1937 W. Division, (773)276-2323, beadniks.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Exotic necklaces and earrings of all materials, reasonably priced. Designers: All the jewelry is handcrafted by the owners and staff. Owners: Mary Tokarz and Lauryn Keenan opened up the shop to showcase their handmade pieces and provide a crafting resource for the community. Vibe: friendly and educational, just like you remember art class—there’s even an organic section! The crowd is mainly female, looking for a wild accessory or a cache of candy-colored beads. Price Range: Moderate. The Look: Hand-dipped incense, Czech glass, batik beads, ivory mammoth tusk jewelry, ojime beads and more. Pick up a bohemian, wooden-looped necklace or a chic, looped, mesh-gold strand. Shopper’s Perks: Private party options and workshops abound here. Ask the owners about the Tuesday night crash-course, birthday and bridal party options.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Beadniks

1733 W. Chicago, (312)226-0152, alcalas.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Boots, hats and Western garb for men, women and cowboys—and cowgirls-in-training. Designers: Boots are by Frye, Lucchese and Old Gringo; hats are by Stetson and Shady Brady. Owner: Luis Alcala founded the store in 1972. Luis’ son Richard and family now own it. Vibe: A lit-up, braying pony beckons shoppers to one of the largest retailers of Western wear this side of Texas. Inside, there’s a dizzying array of cowboy gear including everything from boots to lassos. Price Range: Moderate-Expensive. The Look: A beer-swigging, line-dancing, red-blooded American. Shopper’s Perks: The store offers free alterations and hat-shaping. They carry about eight thousand pair of boots.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Alcala’s Western Wear

2707 N. Clark, (773)404-9225; 1941 W. North, (773)342-0500 (4 votes, average: 3.25 out of 5)
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Goods: Clothing, shoes and accessories for men and women. Designers: Chrome, Public School, Quicksilver, Shades of Greige, Nikita, Penfield, Commune, Ambiguous, RVCA, Fred Perry, Cheap Monday, Naked & Famous, Bench, Freshjive, Evisu, Prps, Fornarina, J. Lindeberg, Diesel, Stussy, WeSC, Chip & Pepper, Nudie Jeans, Joe’s Jeans, Penguin, Miss Sixty and Obey for clothes. Owners: Candise and Luke Cho opened the shop nearly twenty years ago, giving it the name Untitled in reference to the evolving nature of art and fashion. Vibe: With skinny jeans and mini-skirts by the dozen, there’s an air of “cool” wafting through the shop. Things stay upbeat with a smiling sales staff. Price Range: Moderate-Expensive. The Look: Fashion-minded hipster with the disposable income to stock up on perfectly tattered pants. Shopper’s Perks: A wide array of denim features more than twenty-five brands.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Lincoln Park Store

Untitled

Bucktown Store

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Evanston Store

Untitled

1632 W. Division, (773)227-8200, thr3eestore.com (22 votes, average: 4.18 out of 5)
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Thr3ee is in transition to become the flagship store for its own brand, and will become Chii Clothing Culture T-Shirt Shop by the end of 2009. Goods: Clothing and accessories for men and women. Designers: Chii Clothing Culture, Rebel Spirit, Edward Dada, Smet and Christian Audigier. Owner: Chii Clothing founder Rich Santo had great success hawking his line at fashion shows and in local bars; in 2006, Thr3ee Boutique opened to give the urban-chic brand a home of its own. Vibe: Graffiti and hand-painted skulls plaster the walls while hip-hop and house beats pulse aggressively from the speakers. City-side staples like jackets, hoodies and caps fill the space. Price Range: Moderate. The Look: Armed with a vodka-Red Bull and a hot honey, you’re ready to kick it till sunrise in the VIP lounge. Shopper’s Perks: They carry many exclusive Chicago brands.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Thr3ee Boutique

1442 N. Milwaukee, (773)278-7130, thesilverroom.com (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Goods: Silver jewelry, watches, hats, purses, messenger bags, sunglasses and other accessories for men and women. Designers: The Silver Room carries mostly small jewelry designers, like Nooka, B. Tiff, Alessi Watches and Tivi. Owner: Eric Williams has owned and operated The Silver Room for over twelve years. Vibe: A large open space creates a relaxed shopping experience, though The Silver Room’s in-store DJ can infuse the shop with energy on demand. Price Range: Inexpensive-Expensive. The Look: Art-school chic. Shopper’s Perks: Sign up on the store’s Web site for discounts and to receive invites to their monthly in-store events, parties and local artist openings  in their gallery space within the store.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

