The 15 Best Classic Stores In Chicago
By Staff in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 16, 2013 7:00PM
Earlier this week, Macy's joined other major retail outlets in announcing they would open Thanksgiving Day in order to get a jump on the holiday shopping season, giving Chicagoans still smarting over the name change from Marshall Field's to Macy's yet another reason to not shop there.
Thankfully there are still plenty of small businesses to spend your money at across the city; some of them have been open for generations and provide a specialty not found anywhere else.
Here are 15 shops we feel make Chicago the City That Works and will continue to do so as Macy's and other stores feel the need to chase profits. Frequent them this holiday season.
Merz Apothecary
One of Chicago’s oldest shops is also one of its best. Opened in 1875, Merz Apothecary has specialized in natural, homeopathic medicinal cures even as the Merz family sold the business to Pakistani pharmacist Abdul Qaiyum in 1972. Today Merz is best known as being the place for men looking to buy the necessary tools, soaps and aftershaves for traditional wet shaving—a small investment that saves a fortune in razor cartridges over time and gives one an amazing way to impress in public. Merz is also one of the few places I know that sells cinchona bark, aka quinine. Home soda syrup enthusiasts stock up on cinchona bark for homemade tonic syrup. — Chuck Sudo
Merz Apothecary has two locations at 4716 N. Lincoln Ave. and in the Palmer House HIlton, 17. E. Monroe St.
RR#1
You can’t really easily classify what kind of store RR#1 is, but I think the best way to sum it up is it’s my go-to whenever I need to buy something for a friend—almost always the girlfriend—and I want it to be unique. I can walk in without a clue about what I’m looking for and walk out with something I’m absolutely certain the recipient will like. And sometimes I even buy something for myself. They sell everything from gag gifts to really great jewelry to soaps and lotions to both vintage and totally modern clothing to coasters with pictures of really huge bugs on them to just about anything else you can or can’t wrap your head around. And the staff is just as eclectic as the store’s wares, making the experience shopping there always delightfully unique. — Jim Kopeny / Tankboy
RR#1 is located at 815 N Ashland Ave.
Abbey Brown Soap Artisan
There’s no legitimate reason to spend half your Saturday browsing an artisanal soap store, not when you can grab a three-pack of Irish Spring while you’re stocking up on toilet paper at Walgreens. But step inside Abbey Brown Soap Artisan, where otiose baskets and bird houses flank the entryway (because Abbey, a maniacal woman, knows you’re a sucker for those too) and you’re compelled to set mere convenience—and half your weekly budget—aside. Soon you’re sniffing the phalanx of handmade botanical soaps lining the open player piano like a bloodhound before deciding you prefer the beet thyme to the chamomile tea but really need both come to think of it, because you’re dirtier than you thought and plan on getting just as dirty tomorrow. Each bar contains more olive oil than you’ll use cooking for a week, so it softens what you’re now convinced is your exceptionally sensitive skin. Have more time and spare change than you thought? You can sign up for classes to craft your own soaps, body butters and moisturizers. So yes, Abbey is selling crack here, but at least it’s clean crack. — Melissa Wiley
Abbey Brown is located at 1162 W. Grand Ave.
Midwest Buy & Sell
Way up on the outer reaches of the northwest side in Chicago lies the greatest shop for musicians of all stripes in Midwest Buy & Sell. Since 1991, Midwest Buy & Sell has been the best-kept secret for aspiring and professionals musicians for its fine selection of guitars, basses, amplifiers, speakers and speaker cabinets. It's a rare day when they have a museum piece in stock, but they always have a good selection of vintage gear that's great for gigs and studio sessions - and they have very reasonable prices. There's plenty of gear of more recent vintage available too. The staff really knows what's in the store and can tell you everything about the gear that's caught your eye. They will also give a fair price on any gear you have lying around your place, either for cash or trade. And if you bring cash, they will give you the absolute best price they can on anything you want. If you don't find what you’re looking for, go again soon as the stock turns around pretty quickly. — Casey Moffitt
Midwest Buy & Sell is located at 6019 W. Irving Park Road.
