Chicago
Old ironing boards serve as display tables, and tape measures, scissors and other designers’ tools hang from vintage hooks. You get that crafting feeling…
Must-see shopping in The Great Lakes
Chicago
Pop into this branch of the Asian grocery store chain when the urge strikes for fresh squid, fish balls, roasted chestnuts, banana chips or green tea Kit…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
The smallish shop carries lots of soul and funk vinyl, plus a bit of everything else, from stoner doom to Native American ballads. It's also a great place…
Chicago
Walk around the big, open room where some 50 different African American vendors sell their jewelry, head wraps, dolls, T-shirts, purses, spice mixes,…
Chicago
This retro store stocks hipster wear, platform shoes, wigs and a mind-blowing array of kitschy T-shirts. Staff will iron on decals of Harry Caray, Mike…
Cleveland
The nifty gifty store next to the Cleveland Visitors Center sells mostly fun T-shirts with city themes (ie Burning River Surf Club, the Lake Erie Monster)…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Stacks and racks of premium denim fill this roomy shop, which feels a bit like a country store, albeit one stocked with leather boots, fashionable women's…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
You can buy, sell or trade your duds at this well-regarded secondhand clothing shop for men and women. Part of a national chain, the Wicker Park outpost…
Northern Minnesota
A groovy neon sign beckons you in to where four generations of Kendall folk have cooked up the locally plucked trout and line-caught Alaskan salmon. Buy a…
Gold Coast
It's touristy but a hoot to see all the products: cherry ketchup, cherry-dusted tortillas, cherry butter, cherry wine – you get the point. Most of it…
Chicago
EK takes up a few storefronts with its miles of aisles of dishwares, incense, T-shirts, stuffed animals, bamboo plants, stationery, coin purses and Hello…
Chicago
This indie shop is known for its stellar gay and lesbian section (including gay fiction, gay parenting and queer spirituality), as well as travel, sci-fi…
Chicago
Barneys provides the quintessential Gold Coast shopping experience, with six floors sparkling with mega-high-end designer goods. Up in the penthouse is…
Chicago
The independent Book Cellar is an integral part of the Lincoln Square neighborhood. Local book groups hold their meetings here, and authors do readings…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
When hip west-side twenty-somethings decide to get steady jobs and start having kids, this is where they outfit the li’l pups. Adorable clothes, classic…
Chicago
Pop in to peruse humorous, often naughty, one-of-a-kind greeting cards, bookmarks, coffee cups, magnets, coasters and posters. The cards are printed by…
Milwaukee
This downtown meat counter, housed in Usinger's original sausage-making plant, is the ideal spot to pick up some of the smoked meats, brats and Polish…
Chicago
Here's another Apple branch to help with all of your iPhone, iPad and other iNeeds. It's fronted by a plaza with a fountain, and tables and chairs where…
Chicago
Proceeds benefit the Howard Brown Health Center, which specializes in health care for the LGBT communities. The shop has a consistently good selection of…
Chicago
This compact artist-run gallery and shop sells distinctive silk-screened T-shirts, zines, cards, posters and small paintings on canvas. Everything is…
Indianapolis
Purchase a bottle of mead made by a couple of enthusiastic former beekeepers at this store. Sip the honeyed wares in the tasting room before making your…
Minnesota
Hardy Bauer’s Market is open year-round selling local produce as well as garden supplies and gifts – say, a fish-toting gnome or giant mushroom – many…
Wisconsin
Follow your nose to Roth, a store and factory where you can watch cheesemakers in action from the observation deck (weekday mornings only) and delve into…
Chicago
City Lit is a modern, generalist bookstore that often hosts readings by local authors. It's a good place to browse if you're waiting for a table at one of…
Northern Minnesota
The downtown retail outlet for Lake Superior magazine is a good source of books and maps about the lake and surrounding region, as well as T-shirts,…
Cleveland
The European-style market overflows with greengrocers and their fruit and vegetable pyramids, as well as purveyors of Hungarian sausage, Italian cannoli…
Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery
Wisconsin
This creamery is the cheese-curd maker for A&W and Dairy Queen, and a prime place to savor the squeaky goodness hot off the press (11am is prime time).
Gold Coast
Drier's butcher shop has been around since Civil War days. It's filled with antique grinders and cleavers, as well as the famous smoked meats.
Gold Coast
Have a look around the town's popular market brimming with veggies, cheeses, breads, antiques, arts and crafts, food trucks and live music.
Wisconsin
Atmospheric used book store close to the university and well worth a stop to have a browse.
Minnesota
Find this legendary local bookshop west of downtown on the Macalester College campus.
Chicago
Every Sunday hundreds of vendors set up stalls that sell everything from Jesus statues to 10 packs of tube socks to power tools. The market has become a…
Ohio
More than 100 artists, designers and performers have studios at this cavernous, revamped warehouse. It hosts a cool craft market from noon to 4pm the last…
Illinois
Its hidden alley location gives this Evanston bookshop a magical feel, and inside the wonders continue: a deceptively tiny storefront unexpectedly expands…
Chicago
Lori’s caters to shoe junkies, who tear through boxes and tissue paper to get at Franco Sarto, Fabio Rusconi and other European brands. The general frenzy…
Chicago
This place is a shopping double act. Upstairs is a sedate collection of antique furniture, old wooden chests, elegant housewares like cut-crystal…
Michigan
Vendors have been hawking gorgeous fruit, veggies, baked goods, herbs and flowers here since 1922. There's a vaulted roof over the top, but the market is…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Ragstock is a giant shop for new and used clothing where you can find all sorts of idiosyncratic outfits. There are plenty of Halloween costumes, as well…
Chicago
This throwback to the 1960s focuses on hip, comfortable shoes for men, women and children. Brands include Dansko, Ecco, Naot, Birkenstock, Merrell, Keen…
Chicago
It's not big, it's not flashy and it doesn't host many author events. Instead this small, general-interest Printer's Row shop, owned by the same couple…
