Lakeview
Lakeview has its own distinctive shopping neighborhoods. The Belmont area is a popular destination for shoppers looking for edgier clothing and accessories, and club-going younger fashions.
For colorful clothing, accessories and gift stores, East Lakeview/Boystown is a prime spot to visit. For the upscale experience, local shoppers can find designer labels and fashionable finds in the popular Southport Corridor. For all things Cubby, head over to Wrigleyville, where sports and souvenir stores are prevalent, especially across the street from Wrigley Field at Sheffield & Clark.
Although The Gap and American Apparel have stores in this area, it's not filled with national brands and big box stores. Lincoln Park is better suited to these tastes.
The real charm of the neighborhood is in the eclectic independent stores.
Belmont/Clark
On Belmont, you are likely to pass a group of young professional women on their way to brunch, or a herd of teens with hair spiked to the extreme.
Catering to this diverse customer base is the area's unique stretch of stores showcasing alternative styles (punk, funk, or vintage), and affordable trendy clothes for the club-going twenty-somethings.
Most must-see stores along Belmont are located between Sheffield and Halsted Streets. The anchor store of this neighborhood is The Alley in the Alternative Shopping Complex at Belmont and Clark, where you will find leather jackets, funky shoes, “smoking accessories,” band shirts, hair dye, body piercings, and more.
Love vintage? Don’t miss out on Land of the Lost, a small shop towards Broadway with fun clothes and great 80's nostalgia. The street also has its share of fun music and novelty stores
East Lakeview / Boystown
The Gay Pride parade sashays up Broadway and down Halsted once a year, but every day of the year there's evidence in the surrounding neighborhood that Boystown is not just a movie orphanage.
The welcoming rainbow-clad golden pylons on Halsted Street are a colorful sign that this is a gay-friendly zone. More evidence could be the number of feather boas sold here.
As in every Chicago neighborhood, local stores cater to local tastes. And the neighborhood's lifestyle preferences are celebrated by shops that carry everything from adult toys and novelty gifts to "in" clothing and accessories.
A number of home furnishings and specialty stores, including Equinox and Guava Imports, cater to universal tastes. But regardless of your style or lifestyle preferences, you won't have any difficulty finding that feather boa for the next parade.
Southport Avenue Corridor
Southport is an upscale village in the middle of a large city, with lots of charming, independent boutiques offering unique clothes and gifts as their main attraction.
More family-oriented than its neighbors to the north and east, baby boutiques and dessert cafes make clear that young mothers are Southport’s most frequent shoppers.
This area of Lakeview, on North Southport, has become a hot destination for trendy shops. Want the latest in designer denim, or the must-haves from head to toe, stop into Tula, Flirt, Krista K, Jake, or Red Head Boutique.
For the little ones, you can’t miss Beansprout or Petite Feet for clothing and accessories. And when it's time for a relaxing lunch or sweet treat, Southport Grocery and Cafe is a great place for both.
Wrigleyville – Home to the Chicago Cubs and The Cubby Bear Chicago and Vines on Clark
Beer and restaurants are ample in Wrigleyville, though shopping opportunities are not. But if you are a Cubs fan, or have one in your life, Wrigleyville is the best place to go.
Cubs paraphernalia of all stripes are available (need a pink Cubs thong?) along with jerseys for other Chicago teams, like the Bears and Bulls. The concentration of souvenir stores, as well as the street carts on game days, allows for quick bargain hunting and price comparisons.
As long as you’re in the area, stop into Strange Cargo, a local favorite for vintage clothing, accessories and collectibles that will take you back to the 70's and 80’s.
