1723 N. Damen, (773)782-1570, stitchchicago.com 
(No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Specializing in leather bags, laptop cases, purses and wallets, Stitch also carries furniture, throws, jewelry, pillows, bedding and gifts. Designers: Missoni, Acme Made, Wendy Mink, Adina, Kooba. Owner: With a background in art design, Pamela Hewett was one of the pioneers to open a boutique on this stretch of Damen Avenue, motivated by her love of handmade, stitched goods. Vibe: This boutique looks more like the full-to-bursting living room of an artsy friend than a boutique, with Björk playing overhead and bookshelves and furniture breaking the space up into a hide-and-go-seek of stitched goods. Price Range: Moderate-Luxury. The Look: Colorful, highly detailed accent pieces with loads of personality. Shopper’s Perks: Shoppers can create a wish list or wedding registry on the store’s Web site. The Thing for Spring: Classic men’s aviator sunglasses by Modern Amusement, colorful leather bags and five new furniture lines, heavy on walnut and white.
1755 W. North, (773)235-5797, silvermoonvintage.com 
(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Goods: Vintage clothing for men and women, vintage housewares and new pieces from Vivienne Westwood and a wide selection of vintage bridal gowns. Designers: Vivienne Westwood and vintage. Owner: Liz Meyer, stylist for the rockin’ likes of Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler. Vibe: Clean, organized displays, a spacious layout and carefully marked tags make finding pieces a breeze (not always the case in a vintage store). Liz Meyer acts as a tour guide, happily leading customers through sartorial history. Price Range: Inexpensive-Luxury. The Look: From the pages of a gothic storybook or an old-time Hollywood magazine. Glamorous bombshell or shrinking violet. Loves bits of lace, rock ‘n’ roll and anything quirkily morbid. Picture Dita Von Teese, who stops by the shop when she’s in town. Shopper’s Perks: Makeup artists trained in airbrushing offer onsite vintage makeovers by appointment; for about $90, you’ll look like a pinup girl.
1531 N. Milwaukee, (773)486-7159, stalfred.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Premium sneakers in limited quantities, hard-to-find tees, caps and name-brand jeans. Sorry, ladies: Eighty percent of the stock is for guys. Designers: Limited-edition kicks from Visvim and Converse Red Line, t-shirts from Stussy, Bittersweet, Flip the Bird and Flying Coffins, and St. Alfred’s exclusive fitted caps are cool-kid status symbols. Owners: Sneaker gurus Ian Ginoza and Eddy Haus opened St. Alfred following the success of their legendary Kicks/HI stores in Honolulu. Vibe: The sneaker-head heaven is tricked out with shelves made from vintage steamer trunks and an antique brass cash register. Cha-Cha, the manager’s Jack Russell-Chihuahua mix, trots around the store inspecting ankles. Price Range: Expensive-Luxury. The Look: That street-savvy Montreal urbanite from your freshman-year dorm. Shopper’s Perks: When a new, coveted pair of kicks is on its way to the shop, St. Alfred’s posts it on their Web site, giving customers the chance to pre-order.
2064 N. Damen, (773)486-7753, saffronchicago.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Women’s clothing and accessories, gifts, home items and body products. Designers: Silk dresses and separates by Saja, tailored shirts by Alara, sportswear by G1, skirts from Neesh by DAR, coats by An Ren, handbags by Highway, candles by Dirt. Owner: Padmaja Manerikar Maryanski, a designer of women’s ready-to-wear, opened the shop ten years ago. Vibe: The scent of lemon sage candles and the trill of a soprano’s aria flood the air. Tables are stocked with decorative tea towels, plates covered in ribbons and slender bottles of olive oil. You’ll be tempted to move right in. Price Range: Moderate-Expensive. The Look: A glimmer of sparkle or a touch of lace. A woman who likes the feel of soft, breezy dresses and shawls. She lines her drawers with lemon-jasmine-scented paper and whips up decadent, homemade pies. Shopper’s Perks: Padmaja’s generous warmth is a real presence in the store. The Thing for Spring: Saffron’s entire collection is very feminine and tailored, reminiscent of style from the 1950’s and 1960’s.
2035 N. Damen, (773)489-1311, roslynboutique.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Men’s and women’s clothing, accessories. Designers: Nicholas K, Bensoni, Steven Alan, Demy Lee, Liz McClean. Owner: Former clothing buyer and merchandiser Roslyn Dulyapaibul’s Bucktown boutique focuses on up-and-coming designers out of New York and LA. Vibe: Clothing is divided by designer, and a framed bio hangs next to each rack, giving the room an art-gallery feel, while a comfy couch and paint-splattered chairs add a dose of cozy living room. Price Range: Expensive. The Look: Clean, simple pieces that flatter the frame. Comfortable yet sophisticated. Dinner at DeLaCosta, followed by drinks at the Victor Hotel. Shopper’s Perks: Individuality. Many of the designers carried here are exclusive in Chicago to Roslyn. Dulyapaibul also orders no more than four of each piece, and brings in new items every three weeks or so. The Thing for Spring: Outstanding quality cashmere from Demy Lee and wearable safari-esque pieces from Nicholas K.
