Best Shopping/Stores in Chicago

[twistedtrees]

I was gonna post this in the "Shoes That Look Better With Age" thread, but would probably go here. Looks like St. Alfreds is gonna stock a Redwings collab.

Also, they're stocking Head Porter wallets too. Other than that you may want to check out Penelope's in WP on Division I think, they have APC, Dunderdon. But I've never been there so can't really comment on it.

[Leeacto]

Bump for this thread as I'll probably be there in a week.

Someone want to tell me the store situation now? Any stock left? Spring Arrivals? Barneys, Jake, Hejfina, Apartment #9, Gamma Player, etc. Anything new worthwhile? Be brooooooad.

Don't know if you're in town yet.

I went to Hejfina last week, and they're getting Geller. They just had sunglasses at the time, but should have S/S09 line by now.

Also had a good OC selection, bunch of Engineered Garments, and NDG.

I don't really go to apt no 9 anymore so I can't comment on that. Akira (yeah, i know) has some CPs. I know they have the white patent hi top and i think maybe 2 others. And they have one wildly hot SA.

[stayhandsome]

In Chicago you only need to visit wicker park / bucktown and the gold coast. The northside is boring and the shops all have the same stuff as everywhere else. Unless you like freak sex shops or need an overpriced bong or find yourself hanging in circuit gay bars.

Wicker Park I would pay most of my attention to Milwaukee ave between Division and Damen. After that go north on Damen and you'll find M by MJ and this spot called Apt #9 which is good stuff.

Gold Coast is all high end bricks and mortor and boring dept stores. Jake on Rush street right next to Barneys is worth a damn. I was hanging on the GC yesterday and was like WTF am I doing here as I was drinking a lemon drop martini while eating sushi by myself at 3 pm watching soccer on the flatscreen.

The MCA is free on Tuesdays which is what brouight me to. Aquarium is usually Mondays and Tuesdays. If you type in google "free chicago museam days" it'll show you a calender of events.

If you have any specific questions feel free to PM me.

[raddy]

I believe Barney's closes end of next week and reopens april 1st in new location. They have drkshdw and Ann D now, but really not very much of either. Saks has a good buy of junya/cdg if that's your thing -- they're dropping miyake and I have no idea if they have any yohji in yet. Saks is doing its gift card sale thing starting today.

I haven't been to hefjina recently enough to see their geller buy, never go to apt no 9 anymore because the SAs and boring "dad" buys (Barneys has had better Dries/MMM buys for a while now), and will try to make it to gamma player this weekend.

Saks is going to start carrying umit benan, but I don't know when that starts or if I should really care.

[High Monika]

Hey, appreciate the input everyone. I'm on a limited time frame so I've basically whittled it down to Wicker Park. Everything I heard/saw about Lincoln park made it sound like shit.

Gamma Player, Apartment #9, Penelope’s, Hejfina, Crossroads. If I have time I'll jump over to the north of the Mile to hit up Jake, Jil, and whatever else I spot on Oak and Michigan.

As for the Wicker stores, mapquest was kind enough to point out how gay my little afternoon is by routing it as a big, purple triangle.

[stayhandsome]

on milwaukee there is a shop called una maes freak boutique right next to reckless records that is cool for off the wall pieces that you will not find anywhere else. my friend buys for them thus they have a pretty good selection.

yo I been posting on here for a bit with ya if you need any breif company let me know and I'll bop around wicker park with you for a minute. if you are looking to grab a drink rodan on milwaukee is nice but dannys down damen on dickens is my spot.

let me know whats good.

[raddy]

Correction on barneys -- Closes mid/late april to reopen may 2nd.

Hefjin'a Geller buy doesn't include the gradient jeans. =(

Gamma Player still has some nice Julius pieces. (A bunch 30-50% off I think)

[High Monika]

^Indeed, it was a pretty limited Geller buy but I liked their overall spring selection. Very cohesive in vision, especially with the Geller, Band of Outsiders, and Tim Hamilton.

I was very tempted to grab the Julius field jacket Gamma Player had on display...

on milwaukee there is a shop called una maes freak boutique right next to reckless records that is cool for off the wall pieces that you will not find anywhere else. my friend buys for them thus they have a pretty good selection.

yo I been posting on here for a bit with ya if you need any breif company let me know and I'll bop around wicker park with you for a minute. if you are looking to grab a drink rodan on milwaukee is nice but dannys down damen on dickens is my spot.

let me know whats good.

Damn man, I missed this since I was already on the road. Definitely would've hit you up. Sucks since one of my friends ended up taking me to Reckless.

[Guest umhaha84]

Fuck can anyone recommend me a hair stylist?

I have a stylist I go to at Art and Science, but not sure if I wanna go back to her next time....

Thanks in advances guys

[jake431]

Who at Art and Science do you go to?

[Guest umhaha84]

Who at Art and Science do you go to?

hm..nicole.

[fivetentwenty]

cut & paste is in chicago this saturday at the congress theatre. this is part of a world wide tour for 2d, 3d, and motion design. the competition is timed and has several rounds... sure to be some fools and some kings at this.

if you wanna stop being a hipster and do something that's actually interesting... attend. you can go back to being a hipster at the afterparty.

check it out: http://www.cutandpaste.com/events/2009/apr/4/chicago-2009/

[raddy]

Barneys 40% off on Monday doesn't include balenciaga, RO, dries, and prada (lol). Still have a ton of the ann buy left.

