It’s been just six weeks since the opening of Sarca, but the store has already made its mark on the Chicago fashion scene—and its closets.

Opened in early December by Alexis Cozzini, the high-end women’s clothing shop is a treasure trove of edgy finds. “I had known just in the back of my mind over the years brands that I wanted to have in my store when I opened it,” Cozzini says. She’s certainly had a lot of time to ruminate—she broke into the fashion biz at the tender age of 15.

“I worked in Lincoln Park at Celeste Turner,” she says. “It’s not there anymore, but it was like the hottest boutique at the time. I worked there after school in high school… and I loved it.” Read the rest of this entry »

900 N. Michigan, Level 3, (312)944-0040 (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Men’s and women’s denim, shoes and accessories. Designers: The store houses thirty women’s denim brands and twenty men’s, including C.R.A.F.T. Denim, Hudson, G-Star, Rebecca Minkoff, House of Harlow, Naked & Famous, Nobody and Grace Sun to name a few. Read the rest of this entry »

1165 N. Clark, Suite 400, (312)640-3878, sofiavintage.com (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Goods: Men’s and women’s vintage apparel. Designers: Bob Mackie, Gucci, Ungaro , Armani, Escada, Chanel, Missoni and Valentino. Read the rest of this entry »

75 E. Walton, (312)440-0044, sabbia.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Fine jewelry and accessories. Designers: Dodo by Pomellato, Alex Sepkus, Yossi Harari, Lina Fanourakis. Read the rest of this entry »

200 E. Delaware, Unit C, (312)335-1353, urbanstyleemporium.com (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Goods: Formerly known as Only She, the store has expanded from women’s clothing and accessories to also include gifts and art. Designers: Lorain Croft, Elm Design and Ivan Grundahl. Read the rest of this entry »

900 N. Michigan, 5th Floor, (312) 867-0900, yolandalorente.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Women’s apparel and accessories. Designers: All of the clothing is hand-painted and designed by the store’s namesake, with jewelry from local artist Elaine Fisher. Read the rest of this entry »

Terri Vizzone believes in retail therapy—you know, that calming, healing effect that being in a store with fabulous things has on a woman’s psyche when she’s just broken up with her boyfriend? Or lost a pet? Or even just woke up on the wrong side of the bed?

Taking the theory to heart, Vizzone has made over and relocated her store, Only She, into a shopper’s paradise—a safe haven, if you will, for all things fabulous. Newly named the Urban Style Emporium, Vizzone returns to her original block with a new look and a new vibe.

“We want it to be a place that people feel relaxed,” she says. “Sometimes people just need eye candy…sometimes, you need to just take a break in your day, and we want you to feel like, yes, you can do that, and we’re not going to be breathing down your neck, ‘are you gonna buy something, are you gonna buy something?’”

Having relocated once before, Vizzone decided the third time was a charm. “I figured, if I’m gonna’ move the store again, I want to come right out of the box doing something different. The whole world is changing, everything is shifting, so you need to shake it up a bit!” she says. Read the rest of this entry »

5135 N. Clark, (773)506-7343, 845 N. Michigan, 4th Floor, (312)202-0708, 3343 N. Broadway, (773)857-6900, skinstinct.com
Goods: Men’s and women’s organic clothing, fabric care, skin care and home accents. Read the rest of this entry »

Hanig’s Slipper Box, 2754 N. Clark, (773)248-1977, Hanig’s Footwear, 847 W. Armitage, (773)929-5568, 875 N. Michigan, (312)787-6800, 1627 Sherman, Evanston, (847)864-3268, hanigs.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Men’s and women’s shoes. Designers: Wolky, Ecco, Kenneth Cole, Merrell, Mephisto, Johnston & Murphy, Keen, Naot. Owner: Serving Chicago since 1944, Hanig’s is owned by Peter Hanig, son of founders Irv and “Billie.” Vibe: Extremely well-lit and roomy, with plenty of seats for shoe sampling, and an overall all-American appeal. Price Range: Moderate. The Look: Comfortably chic. While all the shoes are designed with function in mind, fashionable details are incorporated into the designs. Shopper’s Perks: Service—with plenty of friendly staff members around, you’ll be taken care of from the moment you enter to the moment you leave. Comfort also tops the bill, and your feet won’t be able to thank you enough.

Slipper Box-Lakeview

Hanig’s Slipper Box

Lincoln Park Store

Hanig’s Footwear

Michigan Avenue Store

Hanig’s Footwear

Evanston Store

Hanig’s Footwear

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

939 N. Rush, (312)664-5553, shopjake.com (1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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Goods: Clothing and accessories for men and women. Designers: Yigal Azrouel, Nice Collective, Mulberry, Acne, Heidi Merrick, Ever, Hannii Y, Brochu Walker, Jay Godfrey and Tim Hamilton. Owners: Lance Lawson, an attorney, keeps the business pegs in place while Jim Wetzel applies his merchandising background to the biz. Vibe: Clean and chic with a lodge-in-Aspen edge—small antlers decorate the walls and a cowhide rug rests on the wood floors. The staff doesn’t do the snooty thing, and they know all the regulars by name. Price Range: Moderate-Luxury. The Look: A tasteful, impeccably pulled-together look that blends megawatt and off-the-beaten path designers. Outfits for uber-exclusive cocktail parties or for sipping wine in your Nate Berkus-decorated living room. Shopper’s Perks: All the salespeople have a background in luxury retail. On-site trunk shows offer shoppers the chance to mingle and sip champagne with fashion-world stars.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Gold Coast Store

Jake