Men’s Room
Within the past year, the Lake View locations of Kulhman Company and Jake shuttered, leaving Southport Avenue with few clothing and accessory options for men. Mel Nelson, owner of M2 Boutique (3527 N. Southport Ave., 773-248-9866; 121 S. Washington St., Naperville, 630-548-9955; mboutiquechicago.com), thinks that guys in the neighborhood still need…
Frugal Finds
The Chicago native Jill Sevelow loves finding great deals on clothing and accessories. “I’ve always been a bargain hunter,” she says. “I love the thrill of the hunt. I’ve never paid full-price for anything in my life.” So the former department store buyer opened…
ANDERSONVILLE GALLERIA hosts a holiday open house Nov. 20th with creations from more than 90 indie merchants. 5247 N. Clark St.; 773-878-8570, andersonvillegalleria.com BIGSBY & KRUTHERS, a men’s suit store, returns to Chicago this month. 108 N. State St.; bigsbyandkruthers.com CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN hosts its 13th annual Fine Art of Fiber show and sale with … Read more
The owner Annie Novotny: a jacket by her label, Frei Designs (below) After four years of wholesaling her eco-friendly line Frei Designs, Annie Novotny hit a snag. The economic downturn meant that some boutiques had shuttered, while others were ordering more conservatively. “For the first time, I had a lot of overstock,” Novotny says. … Read more
Phase-Free Fashion
As a mother of three, Ellen Sternweiler knows how difficult shopping can be at each stage of pregnancy. Like any expecting mother, she searched for items that kept her changing body comfortable from season to season. “I got really tired of having to buy
Underground Hideout
After 14 years of running the Only She boutique (onlyshe.com), owner Terri Vizzone decided to “shake things up.” She had enjoyed selling clothing and accessories to women but wanted to expand. “We wanted it to be not just fashion but art of…
Tween Scene
Previously only available to Chicagoans via catalog and online, PBteen (2111 N. Clybourn Ave.; 773-525-8349, pbteen.com), the latest affiliate of Pottery Barn, recently opened a store in Lincoln Park. The new shop, which shares an address with Pottery Barn Kids, is designed specifically for…
Our mini-review of Chicago’s fashion week
Austerity is the word these days, and one way to stay within your budget is to get stuff fixed. But where to go? Turn to our guide to Chicago’s best fixers in 36 categories.
Posh Pair
While growing up in Winnetka, sisters Jennifer and Maggie Gelber always joked about opening a boutique together in Chicago. “It wasn’t a serious plan. We’d just say, ‘Yeah, one day we’ll open a boutique.’ We came up with names [for the shop] and talked about designing clothes,” Maggie says. But the plan became real after Maggie graduated from the University of Iowa in May 2008 and…
