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Four generations of the Van Boven family have outfitted Michigan's most discerning customers from the heart of historic Nickels Arcade.
"Provide discerning customers with the very best men's clothing, consultation, and service at a price commensurate with their value."— Pete Van Boven's Founding Vision, 1921
Pete Van Boven & the 1921 U of M Baseball Team
Born in 1896 in Grand Rapids to Dutch immigrant parents, Pete Van Boven's journey to Ann Arbor began with a hidden baseball glove and a love of the game that his family's strict Sunday observance couldn't contain.
At Michigan from 1917–21, Pete was a stellar shortstop who earned three varsity letters, won three conference championships, and captained the 1921 team. In his final at-bat in a Wolverine uniform, he hit a legendary walk-off home run to beat a visiting team from Japan — a moment that would echo through the decades.
He met Marian Kolb, the love of his life, while they were both shoveling snow on Washtenaw Avenue. They would be together for more than 60 years.
Three generations inside the Nickels Arcade shop
When Ty Cobb offered Pete a spot in professional baseball, the pull of Ann Arbor proved stronger. In the fall of 1921, Pete and two friends purchased a men's clothing store on South University, launching "Van Boven, Cress, and Thompson."
Pete soon became the sole owner, renamed the business Van Boven, Inc., and relocated to its present home in historic Nickels Arcade on State Street — directly across from the University of Michigan's central campus, where it has remained ever since.
During Prohibition, it wasn't uncommon for Van Boven's best customers to enjoy some of Al Capone's finest whiskey, delivered straight from Chicago to the basement of Nickels Arcade.
Through the Great Depression, WWII, the postwar years, and changing fashion trends, the Van Boven family guided the store with Pete's original vision. He remained active in the business on almost a daily basis until his passing in 1991.
In the decades that followed, Pete's son Peter Jr. and son-in-law James Orr expanded the store's casual offerings to meet evolving dress codes. Third-generation member Peter Orr, managers Gary Clark and Alex McEachern, and now a fourth generation continue stewarding Van Boven into its second century.
A century of milestones in Ann Arbor
Meet the people who carry on Pete's legacy every day
Learn More →Expert alterations and custom fitting for the perfect look
Learn More →Tuxedos and formal attire for life's most important occasions
Learn More →Make your wedding party look their absolute best
Learn More →We'd love to welcome you into the store. Stop by, say hello, and experience over a century of Michigan tradition firsthand.
Van Boven, Inc.
326 S. State Street · Nickels Arcade · Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Since 1921 — Proudly serving the University of Michigan community
