Louis Vuitton

Chicago Shopping

Chicago Shopping
Michigan Avenue -- specifically the stretch between the Chicago River and Oak Street Beach known as The Magnificent Mile -- is pretty much synonymous with Chicago shopping. Along this 14-block promenade you'll find all the major names in upscale retail (Tiffany Co., Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, etc.), along with more mass-market stores such as The Gap, Pottery Barn, and Crate Barrel. You should head to Armitage Avenue in Lincoln Park or Bucktown to see where the best-dressed locals do their shopping. Lori's Designer Shoes (824 Armitage Ave) has 5,000 square feet filled with shoes ranging from summer sandals to knee-high leather boots. Accessories like handbags, scarves, hats, and hosiery can also be bought, and you'll find them all reduced more than 50 percent at end-of-the-season sales. Here you'll find a range of independent clothing stores specializing in new, up-and-coming designers, as well as boutiques that stock one-of-a-kind home accessories and gifts. Here, drawn by the relatively low rents, independent boutiques are springing up, offering an eclectic selection of clothes and gifts. Within a few blocks, you'll find everything from slick European contemporary furniture to Asian antiques to affordable reproductions of classic modern pieces.900 North Michigan Shops (900 N Michigan Ave) has more than 70 shops, including Bloomingdale's and Gucci, surrounding a marble atrium. Crate Barrel (646 N Michigan Ave) is a flagship store on Michigan Avenue toting housewares and home furnishings. The choices are varied, ranging from the great blues clubs, the famous Second City comedy troupe, and the family-friendly ESPN Zone.