1739 N. Damen, (773)276-6266, 1482 Berwyn, (773)561-7410,  tshirtdeli.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: American Apparel t-shirts for women, men, children, babies and even dogs. Designers: You! Pick decals and letters from a pile of albums and put your own spin on a wardrobe basic. Owner: Ninel Pompushko, a former copywriter for beer companies. Vibe: Gleaming white deli counters, red t-shirts strung up to look like salami and butcher-paper packaging bring the t-shirt store’s theme to life (sometimes too vividly, in the experience of passersby who stop in to grab a sandwich). Price Range: Generally moderate, but higher prices reflect more lettering and decals. Shopper’s Perk: Each purchase comes with a bag of chips.

Andersonville Store

The T-Shirt Deli

Bucktown Store

The T-Shirt Deli

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2008

5239 N. Clark St., (773)878-0097, turleyroad.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Women’s clothing, shoes and accessories. Designers: Studio 90, Neesh, Cynthia Ashby; shoes by Giraudon, Remix and CYDWOQ. Owners: When her co-founder of the 18-year-old Studio 90 boutique retired, Angela Turley revamped by taking on a new name, a new vibe and a new business partner—her daughter, Kate. Vibe: The family connection provides a certain warmth, and the shopping experience is welcoming for women of all ages. Price Range: Inexpensive-Moderate. The Look: Vintage-inspired jackets, blouses, sweaters and pants. Clothes that have a timeless, classic feel but stand out for being original and a level above the pack. Shopper’s Perks: It’s easy to support local design at Turley Road—many of the designers they stock are based in Chicago. Email newsletters often provide fashion and political commentary and also offer discounts.

Turley Road

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2008

5216 N. Clark, (773)989-4420 (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Clothing and accessories for women. Designers: Hot Kiss, Soda Blue, Tulle and Chinese Laundry. Owner: Presence was started in 1969 by “two hippy women who opened a shop in their living room on Broadway.” Today, Joanna Miner (daughter of one of the founders) owns the boutique. Vibe: Pop tunes surge through an open-but-packed boutique. Carefully-put-together ensembles are propped up on the wall to give shoppers what-to-pair-with-what inspiration. Price Range: Inexpensive-Moderate. The Look: Fun, girly and trend-driven. Shopper’s Perks: At Presence, “It’s very easy to buy an entire outfit—jewelry included—for under $120 dollars,” says Joanna Miner.

Presence

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2008

1513 W. Foster, (773)878-4447, hipfitandersonville.com (1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Goods: Women’s and men’s clothing, belts, jackets. Designers: Blue Cult, Kasil, Heavy Rotation, Buffalo, Threadless tees. Owner: As a child, Jennifer Rozenberg toddled around her mom’s secondhand clothing store; she then spent years working in retail before opening her own shop. Vibe: With a massive wall of Polaroids behind the counter, a green shag carpet and a funky orange table supported by cinderblocks, the tiny shop has a DIY feel that’s unselfconsciously edgy. Price Range: Moderate-Expensive. The Look: Decked out in an army tank, cowboy hat and perfectly battered jeans, hop on your bike and head to some little-known dive bar in Rogers Park. Shopper’s Perks: The shop is known for funky belt buckles that can add pizzazz to the standard tee-and-jeans combo.

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2008

Hip Fit

5314 N. Clark, (773)989-9111, 3162 N. Broadway, (773)281-6111, hisstuffchicago.com (1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Goods: Men’s clothing, shoes, accessories. Designers: Hugo Boss Red Line, Z Brand, Energie, Mavi Jeans, Swiss Army, J. Lindeberg. Owner: Ralph Fasano, experienced in the beauty industry, and Jeff Worth, who holds a degree in industrial design, combined forces to open His Stuff in 2002. Vibe: From its charcoal, near-nameless awning and the headless, near-naked mannequins in the window, you might think His Stuff is all about less-is-more. However, the small interior is stuffed to the brim with button-down shirts, pants, shoes and casual wear. Price Range: Expensive. The Look: Here it’s all about the details, from precise cross-stitching on a pair of underwear to the perfect weave of a tailored jacket. Shop here and head to an evening of drinks and dinner at Brasserie Jo. Shopper’s Perks: The store stocks only limited quantities and new shipments arrive each week.

Andersonville Store

His Stuff

Lakeview Store

His Stuff

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2008

5643 N. Ashland, (773)907-0709, evamay.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Hats, scarves, bags, pins and other accessories for women. Designers: Most of the wearable art in this shop is designed by Eva May herself. Owner: Swedish-born Eva May studied at Chicago’s own Ray College of Design and after several years of hawking her goods at art shows and online, she recently opened her own shop. Vibe: With all of the impeccably handcrafted goods on display, the shop feels like an accessories gallery. Price Range: Moderate. The Look: Artsy, eclectic and slightly bohemian. Spend a morning stocking up on organics at Whole Foods, then head to a friend’s gallery opening. Shopper’s Perks: Nearly everything Eva May creates is one-of-a-kind. Plus, she’ll happily custom-make any of her products if you can’t find the perfect size, color or material.

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2008

Eva May