The Spice House
Ruth and Bill Penzey, Sr. opened their first spice store in Milwaukee in 1957 and The Spice House has grown under the watch of daughter Patty Erd and husband Tom to include locations in Evanston, Geneva and, since 2001, in Old Town. The Spice House has cured my bacon on more than one occasion. I’ve been able to find herbs, spices and spice mixes for almost any recipe I’ve used in home cooking. The Erds and their staff are friendly, knowledgeable and will almost always find the right spices for your needs. — Chuck Sudo
The Spice House is located at 1512 N. Wells St.
Bookman’s Corner
I have been slow to join the e-book world. I just can't curl up with a book on a screen as I can with a paper book. The tactile feel of turning paper pages, the sound and the weight of the book are things that I am not ready to give up. There is another slightly peculiar reason I can't give up paper books: the smell. Old books with leather binding, pages yellowed with age, give off an intoxicating aroma that no technology will ever be able to replicate. Walking into Bookman's Corner, the smell of the 35-40,000 books that await inspection is a smell like no other. Opened in 1984, the store has been offering the best in "rare, medium and well done" used books to Chicago. This is indeed a store you browse since the organization skews more hoarder than your typical used book store. Give yourself time, however, and you will find a book that you will want to hold in your hands and treasure. — Paul Leddy
Bookman's Corner is located at 2959 N. Clark St.
Strange Cargo
They’re a go-to shop for custom t-shirts, but there’s a lot more than screen-printing going on at this Wrigleyville mainstay. If you’re looking for a gift that’s out of the ordinary, or knickknacks that remind you of decades past, this is the place. From Saved By The Bell trading cards and Michael Jordan valentines to vintage fashion and Chuck Taylors, Strange Cargo has unexpected finds everywhere you look. The shop celebrated its 30th anniversary this year, with the current owners, Jay and Sheldon, in place since 1993. The custom printing side of business came about when the pair happened upon a shuttered t-shirt shop during one of their trips scouring the country for unique wares. They purchased the shop’s contents, and the rest, as they say, is history. I challenge you to find a shop with a larger variety or more clever designs to choose from. St. Paddy's Day and all the local sports teams make up a lot of their specialty prints that you won’t find anywhere else. — Michelle Meywes
Strange Cargo is located at 3448 N. Clark St.
Up Down Cigar Shop
Diana Silvius opened this tobacco shop in Old Town 50 years ago and her cigar store Indians still lock their steely gazes on customers entering today. Up Down started as a background operation to a Beat era-inspired art gallery but by 1965 Silvius decided her future was in tobacco and expanded the store to its current location, using her skills as a painter and copper enamelist to create a unique retail space. Up Down’s tobacco selection ranges from cheap cigars, loose leaf and cigarettes to a line of cigars specifically rolled to Silvius’s specifications. If I was still a smoker I would spend a fortune here. — Chuck Sudo
Up Down Cigar is located at 1550 N. Wells St.
Uncle Fun
I have an affinity for knick knacks. It’s a love that eventually leads to frequent trips to Uncle Fun in Lakeview. It’s hard to deem this shop a “toy store” as the majority of its toys appeal more to adults than laptop-toting babies of the aughts. Bride of Chucky bobbleheads? I’ve seen them there. Old school Super Mario hologram stickers? I have one stuck to my computer. Just the right amount of vintage appeal makes Uncle Fun—always packed to the gills with merchandise—a fun spot to spend an hour. Whether you’re looking for a gag gift—an electronic shock pen or bacon-patterned Band-Aids—or a heartfelt present for that friend with niche interests like, say, Star Wars or Spiderman, you’ll find it here and have a blast doing so. — Katie Karpowicz
Uncle Fun is located at 1338 W. Belmont Ave.
Myopic Books
I'm a traditionalist when it comes to books and, while I can give an approving nod to the efficiency of the e-reader, I can't seem to stop weighing my bags down with the products of dead trees. I also love a good treasure hunt and there's always booty to be found among the floor-to-ceiling shelves at Myopic Books. Soak up the scent of old books while you seek out something rare, signed or first edition, or meander the sci-fi section down in the basement and you'll inevitably find something you just must have. It's a great place to find gifts for the bibliophiles in your life that you just won't find at a big box store and it's a fun place to spend a fall afternoon. There's plenty to pore over on all three floors and even some chairs scattered here and there for getting acquainted. The store is open until 11 p.m. daily, so you’ll have time to spare. Used bookstores are one of my favorite things, and Myopic is one of the best. — Marielle Shaw
Myopic Books is located at 1564 N. Milwaukee Ave.
