When Ana Maria Espinosa walked into a hidden jewelry studio in Florence, Italy, she expected to merely shop. Instead, she and her family were handed trays of charms, then taught how to assemble them into complete pieces. “It was so fun and memorable,” she says. “To me, jewelry has always been personal. Why not make an activity out of it?” Back in Chicago, Espinosa pivoted from her premed track at Northwestern to replicate the idea. She opened Charm Bar in 2024 with her mother’s help. The Logan Square shop offers affordable stainless steel charms sourced from Italy, Greece, Latin America, and elsewhere. Add to that earrings her Ecuadorian grandmother makes that are shaped like margaritas, purses, and martini glasses. Guests customize chains while sipping sangria at the back counter. Likely, you’ll leave with not just a charm bracelet or necklace but also a good story of how it all came together. 2630 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Cool Girl link chain, $25
Booklet charm, $15
Octopus charm, $15
Hanging rose charm, $15
Camera charm, $15
