During one of Chicago’s infamous winters, Monica Royer, homebound with her newborn, scoured the Internet for baby apparel. Not finding options that were both modern and functional, she last fall launched Monica + Andy, an online infant and toddler clothing line featuring soft muslin blankets, seersucker suits, and tutu dresses. In June, Royer opened a brick-and-mortar … Read more
The antithesis of fast fashion, this little indie store in North Center shuns trends. Instead, shopkeeper Leigh Deleonardo supports makers (most of them local) who construct their wares in small batches. As a result, everything feels special: gauzy scarves made from hand-spun linen, comfortable day dresses perfect for hot weather, and vintage-inspired jewelry cast in … Read more
The Roscoe Village–based artists Nick Butcher, 34, and Nadine Nakanishi, 38, who formed Sonnenzimmer (“sunroom” in German), were mentored by Jay Ryan, Chicago’s concert poster king. And over the past decade, they have churned out brilliant designs for scores of local and touring acts—including Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Kraftwerk, the Sea and Cake, … Read more
Bavarian beer halls can be total schlock fests: comically oversize mugs, lederhosen-clad servers, oompah music on blast. Not here. Vie veterans Nathan Sears and Adam Hebert took the best parts of the Teutonic tavern experience—sausage, beer, and a no-frills place to enjoy both—and optimized them. The wursts are stuffed by hand and topped with seasonal accompaniments, … Read more
If a date-night cooking class sounds like a throwback to the ’80s, Marcel’s, opened in 2011 by a former insurance executive craving fun, wants to prove you wrong. During these evenings, you’ll share a table with friends or new acquaintances in a state-of-the-art kitchen, practicing tricks of the trade with top-notch culinary tools. At worst, … Read more
Once a modest 1,000-foot Pilsen storefront, the new and improved Modern Cooperative doubled its space last fall when it moved to historic Thalia Hall. Now it’s a big one-stop shop for midcentury modern decor and furniture. You’ll find accent chairs, sofas, coffee tables, credenzas, gifts (including fantastic jewelry and handbags), and a taste of what … Read more
The first city outpost of the hip San Francisco kids’ clothier opened in Bucktown last spring (following locations in Northbrook Court and Oakbrook Center), showcasing the store’s signature mix of premium styles for newborns and youngsters up to 12. Liberty of London print skirts, brightly colored Converse sneakers, and baby clothes from Peek’s house label … Read more
This Gurnee native’s career has moved steadily forward, almost always on Chicago steppingstones—Northwestern University undergrad, the Lyric Opera’s Ryan Opera Center, a starring role in Chicago Opera Theater’s La Clemenza de Tito. In 2010, Majeski grabbed some early limelight in the big hall when she substituted for a bronchitis-stricken Anne Schwanewilms in the Lyric’s The Marriage … Read more
This Logan Square temple of slow food is simple inside—a big communal table, a menu handwritten in pencil and tacked to a wall. Its culinary mission is similarly direct: Take ingredients as they are and make something great. Owners Tony Bezsylko and Ethan Pikas, along with Alex Truong and Justin Behlke, met through the Dill … Read more
Eight local vendors in the popular online market whose goods you’ll adore
