Chicago

I too findmyself in Chicago quite often. Aside from the department stores (Saks, Neimans, Barney's, Nordstroms, Bloomingdales) that are in the Magnificent Mile there is also a L'Artisan Parfumeur boutique in The Shops at 900 and I have found some great deals (a bottle of Palais Jamais for $25) at Filene's Basement. And that's not mentioning all of the designer boutiques - Prada, Yves Saint Laurent, Jil Sander, Chanel, Burberry, Ralph Lauren, Hermes, Armani and more! Also, I heard that Truefitt & Hill, a barbershop in The Shops at 900, also sell fragrances, I think I read that they sell Panhaligon's.

L'Artisan's boutique in Water Tower Place is now closed. However, ubuandibeme & I did find L'Artisan fragrances at Barneys, C.O. Bigelow (in Water Tower Place), and the Blue Mercury store in Lincoln Park.

A brief recap, as near as I can recall:

Aroma Workshop:
Lincoln Park, 2050 N. Halsted St. • (773) 871-1985
Create a custom fragrance from dozens of notes available at their scent bar. They also offer a full line of unscented bath & body products that can be blended with your customized fragrance. Fun little shop, and Ted enjoys his work!

ArtEffects, a "modern-day general store"
934 West Armitage • (773) 929-3600
Very small selection: Apothia, Danica Aromatics, Sage Machado, Soular Therapy's Astrological Aromatherapy Collection, Sula

Barneys New York:
25 E Oak St. • (312) 587-1700
Mon - Sat: 10am - 7pm • Sun: 12pm - 6pm
Acqua di Parma, Antonia's Flowers, Byredo, Comme des Garçons, Costume National, The Different Company, Diptyque, Frederic Malle, Gendarme, L'Artisan, Les Parfums de Rosine, Nanadebary, Parfums Delrae, Serge Lutens, Tocca

Bloomingdales
Chicago Place, 900 North Michigan Ave. • (312) 587-8962

Blue Mercury
Lincoln Park, 2208 North Halsted • (773) 327-6900
Acqua di Parma, Annick Goutal, Bobbi Brown, Comptoir Sud Pacifique, Creed, Diptyque, Fresh, L'Artisan, L'Occitane, Tocca, Trish McEvoy

Chanel
935 North Michigan Ave. • (312) 787-5500
Full range of Les Exclusifs

C.O. Bigelow
Water Tower Place, 845 N Michigan Ave. # 420 • (312) 642-0551
06130 Zéro Six Cent-Trente, Acqua di Parma, Anthony Logistics, Carthusia, Crabtree & Evelyn, Fresh, Geo F. Trumper, L'Artisan, L'Occitane, Nasomatto, Tocca, Shiseido, Zirh

Hermès
110 E Oak St. • (312) 787-8175
Full range of the Hermèssence line, Un Jardin series, men's fragrances, women's fragrances. (We found our SA Mauricio to be very charming!)
_____

In the next 3, I just listed some lines that seemed to stand out from the usual shared department-store offerings.

Neiman Marcus
737 North Michigan Ave. • (312) 642-5900
Clive Christian, Jo Malone, Tom Ford

Nordstrom
The Shops at North Bridge, Michigan & Grand • (312) 464-1515
Armani Privé, D'Orsay, Guerlain bee bottles (Eau de Cologne, #68)

Saks 5th Avenue
700 N Michigan Ave. # 1 • (312) 944-6500
Armani Onde, Armani Privé, Bond No. 9, Caron, Lalique
______

Water Tower Place: The Body Shop, C.O. Bigelow, Crabtree & Evelyn, Macy's (with LUSH), Sephora
835 N. Michigan Ave.
Mon - Sat: 10am -9pm • Sun: 11am-6pm

It'd be awesome if people also listed their favorite "Hole in the Wall shops" There used to be an amazing one at the corner of chicago and rush but it disappeared. Everyone lets make a list
m

Hey there, marczilla. I look forward to meeting you in Chicago in August.

I suppose I should put the LINK to the Chicago perfume shops map in this thread, too.

There is also:

Prada
30 E Oak St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 951-1113

Yves Saint-Laurent
51 E Oak St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 751-8995

It's tragic that L'Artisan closed shop at Water Tower Place, but I have to agree that Barney's on Oak is spectacular - great, knowledgeable L'Artisan staff there.. AdP.. and many others. Neiman Marcus on Michigan Ave. is OK, but not spectacular.. there have been some rude SA's there. Saks 5th is great.