Belmont Army still has a ton of CPs for cheap and is afaik the only place in chi with them now that jake dropped them for s/s. (Though will have them again in f/w)

jake dropped geller and I guess hefjina is the only chi source now

YAY BORING CHICAGO UPDATE

[Guest umhaha84]

Barneys 40% off on Monday doesn't include balenciaga, RO, dries, and prada (lol). Still have a ton of the ann buy left.

Belmont Army still has a ton of CPs for cheap and is afaik the only place in chi with them now that jake dropped them for s/s. (Though will have them again in f/w)

jake dropped geller and I guess hefjina is the only chi source now

YAY BORING CHICAGO UPDATE

I just came back from barneys' copped Lanvin low for 40% off.

some APC for mad cheap and opening Ceremony too,

where's Belmont Army?

[raddy]

Very close to belmont blue line stop. West of halsted like a block near aidine?

[thorough]

^Belmont Red line stop.

[Leeacto]

Don't be confused about the one on Milwaukee in Wicker Pk. That one sucks anyway.

What do you guys think of Gamma Player? I went in there once and I think the one of the only labels I recognized was Dassler.

[Guest umhaha84]

^think they're only store that carries julius in chicago

[Leeacto]

Oh I didn't see that. I'll have to check it out and then apparently save my money for 2 months

[High Monika]

I highly recommend Hejfina. Nice, large store, SA's have always been super friendly, and easily the most stocked boutique in the Chicago (they hide more sizes in the back, but I'm sure they'll remind you). Really cohesive buy of stuff like Robert Geller, Tim Hamilton, APC, and Band of Outsiders. Really well edited - APC and BoO that is interesting to look at and maybe worth buying at retail. I would've bought my FW wardrobe there if I had the cash.

Gamma Player is a small store, easy to miss since it's a good 4 blocks away from the main strip of stores in that area. I'd suggest it if you want to stock up on your gothninja stuff (lots of sheer drapey stuff from brands I've never heard of) or you've never handled Julius/want to see their stock. I respected the quality of the Julius waxed field jacket about 10x more when I handled it.

Barneys: On the Gold Coast near Jake. Really big selection of stuff at, well, Barneys prices. Margiela, Band of Outsiders, APC, Ann Demeulemeester, drkshdw, and about 94038904 other brands. If you're bored or ballin' and have time to kill, definitely worth a visit. Lots of leather jackets strewn about, big denim section.

Jake: Meh. I went to the Gold Coast (just off the Mile), small store, small collection. Only worth going if you see something online and want to try it on.

Penelope's: Yawn. Even for girls it's boring. The men's stuff was terrible.

Apartment No. 9: Small store, kind of boring buy. It took a minute, maybe two, to get through their men's stock and walk out.

I still think the Wicker Park neighborhood is tremendously overrated. There's a couple stores I hit that I forgot because they didn't make an impression. I suppose you could hit the Marc Jacobs there? I didn't make the jump over to Lincoln Park the last time I went so I can't really comment on it.

[Guest umhaha84]

^ yeah Wicker Park is overrated,,,

only store I'd check out is Hejfina, only place in chicago who stocks R.Geller(it was their first buy, so not a lot of stuff couple of tshirts and shirt)

I just shop at barneys these days, close to my home and Kris is fucking cool.(now stocks RO leathers)

[yellowpanda]

hey guys, im visiting chicago next week

and looking to cop some apc petit standards and a couple other pieces, maybe some CP or BoO stuff. I'm also always on the look out for wings + horns, but im almost positive theres nothing in chicago

could anyone suggest some places for apc petit standards?

as well as a background of brands in apartment no. 9 and gamma player?

[Guest umhaha84]

I don't think you can get PS from chicago, but barneys in downtown stocks BoO and W+H I believe. not sure where you can get CPs,

anyone know good leather repair + tailor shop in chicago? my local cleaner says it's gonna take 2 weeks, but fuck that I wanna go straight to the tailor and get it done.

[Lab]

hejfina is closing ((((

owner is nice too, so sad.

barneys chicago is good, like their margiela selection.

really empty when i went. dunno y.

[jake431]

Sad to hear about Hejfina, although I personally never found anything to buy there, it seemed like a nice shop.

[bernt]

I don't think you can get PS from chicago, but barneys in downtown stocks BoO and W+H I believe. not sure where you can get CPs,

anyone know good leather repair + tailor shop in chicago? my local cleaner says it's gonna take 2 weeks, but fuck that I wanna go straight to the tailor and get it done.

I don't know about leather repair, but Alfred's on Oak street is good. Not sure if he's taking on new people, though.

I'm having him hem and taper some apcs for me right now and he quoted me 4 days.

[Guest umhaha84]

^ does he do leathers though?

[JotaDinero]

I don't know about leather repair, but Alfred's on Oak street is good. Not sure if he's taking on new people, though.

I'm having him hem and taper some apcs for me right now and he quoted me 4 days.

What's the pricing range for various alterations?

[bernt]

Not sure if he does leathers.

It'd be best to call him on pricing. The store I work for refers all our clients to him, so he gives me a discount. They're Oak St. prices, but you're also getting the work of one of the best tailors on Oak St. It's reasonable, though.

The number is 312 440 1864.

[Guest umhaha84]

how much are the pair of New cure's at Hejfina now?

regular price or can I get some good deal?