2108 N. Damen, (773)278-6150, robinrichman.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Women’s clothing, shoes and accessories. Designers: Umit Unal, Marc Le Bihan, Gary Graham, Hussein Chalayan; shoes by Marsèll. Owner: After studying textiles at the School of the Art Institute and traveling and studying her way through Mexico, Robin Richman owned a handmade knitting business before opening her eponymous boutique. Vibe: A spacious boutique with an artsy feel. In an upstairs studio, the staff makes hand-sewn accessories that are sold in the shop. Price Range: Luxury. The Look: Heavily textured and layered, dressed for a midnight art party. Shopper’s Perks: Regular customers receive the VIP treatment, with email contests, surprise sales and a multitude of events. The Thing for Spring: Richman is carrying more shoes then ever, and the staff is especially excited about Dusica ballet flats and brightly colored footwear by Chie Mihara.
1710 N. Damen, (773)384-7700, gemjewelryboutique.com (1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Goods: Women’s and men’s jewelry, non-traditional wedding rings. Designers: Laura Kitsos’ mixed-metal creations with 18K gold and blackened silver, Swallow’s gold and silver jewelry with cast birds, old favorites like Jeanine Payer and Arik Kastan and new designers such as Becky Kelso and Melissa Joy Manning. Owner: Jewelry designer Laura Kitsos. Vibe: The Tinkerbelle-sized boutique surrounded in pale blue walls feels like a walk-in jewelry box. The Look: Aglitter with colorful, Indian-influenced or nature-inspired gems. The Gem femme wears timeless pieces with trendy nuance and loves delicate but eye-catching accessories. Shopper’s Perks: Kitsos can custom-design jewelry. The Thing for Spring: Rose gold rings from Arik Kastan and the line of delicate, exotic wood-meets-gold jewelry from Marion Cage.
1659 N. Damen, (773)489-0101 (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Clothing and accessories for women and men. Designers: Jet Lag, Industry, Michael Stars, Flux, Ichabod, jeans by Hudson. Owner: Stephanie Riley, who’s been in retail since she was 13 years old, and named her boutique after her journalist father. Vibe: Calm, neutral hues and hardwood floors let an uncluttered vibe prevail despite a wall covered in newspapers and scripts from Stephanie’s father. Price Range: Moderate. The Look: Modern classics and easy separates are perfect for warm Friday night happy hours on the bar patio. Shopper’s Perks: New merchandise arrives every week, so shopping’s always a surprise. The back wall showcases one of every t-shirt Riley stocks, making it easy to find and try on the perfect shirt. The Thing for Spring: Men’s denim from Joe’s Jeans and brightly colored clothing for the ladies.
1509 N. Milwaukee, (773)486-0830, eskell.com (1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Goods: Women’s clothing and accessories. Designers: Handmade tops, dresses and skirts by Eskell, Iro, What Goes Around Comes Around, by francine, jewelry from In God We Trust, as well as a selection of vintage attire. Owners: Best friends since high school, Elizabeth Del Castillo and Kelly Whitesell co-design Eskell’s eponymous line from a studio in back of the shop. Vibe: Rustic meets girly; a cozy, log cabin feel blends with modern details. Price Range: Expensive. The Look: Vintage-inspired, creative and just plain pretty. A DIY vixen with fashion-forward taste. This romantic girl loves to infuse her wardrobe with a touch of fairy tale (think wispy fabrics, poetic ruffles and pretty prints). Shopper’s Perks: Designers Kelly and Elizabeth are on hand to dole out expert fashion advice and the store offers truly hard-to-find pieces. Plus, the combination of vintage and new pieces means you can craft an entirely one-of-a-kind ensemble.
UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2008
1869 N. Damen, (773)782-1660, redeyeoptical.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Eyewear for men and women. Designers: Household names like Anne Klein, Gucci and Armani are mixed in with a few high-end frame designers, including Modo and Jai Kudo. Owner: Optometrist Matthew Gifford took over the 5-year-old shop two years ago. Vibe: Men’s and women’s eyewear with trendy, classic and vintage-inspired frames covers every inch of shelf space. Optician Daisy Diaz will whisk you in with a warm welcome. Price Range: Moderate to expensive. The Look: Except for the pink titanium and tortoise shell owl-eye specs (which Diaz points out as a favorite among architects and photographers), the styles are relatively understated. Shopper’s Perks: With an onsite optometrist and optician, you’re sure to find your peepers’ perfect match.
