Located on Chicago’s north side, the neighborhood of Andersonville is touted as the “shop local capital of Chicago.” The historic neighborhood famed for its Swedish routes is a hotbed for restaurants, cafes, and locally owned shops and boutiques. Find everything including antique emporiums, fine jewelers, handmade goods, and posh pet stores.
The Andersonville Neighborhood
Andersonville is a charming area within the north side neighborhood of West Edgewater. It is known for its Swedish heritage, 19th-century row houses, and bustling shopping district concentrated along Clark Street. To get here, take the Chicago L Red Line or the Union Pacific North train. Make it a weekend and stay at one of the area’s chic boutique hotels: The Guesthouse Hotel or The Flats at Loyola Station.
For entertainment, Edgewater is home to 22 local theaters showing everything from intimate performances to jaw-dropping productions. When it comes to food, enjoy Andersonville’s Swedish heritage in the form of its quaint restaurants and bakeries. You can also visit the Swedish American Museum to learn about the area’s immigrant community.
Andersonville Shops
To explore the area’s local shops, start at Clark Street and Foster Avenue and work your way north along Clark Street. There, you’ll stumble upon an array of locally owned boutiques full of clothing, jewelry, and housewares.
The crown jewel, perhaps, is Andersonville Galleria. There, the galleria’s three floors are home to more than 50 vendors selling handmade and vintage goods, plus artwork, giftware, gourmet treats, and accessories. Stone and gem collectors will love On The Rocks, and comic collectors can’t miss AlleyCat Comics.
Vintage and antique lovers should stop into Tilly, Roost, Scout, and Brimfield for retro clothing, jewelry and home goods. There’s also Andersonville Antiques, home to a mix of vintage furniture, home decor, jewelry, accessories and Collectables. You can spend hours here sifting through nostalgic finds and unusual books. If you prefer contemporary home decor, stop into Norcross and Scott, an interior design studio and shop selling modern furniture and accessories with an urban aesthetic.
For on-trend boutiques, there’s Milk Handmade, which supports a network of local, independent designers creating one-of-a-kind accessories, clothing, and home decor. Bring an utterly cool gift back home from Transit Tees, where you’ll find locally crafted Chicago gifts. True to its name, there’s an array of transit-inspired clothing and Chicago-themed artwork.
Passionate about a cause? Shop GreenSky, which sells handcrafted pieces through an eco-conscious lens. You’ll find an array of accessories, handbags, and gifts, all sourced from midwestern artists. Andersonville is also home to Women & Children First, an independent bookstore known for feminist and children–focused content. Check who will be in town during your stay, as the shop is home to frequent author appearances.