Evanston and Skokie, suburban neighbors that begin the stretch of North Shore communities just a few miles above Chicago, are easily accessible for shoppers looking for a change of pace.  

Bordering Lake Michigan and home to Northwestern University’s main campus, Evanston is a quiet, well-heeled suburb, far less crowded than the bustling streets of Chicago. Locally owned specialty stores are abundant, and recent condo developments have rejuvenated the area, bringing with them more commercial space and retail choices.

For shoppers looking for the nearest concentration of name-brand stores, Westfield Old Orchard Shopping Center in Skokie lies just to the west of Evanston.

With more than 180 shops in close quarters, the stores in this outdoor mall are close enough to make walking from store to store not uncomfortable, even in winter.  



Chicago shoppers' bonus: both suburbs' shopping centers are accessible by CTA.   

Evanston

This area has plenty of shopping options. With three distinctive commercial districts, Central Street, Davis Street, and Main Street, the large selection of specialty shops will seem like heaven to an avid shopper, especially on those perfect days when the sun is shining and a stroll outside between shops is delightful.  

National chains are within walking distance of Northwestern’s campus, and it’s not hard to see that they cater to that crowd. Barnes & Noble, Borders, Cost Plus World Market, American Apparel, and Urban Outfitters are just a few of the chains you’ll find here.  

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Central Street 

Unlike Evanston’s two other commercial districts, there are no condos under construction here. And the colorful storefronts of the street's distinctive single-story buildings evoke the feeling of a quaint downtown.

Don’t decorate a home without checking the stores on Central Street. Convenient to the Central Metra station, and a long but pleasant walk from the Purple Line, this thriving commercial district has more than a dozen stores selling decorative objects and furniture, everything from designer kitchens to distinctive dishes. Central Street has plenty of options for what to put in those distinctive plates, too, with such mouth-watering gourmet shops as Great Harvest.  

While Central Street is set in a residential neighborhood, the nearby Northwestern University Wildcats stadium can attract crowds. Which makes Let’s Tailgate the perfect spot to pick up gifts for Wildcats fans.

What You’ll Find Here:

Accessories: Dancing Bear Gallery 

Children/Baby: Hand Me Downs, Mud Pies

Clothing & Accessories: Beadazzled, Before the Ballet, Evanston Imprintables, Lois & Co., Let’s Tailgate, Montoya Fabric Studio, Stella 

Grocery & Gourmet Foods: Foodstuffs, Great Harvest, The Spice House, Tag’s Bakery and Pastry Shop 

Home Furnishings: Chester and Chester Distinctive Kitchens and Baths, Den Antiques, Etienne Vintage Home & Lighting,  George Ritzlin Antique Maps and Prints, Hiltie’s, Karlson Kitchens, Mindshape Adornments, Rouzati’s Oriental Rugs, Stella, Table Manners, Tucker Gallery, Urban Totems,

Specialty/Gifts: Perennials, Preston’s Flower and Gifts, The Needle’s Excellency

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Davis Street

Just a short walk to Lake Michigan and the main campus of Northwestern University, Evanston's centrally located corridor is home to national chains such as Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, and Cost Plus World Market, with more national stores on the way.  

New high-rise condo buildings are going up with first-floor retail shops, including a future home for a Pier One store and a recently relocated Barnes & Noble. The noisy construction vies with the mall-like atmosphere created by the lawns and fountains of the area’s office buildings.   

All this new construction doesn’t seem to threaten the neighborhood's small independent stores, such as Bookman’s Alley, The Things We Love, the holistic pet store Kiss My K9, and a Dr. Wax used record store.  

So far, the area strikes a shopper-pleasing balance between national chains and independent stores.  

