Chicago

Shopping

About Chicago Shopping

A busy stretch of steel, glass, and limestone, Michigan Avenue needs little introduction, boasting exclusive Escada, the Crate & Barrel flagship, and popular centers like Water Tower Place and the Shops at North Bridge. Yet, Chicago’s shopping scene is far more than the Magnificent Mile. Three blocks west is State Street, home to Carson Pirie Scott & Co., Marshall Field’s, and an assortment of smaller shops. Billed as Chicago’s Main Street, State is where “They do things they don't do on Broadway,” according to the 1922 hit “Chicago.” Wedged between North Avenue and Oak Street, the Gold Coast features high-end stores like Prada and Ultimo Limited. A treasure trove of art and craft galleries hides among the gritty, bohemian Victorians of Wicker Park and Bucktown. The North Side, meanwhile, boasts the ever-trendy neighborhoods of Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville. For antique furniture and home decor, shops in River North and Near North offer all styles and price points. In outlying areas, you’ll find well-planned shopping centers like Oakbrook Center and Chicago Ridge Mall. -- Kelly Sigmon, Senior Editor