The nickname "Magnificent Mile" -- hyperbole to some, an understatement to others -- refers to the roughly mile-long stretch of North Michigan Avenue between Oak Street and the Chicago River.
The density of the area's first-rate shopping is, quite simply, unmatched anywhere. Even jaded shoppers from other worldly capitals are delighted at the ease and convenience of the stores concentrated here. Taking into account that tony Oak Street is just around a corner, the overall area is a little like New York's Fifth Avenue and Beverly Hills's Rodeo Drive rolled into one. Whether your passion is Bulgari jewelry, Prada bags, or Salvatore Ferragamo footwear, you'll find it on this stretch of concrete. And don't think you're seeing everything by walking down the street; Michigan Avenue is home to several indoor, high-rise malls, where plenty more boutiques and restaurants are tucked away. Window-shoppers and people-watchers will find plenty to amuse themselves because this is the city's liveliest corridor: The sidewalks are packed in the summer and on weekends with hordes of shoppers strolling up and down the avenue and pausing to enjoy the many street performers who enliven this strip.
For the ultimate Mag Mile shopping adventure, start at one end of North Michigan Avenue and try to work your way to the other. In this section are listed some of the best-known shops on the avenue and on nearby side streets.
A North Michigan Avenue Shopper's Stroll
This shopper's stroll begins at Oak Street at the northern end of the avenue and heads south toward the river. It just hits the highlights; you're sure to find much more to tickle your fancy and tempt your wallet as you meander from designer landmarks to well-known chain stores. North Michigan Avenue's four vertical malls -- each a major shopping destination in its own right -- are discussed below under "The Magnificent Malls."
The parade of designer names begins at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Oak Street, including a couple housed in The Drake hotel, such as the legendary Danish silversmith Georg Jensen, 959 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/642-9160), known for outstanding craftsmanship in sterling silver and gold, including earrings, brooches, watches, tie clips, and flatware; and Chanel, 935 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/787-5500).
The newest luxury emporium in town is the spacious Louis Vuitton store at 919 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/944-2010), where you'll find trendy handbags and the company's distinctive brown-and-gold luggage. A few doors down is famed Italian jeweler Bulgari, 909 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/255-1313), which sells timepieces, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and silver gift items. Just across the street is 900 North Michigan, commonly referred to as the Bloomingdale's building.
Just south of the Hancock Center and across the street is Plaza Escada, 840 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/915-0500), an elegant building between Chestnut and Pearson streets that houses the country's most comprehensive collection of apparel and accessories from German design house Escada (this is where you'll see the local society ladies shopping for their charity-ball gowns).
Giorgio Armani's sleek boutique, at 800 N. Michigan Ave. in the Park Hyatt Hotel (tel. 312/751-2244), faces the park that overlooks the historic Water Tower. Just around the corner, also at 800 N. Michigan Ave. but with an entrance on Chicago Avenue, is the first American store from Canadian knitwear manufacturer Marlowe (tel. 312/988-9398). Don't come here looking for a simple pullover; the shop looks like a modern art gallery, with prices that are closer to Armani than Banana Republic. Across the street, a few doors west of Michigan Avenue, is one of Chicago's hottest family destinations: American Girl Place, at 111 E. Chicago Ave. (tel. 877/AG-PLACE). The three-story doll emporium attracts hordes of young girls (and parents) hooked on the popular mail-order company's line of historic character dolls. A stage show brings stories from the American Girl books to life, and the store's cafe is a nice spot for a special mother-daughter lunch or afternoon tea.
The next block of Michigan Avenue has a New York vibe, thanks to the world's largest Polo Ralph Lauren (tel. 312/280-1655), a four-floor, wood-paneled mini-mansion, and Tiffany & Co. (tel. 312/944-7500), with its signature clock, jewels, and tabletop accessories (if you want to get your hands on one of the distinctive robin's-egg blue shopping bags without spending a fortune, the $50 sterling-silver key chains are the least expensive items in the store).
A few doors south are Neiman Marcus, 737 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/642-5900), and, at 669 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/642-6363), the hugely popular Niketown, a multilevel complex that helped pioneer the concept of retail as entertainment. A little farther south is a haven for reluctant male shoppers: the Sony Gallery of Consumer Electronics, 663 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/943-3334), where the latest high-tech gadgets are displayed in a museumlike setting (head up to the 2nd floor to try out the newest PlayStation games).
Across the street, you'll probably see a line of people trailing out from the Garrett Popcorn Shop, 670 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/944-2630), a 50-year-old landmark. Join the locals in line and pick up some caramel corn for a quick sugar rush.
At the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Erie Street is the appropriately barrel-shaped Crate & Barrel, 646 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/787-5900). Crate & Barrel was started in Chicago, so this is the company's flagship location. Countless varieties of glassware, dishes, cookware, and kitchen gadgets for everyday use line the shelves. The top two floors are devoted to furniture.