1000 Waves Spa
When I need to decompress and pamper myself, I head to 1000 Waves Spa right off Belmont and Racine. Opened in 1985 as a gym, 1000 Waves evolved into a women's only spa (sorry guys) that offers a safe and inviting environment to relax. Full disclosure, I briefly worked at the spa after college, but I’ve been going back ever since as a customer because it is such a wonderful business. They offer a variety of massages, herbal wraps and my favorite the spa bath visit. For $20 you get three hours to visit their steam room, dry sauna, hot tub and use of their relaxation room where they offer nap cubbies and tea. The dress code is nude, but if you are feeling a bit more modest you can bring a bathing suit to wear and they offer robes (in all sizes as well) to wear outside of the spa baths. The business is local, they are active in the community and even created a stress management program to offer women with cancer complimentary massages. Head over to Belmont, ladies, and have a steam and soak at one of my favorite places in Chicago today. — Lisa White
1000 Waves Spa is located at 1212 W. Belmont Ave
American Science and Surplus
American Science and Surplus is one of those stores you could spend hours wasting an afternoon just marveling at everything they have to offer. Everything in the store has to have some connection to science (this is a loose rule) and everything is surplus. If you want to buy a huge box of beakers or build a robot, this is your place. And since the stock is rotating, there will be something new each time you visit. Currently in their new items section they have a Rube Goldberg kit, surplus china plates from American Airlines, fake security cameras and a big box of springs. And since it is surplus, most of the things in the store are dirt cheap. Although chances are you’ll leave with more random stuff than you expected to buy in the first place. They have three locations including one in Milwaukee and one in Geneva, but we stick to their far Northwest side store because of the added bonus of it being right by Superdawg. An afternoon at Science and Surplus followed by a Whoopskidawg and strawberry shake sounds like a perfect afternoon to me. — Lisa White
American Science and Surplus is located at 5316 N. Milwaukee Ave
Beverly Records
Crate diggers and vinyl aficionados will fall in love with this 46-year-old shop that's jam-packed with rare finds, if you take the time to dig. They also sell CDs, laserdiscs, 8-tracks and cassettes, but the draw is finding something on vinyl you may have lost or never heard of that makes an ideal addition to your record collection. If you're a tavern owner or someone that owns a jukebox, Beverly Records has a 45 club with a $10 registration that gets you a 10 percent discount on all 45s, custom printed labeling and a newsletter letting you know of new 45s that arrived in the store. — Chuck Sudo
Beverly Records is located at 11612 S. Western Ave.
Seminary Co-Op Bookstore
Member-owned, operated and proudly independent since 1961, Seminary Co-Op's reach and influence spans the globe with over 53,000 members. It's easy to join the co-op. Shares are sold for $10 each; a $30 purchase makes you a member with an annual purchase credit equal to 10% of their prior year's purchase. So not only are you investing in one of Chicago's best bookstores, but follow in a tradition of intellectuals including Saul Bellow, Susan Sontag, the late Mayor Harold Washington and Barack and Michelle Obama. Seminary Co-Op's 57th Street bookstore is widely regarded as stocking one of the best and largest inventories of academic books in the country. The Co-op has grown to include bookstores at the Newberry Library and 57th Street Books in Hyde Park. — Chuck Sudo
Seminary Co-Op Bookstore is located at 5751 S. Woodlawn Ave.
Quimby's Bookstore
This Wicker Park store hasn't strayed far from its independent mindset and championing of weird, offbeat and eclectic publications since Steven Svymbersky opened it on Damen in 1991. Current owner Eric Kirsammer (who also owns Chicago Comics in Lakeview) maintained that focus and helped facilitate Quimby's move to its current location on North Avenue. Today Quimby's is your main source for comics, zines and independent booksellers, hosts events featuring the authors of those works and still has a solid working relationship with artist Chris Ware who designed the store's logo, Quimby the Mouse. — Chuck Sudo
Quimby's Bookstore is located at 1854 W. North Ave.