Best Sellers in Chicago, Illinois

by JoAnne Stone-Geier [1]

Endo-Exo Apothecary

Owner Stephanie Salerno-Walls describes her shop as a beauty boutique, a description that seems more than appropriate. The diverse product selection at this eclectic shop includes luxury lines such as makeup from Japan, handcrafted hair accessories, one-of-a-kind jewelry and aromatherapy candles for the home. Located in the heart of Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, Endo-Exo plays up its apothecary theme with interesting pharmacy cabinets to stock its wares. Just in case the customer needs some guidance, Endo-Exo offers lessons in makeup application. The beauty doesn't end at the store. Gifts and purchases are wrapped in custom hatboxes in beautiful pastel patterns.

Best Sellers

Bath-and-body products: Bliss and Red Flower
Home accessories: candles by Red Flower
Aromatherapy : candles by Tocca
Makeup: Shu uemura (from Japan)
Hair and Apparel: T-shirts by Wolford
Jewelry: fine jewelry by Sage and casual jewelry by patch NYC

Stephanie Salerno-Walls
Chicago, IL
773.525.0500
EndoExo.com [2]

All She Wrote

This cozy Lincoln Park shop is one of two branches of All She Wrote in the Chicago area. The store specializes in printing and printed products for all kinds of occasions and categories like weddings, baby announcements and kid-friendly stationery. Chic invitation stationery and monogrammed gifts rule at the shop, which also trains novices on the intricacies of correspondence etiquette. Chicago brides and bridesmaids know that invitations and gifts from All She Wrote are always correct and stylish. This is a full-service store with in-house printing accounting for more than 50 percent of business. All She Wrote also stocks home accessories like candles and gifts for men, women and children.

Best Sellers

Custom stationery: Crane & Co. and William Arthur
Greeting cards: Jenny Sweeney
Monogrammed baby gifts: Sweater, baby blankets by A Soft Idea; Hooded baby towel by 3 Marthas
Bridesmaids' gifts: Favor boxes by b.t. Elements
Other gifts:Custom circular stamps by Three Designing Women

Wendy Beard
Chicago, IL
773.529.0100
AllSheWrote.com [3]

Veni Vidi Val

Val Evans definitely knows the classics, and how to update them. Evans keeps refining her vision by finding artisans who create functional art keeping today's customers and their needs in mind. Apparel and jewelry, furniture and decorative products—everything here is a work of art. Evans knows why her customers come to her store—chances are they will find pieces here that they can really treasure.

Best Sellers

Jewelry: Dawn Pye and Ayala Bar
Tabletop accessories: Silver serving pieces by Michael Aram
Apparel: Studio 90
Furniture: Handmade "character" chairs by Todd Fendos
Clocks: Silvano Gaspary

Details for You and Your Home
Val Evans
LaGrange, IL
708.354.3686

Treehouse Boutique

Krygowski is an artist from California. She planned her children's boutique to use bright colors and open spaces. The boutique is especially nice for infants and children through age 6.

It carries children's clothes that are fun and emphasize innocence, rather than dressing kids like little adults. Krygowski selects apparel, toys, books and gifts that are available in limited editions and are known for their quality and distinctiveness. Mom is not forgotten either; Treehouse carries lotions and bags just for her. All of the boutique's displays are on wheels, so Krygowski can change the layout of the store at will, keeping the look of open, clean contemporary spaces.

Best Sellers

Toys: Crocheted animals by blabla
Books: How to be a Princess (Interactive)
Apparel: 1/2 doz. fancy socks by Best of Chums and Trumpette
For Mom: Bags by Queen Bee Creations
Bath-and-body: Just Add Water

Jill Krygowski
Forest Part, IL
708.488.9780

Vaughn's Garden and Gift Store

The garden center has been an institution for more than 100 years. Because of the short growing season, Chicagoans don't take their gardens for granted, so reputation is important for a garden center. Vaughn's definitely has a good one. Its gift shop makes up about a third of the store. It is not just an extension for garden accessories, but also a complete store of garden-inspired items, from furniture to tabletop accessories to one of the largest selections of Department 56 villages.

Best Sellers

Seasonal: Department 56
Bath-and-body: Crabtree & Evelyn
Candles: Colonial
Garden furniture: Campania
Paper and party goods: Caspari

Scott & Debbie Gross
Pam Roberts, Buyer
Western Springs, IL
708.246.3540

Source URL: http://www.giftshopmag.com/2006/fall/gift_shop_stories/what_sells_in_chicago_illinois