one-of-a-kind stores/boutiques/and such in Chicago?

Question

When i was in new york visiting a friend, she used to take me shopping at her favourite places, and one thing ive noticed is that her neighborhood is full of those nice little stores with items you can't get anywhere else, or are very hard to find. what i'm wondering is, are there any stores like that in chicago, or have i not looked hard enough? Im interested mainly in clothing(womens/nothing too mainstream/ celebrity/ magazine cover stuff), but other stores are fine as long as they are not too expensive.

no hot topic/zumiez or anything like that!

Please provide the name of the store and a webpage if available

Thanks!

Answer 1

There are a ton of little shops like that in Chicago on Halsted Ave. Between North Ave and Addison Street. You could spend an entire day looking through them. Including shops for kids, dress shops, leather shops and antiques. Even odds and ends shops. Sorry I dont know the names of any. Have fun shopping.

Answer 2

If you like goofy toys, weird trinkets and blast-from-the-past games and stuff, try Uncle Fun.. (http://www.unclefunchicago.com/)

You can take a short el train ride up to Evanston and check out The Mexican Shop (http://chicago.citysearch.com/profile/3551992/?brand=smx_shopping-nc). it's mostly clothing and stuff for women and have to buy someone a gift, it's not a bad place to check out.

Also in Evanston is Ten Thousand Villages (http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/php/stores.festivals/store.detail.php?store_id=610). Like The Mexican Shop it's pretty easy to get to... just hop off the el train at it's not too far from the train station. They've got clothes and "third world" handmade items.

Back in Chicago, you can check out The Alley (http://www.thealley.com/). They've got a lot of punk stuff and other strange things if you're into that. In fact, the entire block that houses The Alley has a lot of unique shops. Across the street from the Alley and around the corner is Ragstock (http://www.ragstock.com/html/locations.html). They sell cheap clothes, bags, etc. and have two locations in Chicago, as well as other cities in the Midwest.

There are a lot of shops in Wicker Park, as others have suggested, but I also suggest you check out Andersonville (http://www.andersonville.org/). There are a few small clothing stores there as well as shops that sell other things.

Hope that helps...

Answer 3

Sure, try Damen north of North Avenue, especially as you approach Armitage - lots of clothing stores there; Armitage from Sheffield to Halsted; and, especially, the Andersonville neighborhood around Clark and Foster, which has dozens of cute shops and restaurants that are totally unique. The Belmont Corridor from Clark to Sheffield is also entertaining, as is Halsted from Belmont to Addison.

Answer 4

You don't know what you are talking about. Chicago has had in increase in gun murders but not New York. There has actually been a drop in the number of murders there. Its murder rate is where it was in 1963. It even made news a couple of weeks ago when one day there wasn't a single reported murder in the city. The cops didn't know what to do with themselves.

Answer 5

Check out the New Town area. Go downtown to Michigan Avenue. Go to Wicker Park Area for starters.

Answer 6

Umm try Michigan Ave. that will probably were you'll find most of the items you're looking for or just walk around and see what you can find. Good luck, and have a great time there you'll have lots of fun.