FROM OUR AUGUST ISSUE: SHOP CHICAGO

The entire MR team proudly presents our August 2024  issue. If you haven’t received a hard copy, please page through a digital version at  Issuu, and we’ll continue to post individual stories here on  MR-mag.com. If you haven’t been getting MR in print, be sure that you are on our mailing list for future issues by completing  this form.

The Windy City is filled with great food, architecture, and, of course, fashion. If you’ve built a little PTO time into your Chicago stay, take a minute to check out some of these contemporary stores from across the Chicagoland area. They each feature an eclectic mix of brands from classic to modern.

Mildblend Supply Co.

Owner: Luke Cho
1342 N. Milwaukee Ave Chicago IL 60622 @mildblendsupplyco

When did you open your store?
Founded in 2009.
How would you describe your store?
The concept of the shop was to sell Japanese denim and well-made American goods. That includes garments, bags, boots, shoes, and whatever will look good with age. We sell mostly raw denim, and like the way the aging progresses so you get your own fades instead of paying extra for someone else to create them.
Who is your customer?
I would say 20–60-year-olds who value quality.

What’s the neighborhood like?
Our store is in Wicker Park. I grew up in the area, and we’ve been in the same location since we opened the store. Things have changed a lot over the years. There’s an eclectic mix of businesses here: retail, restaurants, bookshops, and record stores. It’s a good walking and shopping street.
What are your top five brands?
Nudie Jeans–one of only a few brands we sell washed if someone wants washed instead of raw.
Hiroshi Kato–they make goods that will be comfortable yet stylish. They have a
stretch denim that fits a lot of different bodies. Stretch makes you more mobile and comfortable. (We sell mostly rigid denim)
Iron Heart Denim–rigid and more unfinished. It’s popular for people who want to do their own fading over time by wearing them. Creating your own denim history.
How do you find new brands?
Often brands come to us. We do go to all the trade shows to see current and future trends. It’s about 50/50.
Do you also sell online?
Yes.

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Smith’s Men’s Store

Owners: Trey Gonzales and Kip Helverson
770 North Western Avenue, Suite 1-A
Lake Forest, IL 60045

New location coming in Fall 2024:
839 Elm Street
Winnetka, IL 60093
@smithsmensstore

When did you open your store?
Smith’s Men’s Store has been in business since 1937. In 1988, one of the employees, John Tadel, bought and reopened the store in its current location. In Spring of 2019, John announced his plans to retire and close the store in June. The reaction of the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff community was immediate and palpable. It became a frequent topic at events, parties, and meetings, and many people took to social media to post their disappointment. We, too, were upset to hear about its closing, and over the course of a dinner party, friends determined we were the people to reopen it. After considerable thought and discussion, we agreed and decided to take the leap of faith.
How would you describe your store?
It is a traditional men’s store and haberdashery. We offer a wide variety of casual attire and sportswear, as well as a full-service clothing department with both ready-to-wear and custom clothing. We have three onsite tailors, including a Master Tailor, so we can offer made-to-measure and bespoke garments.
From a design perspective, we have a large picture window in the front of the store, which we frequently change to a theme design for holidays (Father’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.) and the changing seasons. The walls of the store are lined with custom cabinetry and shelving, and the color scheme is blue and tan, which is based on the ‘uniform of our life’- a navy blazer and khaki pants.
We doubled the size of the store in September 2021, so it has a front-room, back-room feel. The front is primarily casual attire and sportswear, and the back has become focused on ready-to-wear and custom clothing as well as men’s furnishings. Conjoining the two rooms is our shoe salon and accessories area with belts, socks, and other items.
Who is your customer?
That is an interesting question. Our target ‘end-customer’ is men aged fifteen and up, but many of our customers are women shopping for their husbands, fathers, sons, and significant others. I would say our customers are men, but our shoppers are 50/50 men and women.
What’s the neighborhood like?
Lake Forest, Illinois, is an affluent suburb located about thirty miles north of downtown Chicago along the shores of Lake Michigan. Known for its picturesque landscapes, it features lush greenery, well-preserved historic homes, and a charming downtown area. It also boasts several parks, a beach, and numerous recreational facilities. There are a number of public and private golf courses and country clubs in and around Lake Forest, so club/sport life is a big part of the community. It has a resort-town feeling and yet has easy access to the city of Chicago.
What are your top five brands?
Peter Millar, Jack Victor, Southern Tide, Johnnie-O, and Alan Paine; however, the fastest-growing segment of our business is clothing.
How do you find new brands?
From a variety of sources. Many times, we discover new brands from our customers and after due diligence we have brought some of them into the store. We have also found brands while shopping at other stores or at the buying shows. We are continually looking for new brands to meet customer demands, provide additional services, and keep things interesting and fresh.
Do you also sell online?
Not yet, but we are considering it as part of our long-term strategy. Our primary reason is that the store is an experience, and we want our customers to visit and be in the shop. We have a talented team of people who love what they do, and the in-store experience is better than an online experience. When we move forward with an online store, it will probably be a subset of our products for convenience purposes. We do not anticipate moving our entire inventory online.

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Independence

Owner: George Vlagos
1909 W Division Street
Chicago IL 60622
@independencechicago

When did you open your store?
2012
How would you describe your store?
Since the very beginning, our focus has been on timeless, classic menswear, whether that be workwear, sportswear, or more tailored pieces from brands like Drake’s. When we opened Independence, we exclusively sold products Made in the USA. Since then, we have expanded our offerings to include select Japanese and European brands in addition to our American-made collections.
Who is your customer?
We have a strong local following, including people who have been shopping with us since day-one. Our customers look for quality first, pieces that will get better with age, and items that never go out-of-trend.
What’s the neighborhood like?
We moved to Wicker Park in 2022. It has been a great fit for us, and the people who live nearby support their local retailers. Wicker Park truly has everything: exceptional restaurants, nightlife, and of course, shopping.
What are your top five brands?
Oak Street Bootmakers, Kapital, Lady White Co., or Slow, and Engineered Garments. How do you find new brands? Everybody who works at Independence is passionate about menswear. When
a brand catches our attention, we tell each other. At any given time, we might have a dozen brands on our radar, and we do our best to see new collections when we travel to New York on our seasonal buying trips.
That being said, we seldom acquire new brands, and we are very loyal to the brands we do carry. We have carried many of our brands since 2012, including Gitman Vintage and Engineered Garments. It’s fun to watch brands evolve right along with the store.
Do you also sell online?
Of course! You can find us at independence-chicago.com.