Sharing the same address, at 645 N. Michigan Ave., are two big names in Italian fashion: shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo (tel. 312/397-0464), which also sells men's and women's clothing; and Ermenegildo Zegna (tel. 312/587-9660), designer of finely tailored menswear. Continuing south, you'll find Burberry, 633 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/787-2500), where the classic beige plaid has moved beyond trench coats to show up on chic purses, shoes, and bathing suits (if you're looking for luxury souvenirs, check out the collection of baby clothes and dog accessories).
Two shops are pulling younger, hipper shoppers into the renovated ground-floor retail wing of the Chicago Marriott: the Virgin Megastore (tel. 312/645-9300), which, true to its name, has stockpiled a megacollection of CDs, videos, DVDs, books, and interactive games; and Kenneth Cole New York (tel. 312/644-1163), offering a line of contemporary shoes for women and men, along with men's sportswear and suits. Across the street, at 535 N. Michigan Ave., is La Perla (tel. 312/494-0400), home of very trendy and very expensive Italian lingerie.
Resting at Crate & Barrel--Need a quick break during your shopping spree? The overstuffed couches on the third and fourth floors of Crate & Barrel practically beg to be tested out -- and there are always as least a few weary shoppers slumped against the piles of pillows. Go ahead and rest awhile; the store's staff won't bug you. Make sure you stop by the terrace on the fourth floor for a bird's-eye view of bustling Michigan Avenue and enjoy a moment of contemplation before rejoining the hordes below.
The Magnificent Malls
Water Tower Place -- Chicago's first -- and still busiest -- vertical mall is Water Tower Place, a block-size, marble-sheathed building at 835 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/440-3165), between East Pearson and East Chestnut streets. The mall's seven floors contain about 100 stores that reportedly account for roughly half of all the retail trade transacted along the Magnificent Mile. The mall also houses a dozen different cafes and restaurants.
Water Tower was the first big indoor mall to open downtown (in 1975), and 20 years ago its glass elevators and shiny gold trim gave the place a glamorous air. These days, after some recent renovations, the spiffed-up mall remains popular, but doesn't have much to distinguish it from any other upscale shopping center. Water Tower is a magnet for suburban teenagers (just like your mall back home!), and can get quite crowded during prime summer tourist season. Most of its stores are part of national chains (Gap, Victoria's Secret, etc.). But there are a few shops that make it worth a stop, including hip young designs from the British store French Connection (5th floor; tel. 312/932-9460) and wearable women's clothing at Eileen Fisher (2nd floor; tel. 312/943-9190). The department stores anchoring the mall are the Mag Mile outpost of the Loop's famed Marshall Field's (floors one to eight; tel. 312/335-7700) and a Lord & Taylor (floors one to seven; tel. 312/787-7400). One of Water Tower's best features is the funky food court foodlife.
-- The most upscale of the Magnificent Mile's three vertical malls, 900 North Michigan (often called the Bloomingdale's building, for its most prominent tenant) avoids the tumult of Water Tower Place by appealing to a more well-heeled shopper. In addition to about 70 stores are a few good restaurants and a nice movie multiplex on the lower level. For mall information, call tel. 312/915-3916.
The Chicago outpost of Gucci (ground floor; tel. 312/664-5504) has the same hip attitude as the label's sexy clothing and much-in-demand purses. Also on the ground floor is MaxMara (tel. 312/475-9500), the Italian women's fashion house known for elegantly constructed coats and separates (some of which will cost you about as much as a flight to Italy). Other goodies worth checking out include funky European footwear at Charles David (2nd floor; tel. 312/944-9013), amazingly intricate French glassware at Lalique (ground floor; tel. 312/867-1787), silver and crystal splurge items at Christofle (ground floor; tel. 312/664-9700), and lovely hats made by a local designer at Linda Campisano Millinery (6th floor; tel. 312/337-1004).
Chicago Place -- Chicago Place, 700 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/266-7710), has been looking for an identity ever since opening in 1991. Although it is home to Saks Fifth Avenue (tel. 312/944-6500), the rest of the stores are not as upscale; they include a three-floor Ann Taylor (1st, mezzanine, and 2nd floors; tel. 312/335-0117) and the companion furniture stores Retrospect (5th floor; tel. 312/440-1270), for traditional home furnishings, and Room and Board (6th and 7th floors; tel. 312/266-0656), for contemporary styles. The mall has also attracted a good selection of import stores, the best of which are Joy of Ireland, where you can also stop for a spot of tea in the afternoon (tel. 312/664-7290), Design Toscano (tel. 312/587-1199), and Russian Creations (tel. 312/573-0792).
