Thursday, March 27, 2025
Britches of Georgetowne co-founder Richard Hindin — known around Washington, D.C., for the iconic Georgetown clothing store as well as for Adworks, Chicken Out Rotisserie, Hinsilblon Laboratories and the causal Britches Great Outdoors — died March 23 at his Bethesda home at the age of 82.
A D.C. native, the alum of George Washington University and Coolidge High School was also involved in his community and helped to establish the Georgetown Business Association in 1976.
Britches was sold by its founders Hindin and David Pensky in 1983 to the CML Group, although the two ran the business until the late 1980s. When they left, Britches, including Britches Great Outdoors, numbered 100 stores. The company formally declared bankrupty in 2002.
For decades, it was the smart mark of the well-dressed man — the stylish retailers with a well-heeled attitude could get both father and son wearing their clothing, which included “Since 1967” on labels from the very start.
The first Britches was at 1245 Wisconsin Ave. NW, which is today, appropriately, the space occupied by Ralph Lauren. Its second store was at 1219 Connecticut Ave. NW, not far from Raleigh’s, Burberry’s and other men’s clothing stores, some still in business, others not, but all classic for their times.
Hindin revived the Britches brand a few years ago after buying back the trademark and hoped to bring his “heritage brand,” as he said, to a new generation.
Still. he also often said that he was most proud of another thing he helped to found in Georgetown. In the mid-70s, Hinden along with John Laytham (Clyde’s), Richard McCooey (1789, the Tombs), Jim Weaver (Weaver’s Hardware) and Paul Cohn (J. Paul’s, Old Glory, Paulo’s) started the Georgetown Business Association.
Bob Pincus, former vice chair of Eagle Bancorp, Inc., and Rick Hindin, co-founder of Britches of Georgetowne at a GBA reception in 2015. Photo by Robert Devaney.
Rick Hindin with David Roffman, former publisher-owner of The Georgetowner, at the 40th anniversary party of the Georgetown Business Association in 2016. Georgetowner photo.
Ray Kukulski, former president of the Citizens Association of Georgetown, with Rick Hindin at the 40th anniversary party of the Georgetown Business Association in 2016. Georgetowner photo.