The Wall Street Journal: On a recent afternoon, customers at Lost Boys in Washington, D.C., sipped cold beers and watched "Casino Royale" on a giant flat-screen TV.
Lost Boys isn't a bar. It's a men's clothing boutique catering to young professionals. The store's staff offers shoppers free beer in hopes they'll enjoy hanging out in the store and shopping a little longer, increasing the odds they'll buy more.
By offering in-store drinks, a growing number of retailers are trying to get men to shop more like women, who often linger and browse, buy items on impulse, and return time and again to a favorite store. The recession is driving stores to search for anything that gives them even a small edge over rivals. And generally slower traffic gives sales staff more time to offer drinks and talk with shoppers.