Lunch on the Mag Mile--When I worked just off Michigan Avenue, my favorite spot for lunch was the Food Court on the eighth floor of Chicago Place. A bright, airy space with a fountain and palm trees, it's my pick for the best cheap eats in the area. You'll find the usual mall favorites (Subway, Taco Bell, Wendy's), but healthier dishes are available at Pattie's Quick and Lite (salads, wraps, pasta) and Pita Pavilion (Mediterranean). My true downfall, though, were always the crispy french fries at the Great Steak and Potato Company. Grab one of the tables behind Pita Pavilion for a great Michigan Avenue view.
The Shops at North Bridge -- The newest addition to the Mag Mile shopping scene is this mall at 520 N. Michigan Ave. The anchor of the development is a four-story Nordstrom (tel. 312/464-1515). The mall includes the first Chicago locations for A/X Armani Exchange (tel. 312/467-5702), Giorgio Armani's younger and more affordable line, and Tommy Bahama (tel. 312/644-8388), which sells upscale tropical gear (plenty of Hawaiian-style prints and bright colors). Moms and their kids can get decked out in fun, colorful outfits at Oilily (tel. 312/822-9616). The third floor is devoted to children's shops, the best of which is The Lego Store (tel. 312/494-0760) -- look for the replicas of Chicago landmarks built out of those distinctive colored-plastic blocks. Future Easy Riders can get decked out in minisized motorcycle gear at the Harley-Davidson children's store (tel. 312/755-9520).
Chic Shopping on Nearby Oak Street
Oak Street has long been a symbol of exclusive designer-label shopping; if a store has an Oak Street address, you can count on its being expensive. This posh, 1-block stretch of exclusive shops is located at the northern tip of the Magnificent Mile, where Michigan Avenue ends and Lake Shore Drive begins. While some big-name boutiques (such as Giorgio Armani) have left Oak Street for higher-traffic locations on Michigan Avenue, this stretch of converted town houses is still well worth a stroll -- for people-watching, if nothing else (this is Main St. for Chicago socialites). Most of Oak Street is closed on Sunday, except during the holiday season.
Without a doubt, the top independent designer shop in Chicago is Ultimo, 114 E. Oak St. (tel. 312/787-1171), which carries both men's and women's clothing and accessories. Although the store has had its ups and downs recently (ever since the founder and longtime owner sold it), this is still the place to find hot, up-and-coming designers before they show up in department stores. Ultimo's distinctive lush, red interior also is a welcome change from the minimalist design of so many other designer boutiques.
Oak Street is home to several fancy footwear moguls: Italian shoemaker Tod's, 121 E. Oak St. (tel. 312/943-0070); Donald J Pliner, 106 E. Oak St. (tel. 312/202-9600), whose eponymous founder got his start in Chicago; and elegant French designs from Robert Clergerie, 56 E. Oak St. (tel. 312/867-8720), displayed in a sleek, modern setting. Shoes, stationery -- and most importantly, handbags -- are available at kate spade, 101 E. Oak St. (tel. 312/654-8853), along with the Jack Spade line of men's accessories. The priciest accessories on this very pricey block are probably to be found at French luxury house Hermès of Paris, 110 E. Oak St. (tel. 312/787-8175).
Thread-count fanatics swear by the sheets from Pratesi, 67 E. Oak St. (tel. 312/943-8422), and Frette, 41 E. Oak St. (tel. 312/649-3744), both of which supply linens to the top hotels in Europe (and where sheet sets cost more than what some people pay in rent). Other shops include Loro Piana, 45 E. Oak St. (tel. 312/664-6644), for Italian cashmere and wool clothing, and Marina Rinaldi, 113 E. Oak St. (tel. 312/867-8700), a division of Italian clothing company MaxMara that specializes in women's clothing sizes 12 and above (making this a welcome respite from the fashion-model-size clothes at surrounding boutiques). Dunhill, 55 E. Oak St. (tel. 312-467-4455), sells upscale British menswear; there's even an old-style barbershop inside.
Anchoring the western end of the block are two haute heavyweights: Barneys New York, 25 E. Oak St. (tel. 312/587-1700), for chic clothing, stellar shoe selection, and always-interesting home accessories (prepare for attitude from the sales staff if you're not dressed to impress); and stratospherically hip Italian designer Prada, 30 E. Oak St. (tel. 312/951-1113), which offers three floors of sleek, postmodern fashions for men and women, and plenty of the designer's signature handbags.
An Oak Street Bargain--Oak Street is not the place to come shopping for bargains -- with one exception: Bravco, 43 E. Oak St. (tel. 312/943-4305), a crowded, narrow drugstore that seems out of place among the hip boutiques, is the favorite spot of Chicago hairstylists and makeup artists. You'll find an excellent selection of professional hair and beauty products (including Aveda, Sebastian, and Bumble and Bumble) here for much less than they cost at salons. Even if you haven't heard of some of the brands, trust us -- if Bravco carries them, they're hot.
