Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
A potent concentration of famous retailers around Michigan Avenue and neighborhoods bursting with one-of-a-kind stores combine to make Chicago a shopper's paradise. Michigan Avenue's legendary Magnificent Mile lures thousands of avid shoppers every week. How often can you find Neiman Marcus, Macy's, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Barneys New York within walking distance of one another? In recent years State Street has regained some of its former glory as well, with discount department stores sharing prime real estate with trendier clothing boutiques and the Block 37 retail development.
Neighborhood shopping areas, like fun-but-sophisticated Lincoln Park, eclectic Lakeview, and the hipster haven of Wicker Park/Bucktown, offer countless independent stores that cater to every desire, whether Prairie tyle furniture, cowboy boots, or outsider art. And there are countless smaller shopping enclaves within these neighborhoods that have concentrated clusters of antiques stores, home-furnishings shops, high-end boutiques, and other specialty stores. Those averse to paying retail won't have to venture far to unearth bargains on everything from fine jewelry to business attire. When it comes to shopping, this is one city that has it all.
Be forewarned that a steep 9.5% sales tax is added to all purchases in the city except groceries and prescription drugs. Neighborhood shops on the North Side, especially those in Wicker Park and Bucktown, tend to open late—around 11 or noon. Most stores, particularly those on North Michigan Avenue and the North Side, are open on Sunday, although this varies by type of business (galleries, for example, are often closed on Monday); where applicable, more information is provided at the beginning of each category.
Customize lotions, massage oils, and bath salts with more than 100 essential and eau de parfum–grade fragrance oils during a 40–60 minute, perfumer-led Scent Creation session in this beauty boutique. Every customer-created formula is stored in an online database, so reordering your new trademark aroma is a breeze. If you'd like some liquid inspiration to fuel your creativity, the shop permits BYOB (no hard alcohol).
This modern-day general store stocks trendy clothes and accessories at a wide range of price points. Pretty embroidered dresses, stylish denim, and handmade necklaces share space with quirky-cool gifts and home furnishings, ranging from candles and bath products to cheeseboards and cookbooks.
Covering 90,000 square feet, the massive six-level store boasts ample space for women's high-end designer threads, shoes, an expansive menswear department with on-site tailoring, and an in-house Co-Op, which carries clothes for young adults. After dropping a dime (or two) on fashion-forward finds, head up to the bright and airy sixth-floor eatery Fred's at Barneys for a chopped salad.
Dreamland is even more inviting with these handcrafted beds and lush designer linens, many of which come in interesting jacquard weaves or are nicely trimmed and finished.
Converse, Dr. Martens, and other familiar brands get mixed in with fatigues, flak jackets, skate gear, and faux-fur coats at Belmont Army. The Lakeview veteran—open since 1975—occupies an entire building just down the street from its original home adjacent to the Belmont El station. The top floor, devoted to vintage goods, makes for an always entertaining shopping adventure.
At this haute minimalist enclave, you'll find designers like Dries van Noten and Balenciaga, as well as shoes and accessories of a similar subtle elegance.
Chicago's Bloomie's is built in a clean, airy style that is part Prairie School, part postmodern (and quite unlike its New York City sibling), giving you plenty of elbow room to sift through its selection of designer labels.
The bright, inviting Book Cellar has a well-edited selection of works ranging from local interest to popular fiction. There's also a small wine bar and coffee shop on-site, where customers can linger over their purchases. Readings and other literary events are held here frequently.
This little storefront bottle shop and liquor store has many of the city's best breweries located nearby, so it makes sense that the neighborhood has a destination where you can get beers from all of them (and a whole lot more). Everything here is available by the can, so you can curate your perfect six-pack and sample any beer you want to try.
Need a hard-to-find shampoo, an ionic hair dryer, or simply a jar of Vaseline? Bravco---family-owned and -operated for more than 45 years---is the place for all this and more, with an expert staff and a huge inventory.
