about suits I would stay away from Oxxford.
The store is very nice, the selection is really big but I wish they would hire better, less snooty sales staff.
Place rating: 2
Atherton, CA
Dropped in here tonight to find a tie for a wedding saturday… a buddy of mine swears by this place.
Seriously… I thought that once they started saying Recession with a big R that meant it was serious!!! I guess no one mentioned that to these guys! Damn were they expensive… let me say that one more time… Damn. For those of you counting, that’s a double damn. I know this keeps coming up, but I might be a tiny bit cheap. I admit it. But 250 dollars for a tie? What exactly does that tie do? I’m sure there’s some special quality thing going on… but it’s a tie. It’s a piece of cloth cut in a specific shape, and not a very complicated shape to say the least.
I don’t get it… I found things at bloomies that were way nicer for a tiny fraction of the price. Then again, I keep forgetting that around here people have way too much money, in which case wilkes bashford is the spot.
Maybe I’m a little bitter because the guy working there was a bit arrogant… come on now…
Place rating: 3
San Francisco, CA
I approach shopping like a tactical operation. I know what I need to buy, I do some recon, figure out what stores are most likely to carry what I need, deploy and get the heck out. All of this can be done in under an hours time.
My jeans rations were at a critical low. I must be the only girl on this planet with three pairs of jeans. Now, jeans today cost a lot of money. I’m not talking about Gap jeans that gap at my waist if I could get them over my thighs and booty. I’m talking about Earnest Sewn and the ilk. Damned if the spendy ones don’t fit better!
Being unable to discover WMDs at Nordstrom, I had to move onto another strike zone. Wilkes doesn’t carry jeans; why bother? What they heck, I’ll go rogue and check out what is going on with the big recession white flag — the sale sign.
I hit the mother load. James, Earnest Sewn, Habitual jeans for 50% off in a whole bunch of colors, cuts and sizes.
Mission accomplished just in time to watch the Superbowl. Ahhhhhh…
Place rating: 4
Redwood City, CA
I’m writing to recommend Wilkes Bashford for two reasons:
1) they carry Penhaligon’s products.
Penhaligon is an old British perfume & fragrance company (you can read about ‘em on Wikipedia) that has some wonderful unique fragrances (men’s, women’s or unisex/​either). Wilkes Bashford is one of the few stores in the country that carries Penhaligon’s, and the only one in Northern California. So if you want a scent that’s different from the usual department store/​fashion magazine stuff — Penhaligon’s is worth trying. In addition to perfume/​cologne, they also make soaps, shampoos and other household scented goods.
2) the customer service reps here (on the few times I’ve been in the store) have been helpful and gracious.