There are two orders of business this spring:

1) Stop sneezing.
2) Get yourself something new to wear for the impending warmth.

We’ll let you know when we can help with the pollen, but in the meantime, here’s Avenue Jack, the kind of independent, casual men’s store that we don’t have enough of around here, now soft-open just below Dupont.

Look around: there’s a metal moose head on the wall and Shenandoah barn wood. (Or actually look around here in the slideshow.)

Then start perusing the unstuffy collection. There are shirts, shorts, tees, jeans and the occasional wild card—nothing bespoke, just some good, low-maintenance, summer-weekend stuff. For instance:

—Almost 20 different swim trunks from the likes of Ben Sherman and Lacoste.

—Carefully faded plaid cotton shirts from SoCal-based Faherty, for when the sun goes down and you’re still on the beach.

—Canvas sneakers from Penguin.

—Soaps scented with stuff like rum and leather.

—Locally crafted bottle openers made from old railroad spikes.

—Full-grain-leather belts with no holes, which you can size yourself.

This is easier than it sounds.