Kids of the 80s and early 90s, prepare to have your nostalgia buttons pushed: in addition to a great selection of used vinyl, this is the spot to peruse vintage Simpsons merch, He-Man toys, and WWF figurines. On-site coffee shop, the Brewed, has a horror theme; ogle campy movie posters while you snack on retro cereal like Count Chocula, sold by the bowl.
From cars and train sets to puzzles and musical instruments, Building Blocks carries classic toys designed to appeal to kids' natural curiosity and imagination—and they'll gift wrap them for you at no charge. In Wicker Park, stop by the store at 2130 West Division Street.
Lee Godie, Henry Darger, Bill Traylor, and Joseph Yoakum are among the outsider and self-taught artists whose work is shown at this gallery.
New and seasoned chefs appreciate the expertly chosen selection of cookware, bakeware, tools, ingredients, and food-friendly wines here. Intimate cooking classes are hugely popular and taught by a fun, knowledgeable staff (participants get 10% off store merchandise).
Olive oil is only the start at this Andersonville gourmet shop focused on sharing the joys and health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. Dozens of olive oils from around Europe are available, as are oils infused with flavors like garlic, lemon, and truffle. You can also pick up vinegars, mustards, and other foodstuffs to pair with your oil—and of course, they've got actual olives, too.
There's plenty to see throughout the three floors of stylish home furnishings and kitchenware at Crate&Barrel's flagship location. There's lots of free parking as well.
Chicago-area native Cynthia Rowley fills her Bucktown store with the exuberant, well-priced dresses, separates, and accessories that have made her so popular.
Vintage and handmade pieces that run the gamut from kitschy to avant garde make this store feel nostalgic and timeless at once. Owner Julie Ghatan scours estate sales and flea markets to salvage those perfect items worth an (often modest) investment. The jewelry is the main draw, but clothing, accessories, and barware are equally noteworthy.
The retail outlet of a massive online business, Dusty Groove stocks an enormous collection of new and used jazz, soul, hip-hop, Latin, rock, and other genres in both LP and CD formats. It also buys used records and CDs.
Collectors of fine studio art glass are drawn here by a number of luminaries.
A couple of blocks north of the Broadway Antique Market, this mall specializes in 20th-century goods and is particularly strong in costume jewelry.
Calling itself an "urban general store," this welcoming Lincoln Square go-to stocks a wide selection of greeting cards, cute kids' clothes, toys, and fun gift items. A second location in Andersonville ( 5307 North Clark Street) opened in 2019.
Eskell’s selection of new and vintage jewelry, fragrances, wall art, and assorted home goods is ever-evolving and truly one-of-a-kind. Curated boxes with themes like "pasta night" and "old-fashioned" make good take-home gifts for that someone with a thing for design.
Father Time bills itself as the Midwest's largest retailer of vintage timepieces. In addition to pocket watches and clocks, it carries accessories like watch holders and display cases. If your heirloom timekeeper needs repair, Father Time also has a master clockmaker and watchmaker on staff to get it back into tick-tock shape.
What began in 2015 as an outlet for party supply designer Angela Wator has expanded to a full-scale celebration of, well, celebrations. Tableware in cheerful Memphis-style prints mingles with bright, retro-leaning garlands and paper fans arranged pleasingly according to color. There's also an excellent selection of letterpress cards and Japanese pens with which to address them, women's and kid's clothes by local maker Ovette, and darling toys by Meri Meri and Maileg.
Serious runners (or anyone looking for a supportive pair of athletic shoes) sprint over here for complimentary fittings, which entail 3-D foot mapping and a thorough gait analysis. Insoles, athletic wear, and sports gear round out the offerings at its four Chicago stores.
Kelly Marie Thompson has expanded her popular floral boutique to include home goods, linens, and fine jewelry. Unfortunately, there’s no way to bottle the lush, floral scent of the shop’s interior, but the selection of artisan candles and fragrances are a good substitute.
This boutique’s location in the historic Monadnock Building complements the vintage-inspired clothing, shoes, and accessories it carries.
