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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.
"Not a cult," signs around this Grand Avenue shop cheekily proclaim. But what it is, exactly, defies easy categorization: it's part coffee counter, part purveyor of fastidiously arranged Japanese stationery and fountain pens, and part home decor shop with a bent for utilitarian goods like metal storage boxes. It's part performance art (see, for instance, the staff's somber boilersuits). And all together, it's a wholly unique shopping experience.
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.
This quirky hole-in-the-wall specializes in greeting cards, art prints, jewelry, candles, stickers, and other design-forward gifts and collectibles, including many crafted by local artists. There's also a small collection of curated vintage items and clothing on hand.
Love writing notes to your friends? Appreciate the look and feel of a fine pen? This shrine to the handwritten word sits in a small storefront just off Andersonville's main drag and offers a variety of high-end and fun-colored pens, ink stamps, notebooks, paper products, and stickers, plus a variety of greeting cards just waiting for the perfect message.
All sorts of paper goods are on offer here, from sassy letterpress cards and stickers to journals and hip art prints. Many of the offerings have a Chicago theme, making this a good spot to pick up souvenirs of the Windy City.
A wood-paneled 1930s pharmacy is the setting for this charming gift shop, which stocks eclectic wares for everyone on your list, plus a tempting selection of bath and beauty products.
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