Recent Store Openings - Multiple Choices, Stinky Pants, Uncle Dan's Outdoor Store (March 07)

Locally-owned businesses are what make every city and neighborhood unique. Each one of these three stores adds something special to its locale. Two are long-time successes that are expanding with multiple stores around the Chicago area. The third, Stinky Pants, looks like another candidate for long-time success.  

 

Multiple Choices

4612 N. Lincoln Ave. (Lincoln Square)
Chicago, IL
773.334.6900

(Other locations: Winnetka and Lincoln Park)

www.shopmultiplechoices.com

The third location of this self-described gift shop in Lincoln Square follows the formula of the other two, providing a wealth of unique and personalized gifts for new mothers, new brides, sports enthusiasts, and more. The store's feminine appeal is evident in the abundance of floral-designed items and soft baby wares.  

There are personalized towels and stationery, Kimono Rose and The Thymes lotions, and Vera Bradley luggage. Multiple Choices is a great place to pick up a wedding or engagement gift, choosing from such home-oriented items as a monogrammed ice buckets or a casserole caddy. Doting moms can get cute baby items, including burpers, bibs, and picture frames, with baby's name on nearly everything.  

But there is also a rough and tumble side of Multiple Choices that would appeal to almost any college football fan. There’s a fair-sized collection of college-themed goods, like Buckopoly, the Ohio State Monopoly game, talking bottle openers, University of Michigan tumblers, and “My first text book” about Wake Forest and Oklahoma Universities. Among the great gifts for men are Vineyard Vine ties and cummerbund sets. And Tervis Tumblers can be personalized with names, clubs, or university team names, $16 apiece, $45 for set of 4.   

Good find? Custom clogs for women for $140. The sample looks like they'll be comfortable on anybody's feet.  

Multiple Choices is available for wedding registries.

 

 

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Stinky Pants

844 W. Armitage Ave.  (Lincoln Park)
Chicago, IL  
773.281.4002

www.stinky-pants.com 

 

With a name like Stinky Pants, you know this store has to be good. While children’s boutiques have been popping up all around this area, this shop is for all the hipsters who are determined to stay cool, even though they are parents.   

Before you even step inside the store, you know toddlers and babies are  welcome here. There's a carousel of horses outside of the entrance, and for fifty cents you can give your little one a ride just like the one you remember. There's a frog version inside.   

This store is vibrant with primary colors, striped walls, and a back room reserved for “The Stinky Lounge,” a happening place for kids to play while parents shop (and a useful bribe that gets them to come shopping in the first place).   

What is cuter in this world than a headbanger baby? I don’t know, but at Stinky Pants you can turn your baby into a jazz, punk or heavy metal fan with some of their music-themed clothing for bands like Aerosmith, The Ramones, AC/DC and Billie Holiday.   

There are other sassy pieces of clothing, like shirts that say, “My mom is muy caliente” and “will work for milk.” These cost between $34 and $43. Toddlers are hip in cool threads like a pink faux fur vest and a leopard print outfit. Oh, and what baby girl would feel cool without a hot pair of leopard print shoes?   

More traditional baby gear like knit dolls and toys are also available. Good find? Aside from The Ramones shirts, the Hooter Hider, a nursing cover designed for privacy, is inventive and stylish.

 

 

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Uncle Dan’s Outdoor Store

3551 N. Southport Ave.  (Lakeview)
Chicago, IL  
773.348.5800

(Other locations: Lincoln Park, Evanston, and Highland Park)

www.uncledansonline.com 

 

The fourth location for this local outdoor and travel store, Uncle Dan’s is in the heart of Lakeview's Southport Ave. corridor, and close enough to Wrigley Field that fans can pick up something warm on their way to an unexpectedly chilly night game.  

There’s nothing too fancy or chic about Uncle Dan’s, just good, quality merchandise for bicycling, camping, and other outdoor activities. This location has two floors of the best brands in outerwear, including Patagonia, North Face and Timbuk2. They also carry Crocs shoes in every imaginable color and style.   

The first floor has clothing and some accessories. On the basement level, the outdoor equipment includes everything from tents, shoes and messenger bags to wax-dipped chocolate bars that can sweeten up a camping trip, even if they do look like pricey soaps.   

Need to snag a snack while hiking? Check out the “energizing” jelly beans. Good find? 100% merino wool men's and women's underwear made to combat cold weather, and Ex Officio underwear that claims to be odor resistant and ready for multi-day use. Best find? Build your own messenger bag from TImbuk2. (Done over the internet, with the purchase of a $100 gift card.)

 

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We recommend checking with stores for product availability, prices and store hours. Suggested prices may change without notice.  SeeMore Shopping is not responsible for errors or omissions.

SeeMore Shopping Contributing Writer - C. Magnotta

Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. SeeMoreShopping incurs all expenses associated with reviews.  Publ. 03/24/07.