What You’ll Find Here:

Accessories: Hanig’s Footwear 

Children’s Stores: Wild Child 

Clothing & Accessories: Accents Plus, American Apparel, Asinamali, Fashion Tomato, The Gap, New Attitude, New Water, Ten Q, Uncle Dan’s, Urban Outfitters 

Grocery/Gourmet Foods: Whole Foods Market

Home Furnishings: The Alley Gallery, The Architects Wife, Cassona, Cost Plus World Market, Design Within Reach, Eli Peer Oriental Rugs, 57 Street Bookcase and Cabinet, Herman Miller, Interior Effects,Tom Thumb Hobby and Crafts

Specialty/Gifts: Barnes & Noble, Bookman’s Alley, Borders, Comix Revolution, Dr. Wax, Kiss My K9, The Things We Love, Vintage Vinyl Records 

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Main Street

Main Street is a great location for searching for home accents or antiques, with stores like Toad Creek Antiques and The Furniture Shoppe. Which is fitting, since the neighborhood's lovely old buildings with wrought-iron detail easily evoke nostalgia for the old days.  

With its numerous thrift stores, this is a great street for finding bargains, both unique and neat. But savvy shoppers should keep their eyes on this neighborhood. Just like Davis, new condo high-rises are appearing in this slice of Evanston, and these tall buildings promise new commercial space that will surely attract shops and shoppers.  

This neighborhood is also a great place to do some early evening shopping before having dinner in one of its fine restaurants, such as Oceanique.  

What You’ll Find Here:

Accessories: Main Street Jewelers, Virag Jewelers 

Clothing & Accessories: BrasilianSoul, Children’s Playground, Classy Closet

Grocery & Gourmet Foods: Belgian Chocolatier Piron

Home Furnishings: Casita Azul, Cyrus Oriental Rugs, Eureka Antiques & Collectibles, Evanston Lumber Co. Design Center, Plain and Simple, Ten Thousand Villages, Toad Creek Antiques 

Specialty/Gift Stores: Casita Azul, Chicago Rare Book Center, Dave’s Down to Earth Rock Shop, Guitarworks, PM Woodwind, Vogue Fabrics

Thrift Stores:Classy Closet, Ort Resale, Thrift House of Junior League

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Skokie

With over 180 stores including familiar favorites such as Abercrombie & Fitch, The Apple Store, Crate & Barrel, The Disney Store and Express, the Westfield Old Orchard Mall could be described as a horizontal or breath-of-fresh-air Magnificent Mile, with shop-to-shop walking and free parking outdoors.  

The shopping center houses four major department stores, Bloomingdale’s, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, and Nordstrom, and brand name stores not found in Downtown Chicago including Bailey, Banks & Biddle, Coldwater Creek, Forth & Towne, Janie & Jack, and Nike Women.

Downtown Skokie has only a few specialty shops and restaurants, although a turnaround might occur in the near future, thanks to new condominium developments.

Newly Opened: Sterling Works.  

What You’ll Find Here:

Accessories: Aldo Shoes, Bailey, Banks & Biddle, Clark’s Shoes, Coach, Helzberg Diamonds, Swarovski Crystal, Tiffany & Co.

Children’s Stores: The Disney Store, Gymboree, Janie & Jack

Clothing & Accessories:  Abercrombie & Fitch, A/X Armani Exchange, Banana Republic, Bebe, Brooks Brothers, Cache, Chico’s, Coldwater Creek, Express, Forth & Towne, Guess, J. Crew, Lacoste, United Colors of Bennetton 

Department Stores: Bloomingdale’s, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Nordstrom

Home Furnishings: Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Toms-Price Home Furnishings

Grocery & Gourmet Foods:  Ethel M., Godiva, Oil & Vinegar

Health & Beauty: The Body Shop, H20 Plus, L'Occitane, Sephora

Specialty/Gift Stores:  The Apple Store, Brookstone, Nike Women, Sony Style, Spencer Gifts

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Neighborhood Associations: Evanston www.cityofevanston.org,  Chicago Dempster Merchant Association  www.shopevanston.com,
Chicago's North Shore Convention & Visitors Bureau  www.cnscvb.com,  Skokie Chamber of Commerce  www.skokiechamber.org

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Photos courtesy of The Spice House, Westfield Old Orchard

SeeMore Shopping Contributing Writer - C. Magnotta.

Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. SeeMoreShopping incurs all expenses associated with reviews.   Publ. 10/06.