The Silver Room

1659 W. Division, (773)384-6750, pumpshoeschicago.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Shoes and accessories for women. Designers: Jeffrey Campbell, Dolce Vita, Miss Sixty and Sam Edelman. Owner: Maureen Longue, who adores hard-to-find heels from sultry locales like Spain and Argentina. Vibe: Pink ribbons climb the walls, a crystal chandelier sparkles overhead and a round ottoman is strewn with shoeboxes as shoppers fancy up their feet. Longue showers visitors with friendly energy and accessorizing-savvy. Price Range: Mostly moderate, with a few expensive items. The Look: A girly-girl who knows how to dress adorably without spending a fortune. Shopper’s Perks: Fabulous sales and on-site cocktail parties.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Pump Shoes and Accessories

1913 W. Division, (773)395-2351, shoppenelopes.com (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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Goods: Clothing and accessories for men and women, home items. Designers: Women’s clothing is by Built by Wendy, Sessun, American Retro; men’s designers include Our Legacy, Shades of Greige and Dunderdon; men and women can both stock up on pieces from Cheap Monday, Spiewak, A.P.C. Owners: Husband-and-wife team Joe Lauer and Jena Frey opened Penelope’s in 2002. Vibe: The store is flooded with cheery, retro touches: look for sunny-sky-blue walls and colorful-as-a-box-of-crayons merchandise. Also check out home items and stationery like millimeter/milligram from South Korea. Price Range: Moderate-Expensive. The Look: Hipster with a sunny outlook. Clean lines, spunky prints, a splash of vintage and a dash of cheek. Shopper’s Perks: Hang out with the two in-house pugs, Penelope and Olive.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Penelope’s

1726 W. Division, (773)572-6084, noirclothing.com (1 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
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Goods: Women’s and men’s clothing, shoes, accessories. Designers: Rubber Ducky, TSE, Gracia Fashion. Owner: About eight years ago, Clara Pilauit changed her vintage store, Le Garage, into one of the first Division Street boutiques. Vibe: If Noir stayed open past 10pm, it could be a small club. There is space for a DJ in the back, and the attention-grabbing tops beg for dimmer lights. But Clara’s gentle nature and genuine assistance make you feel like you’re shopping with family—if your family helped you buy halter-tops and mini skirts, that is. Price Range: Inexpensive-Moderate. The Look: A girl on the prowl. Clubby. European. Eye-catching. Shopper’s Perks: While current styles dominate the upper level, Noir has a bargain basement full of discounted finds.

UPDATED May 2009

Noir

1459 N. Milwaukee (furniture and housewares), (773)489-5576; 1323 N. Milwaukee (clothing and artwork), (773)384-4300, lennyandmechicago.com
Goods: Vintage clothing and accessories for men and women, along with home design items. Designers: Expect to find a well-curated array of vintage and consignment items on offer, with a range of name-brand designers on display at any one time. Owner: Naming the boutique after her oldest son, Mexican-born immigrant Ana Camino set up shop in 1999. Vibe: After a brush with death last fall, the store ended up moving into larger digs just a few storefronts away. Price Range: Inexpensive. The Look: Considering the constant merchandise makeover, the look is decidedly eclectic, from a St. John straight skirt to a metallic-green eighties prom dress. Except a handful of contemporary pieces, the store specializes in women’s fifties and sixties garb; men’s picks include track jackets and fedoras. Shopper’s Perks: In their effort to support the local community they have dedicated space for some of Chicago’s best handmade goods and feature fine art by local artists.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Lenny & Me

UPDATE: Leaders has closed its Bronzeville location and opened a new location in River North as of May 2009.

1400 N. Milwaukee, (773)489-1900; 672 N. Wells, (312)787-7144 leaders1354.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Clothing, caps, accessories and shoes for men. Designers: Play Cloths, Ice Cream, BBC, Nudie Jeans, Prps, Pegleg NYC and LDRS1354 house line for clothing; Palladium, Alife, Creative Recreation, CLAE, Reebok, The Hundreds and Adidas for shoes. Read the rest of this entry »