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Dozens of wide-eyed shoppers pranced into the new Zara store on Michigan Avenue during the Spanish retailer’s first hour of its grand opening this morning, with several people opting to go into the office late, or not at all, in an effort to slowly absorb all 35,000 square feet of the largest Zara store in the U.S. (Hello, H&M? Hi there. Your competition has finally arrived.)
Zara first arrived in the Chicago market last fall with a store in Old Orchard mall, but with the opening of the Michigan Avenue location shoppers no longer have to hoof it out to Skokie for fashionable, accessible apparel. Cheap and chic, but with a decidedly more sophisticated (read: adult) approach than some of its competitors, Zara inspires a cult-like following among savvy shoppers and here’s why: lightning-fast product turnaround. Many of the high-collar military coats, cropped wool jackets, tailored skirts, and velvet blazers have a life cycle of only two weeks. Items are produced in limited numbers—the store receives new shipments twice a week, reportedly every Tuesday and Friday—which means everyone on the El won’t be wearing the same scooped-neck sweater or newsboy cap.
A build-out of the former Talbots’ space within the eight-story Chicago Place building, Zara is accessible from Michigan Avenue and occupies three floors—street level, mezzanine, and the second floor. Zara is the third fast-fashion chain, including Hennes & Maurtiz (H&M) and Forever 21, to set up shop on the Magnificent Mile.
With the recent opening of Best Buy in the John Hancock Center, the new Victoria Secret store (in the old Pottery Barn location), and the pending arrival of Swarovski, some industry watchers have said Michigan Avenue is more mall-like than magnificent, leading Women’s Wear Daily to dedicate an entire page of its October 20th issue to an article titled “Michigan Avenue Gets Mall Flavor.”
Pondering the fading luster of the once-tony Magnificent Mile didn’t seem to be a top priority for shoppers carefully perusing the stacks of folded sweaters, European-style denim, and chic scarves at the new Zara flagship store.
“I saw a lot of fake fur/feathers, studded clothing, little dresses, poncho-like sweaters, and black, black, black,” enthused a Yelper writing about the store’s opening party on Thursday evening.
Zara is planning to open a second downtown store, at 108 N. State Street, in late November or December, although if it were up to us, we’d mix things up a bit by opening a Uniqlo— kind of like the Japanese version of the Gap, minus the dad-like khaki trousers.
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Well, nice to see Chicago finally gets a Zara. I'd love for a Uniqlo in San Francisco, too...
(Great article, btw.)
That made no sense. I meant, I'd love to have a Uniqlo in SF.
While I can lament the somewhat suburban style of shops that grace Michigan Ave, I don't fully understand those who say it might have lost something it used to have - it's still pretty grand and amazing. Even if it's a chain store, it's offering something different usually with its flagship store. Lots of companies offer things only at their flagship stores and no where else. That said - what else should go there that would make it "more magnificent" again? Should it be only high-brow stores? more NM or Chanel? It's definitely not Rodeo Dr, but we have those stores, too. I think it definitely panders to its audience - mostly suburbanites out on the town or people on vacation. It's totally annoying usually to the typical denizen, but it's the first place you'd take someone out of town before heading back into the neighborhoods for real charm.
Somebody should open a store next to it called Thustra.
What the hell is WWD talking about? Michigan Avenue has been "mall-like" at least since the opening of Cheesecake Factory 15 years ago if not well before.
So perhaps Michigan Avenue isn't the Kings Road in Chelsea or Knightsbridge (though there is a Zara in Kings Road, who's mall-like now?!), however, as stated Chanel, Neiman Marcus, Burberry, Bloomingdales, Hugo Boss, etc are all on the mile. And let's remember not all the uppity, posh stores are located on Michigan Avenue, as Prada, Marlowe and the like appear just around the corner... Personally, I'm thrilled to see Zara finally appear in Chicago––It's about time! Albeit I was vastly disappointed in the selection they have chosen for the floor... same stores, but Europe gets all the REAL fashion pieces (often with better prices) while those in the US are left with the old, smelly third-day fish. Come on US buyers! Otherwise, I must continue to find my Zara-fix when in London.
Meh. People get all excited about the foreign chain stores opening here, but really they are not adding much variety. Zara is a lot like Banana Republic stylewise. And Uniqlo is basically the Japanese Old Navy.
It seems different to us but really its like when a TGI Friday's opens abroad. It exciting for a few weeks and then they realize its manufactured chain stuff like everywhere else.
yeah i went to check it out, and the stuff isn't that much different.
they have nice pieces, but like you said, it's similar to banana republic.. good, but rather predictable.
I really wonder what's with ZARA why it is very popular and a lot of women out there are truly into it. I bet it is very expensive and classy that's why people are willing to spend lots of money just for it.
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