After a fire, Bruce Julian is back in business

Now that the smoke has cleared, so to speak, men's clothier Bruce Julian has reopened - and is celebrating with a grand opening party from 6 to 9 p.m. today. 

The Arboretum store suffered extensive smoke damage and was forced to close after a Dec. 19 fire that destroyed Avanti, the Italian restaurant next door. At the time, the restaurant said it also planned to reopen eventually, but its current status was unclear today, as its phone is disconnected and its Web site was not working.

Julian, meanwhile, has spent the months since the fire refurbishing and restocking his business, which sells fine men's clothes, accessories and offers custom-made items, too. The fire doesn't seem to have dented Julian's characteristic ebullience, either, at least if this quote from a news release is any indication: "I've always known the fashion at my Arboretum store was hot," he said, "but last December's fire was too much." Cue rim shot!

The store, which has local roots stretching back decades, reopened April 1, with fashions "selected personally in Manhattan by Julian and sales manager Ace Whiteheart," the release says. Tonight's festivities, it notes, "will include food from Ilios Noche, adult beverages and enticing prices on attractive clothes." Details: www.brucejulian.com