In great contrast to Barney's in Chicago is the Barney's in Seattle, WA. I asked to sample the Lutens line, and the guy working behind the counter was a really snide, unhelpful, "go out of his way to be obstenant" kind of person. I loved one of them but can't remember the name because I was so put off by the 'tude.

Rex, the Malle rep, at Barneys is great. He is very knowledgeable, helpful and generous - and handsome too.

Their Malle area is in the basement, right? Or am I thinking of Barneys on Madison Ave.?

In their new location, yes.

I've always found the people at saks very nice and the people at needless mark up horrendous (with the exception of the nice Guerlain rep but she doens't work for needless) but the people that work at Barney's here are always the best. Shopping there is really fun. They know a lot about their lines and clearly have fun working there. I wonder what happened to Nordie's? Their selection went from being the best to negligable over a period of months.
m

Hi everyone,
I'm not sure if this is where I should ask,
but does anyone know where it Chicago I might find
Lostmarch? I'm looking for a bottle of Lann-Ael...

Please PM is that's a better idea...
Many thanks in advance...

Just a heads up for those of you in the Chicago area- I've created a group called Basenotes Chicago to help organize meet-ups and trading. Join up if interested!

http://community.basenotes.net/group.php?groupid=60

I didn't see any mentions of Macy's aka Marshall Fields State Street store. It used to have a wonderful fragrance department, including a Merz Apothecary in the store. Has Macy's completely dismantled it?

What about Nordstrom? They used to the L'Arte de Parfum - is that gone?

I'll be in Chicago New Year's Eve and have a little shopping time, and was hoping I could see some new things at Macy's.

Merz is still there and stupendous.
Here's the follow-up report on that fabulous Chicago meet-up experience:
http://community.basenotes.net/showt...chicago+quarry

I will be in Chicago on vacation in early July!! This information has been very helpful.....Thanks to all who know this Great city.....I can't wait to check everything out!!!
Gary

This is brilliant. Thanks for the info. I am thinking about doing the day trip to Chicago and this is everything I need to know.

I'll be in Chicago this summer. Where can I find vintage and discontinued fragrances in the city?

I briefly stopped by the Water Tower shopping mall. I was underwhelmed by bigelow's selection. But Designer perfume, a regular perfume store for mainstream stuff, had some interesting things here and there. I found a big tester for Angel La Rose, encre noire for $70, and I set my eyes on a couple more things.

cacio

(For anyone reading this thread circa 2011 and beyond. Merz has moved from Macy's to the Palmer House Hilton Hotel.)

Thanks for mentioning Merz. Very interesting store. Many of the usual english-type brands (Penhaligon), but also a large selection of Farmacia Santa Maria Novella and a limited number of Dyptique. And cheap Pino silvestre.

I'm going to be in chicago for a few months, so I hope to find something else interesting. (For now, having left most of my stuff behind, I grabbed a couple of things at Barney's and the store in the Water tower).

cacio

I was at Nordstrom's on Michigan recently, and customers can now do their own decants with empty spray sample bottles. Easier than Sephora, since you don't have to enlist the aid of a salesperson. They had just put a bunch of Tom Fords out...Probably got $30 worth of frags! Gotta love it.

Good to read this thread. My wife and kids and I just moved to Chicago from Houston and are in corporate housing until we get our house. We walk the Magnificent Mile and the areas over here daily so I'll need to look around. So far I've only been to the State Street Macys and they have the regulars.

Any place I should go? It's my old home town, but I began my affair with perfume after I left and this is the first time back I will have any time on my own! Thanks so much.

Barney's on Oak street has many niches: Malle, Serge Lutens, Le Labo, Artisan, Rosine, and more
Merz Apothecary in the Palmer hotel: for old style barbershop, plus a couple of niche (Santa Maria Novella, some Dyptique).
Designer Perfume in the water tower mall for a large selection of mainstream, including hard to find ones or discontinued.
Chanel boutique (Drake hotel on Michigan) for the Chanel exclusives.
A combination of Neiman Marcus and Saks on Michigan for upscale mainstream (Guerlain, Tom Ford) plus a couple of niche (Kurkdjian).

There is a thread on Chicago as well, if you do a search you may find it.

cacio

Basenotes has a city shopping guide section. Here's the link to the Chicago thread.

Here's the link to a google map I've pinned with all the fragrance-shopping hotspots.

By all means, go to Barneys on Oak. Will not disappoint

Superb recommendations. I've had very good luck shopping on the circuit listed above. Take some serious cash with you - it will be very hard not to buy among that group of stores.

The Truefitt & Hill Barbershop at 900 N. Michigan has some great stuff in it too. It's on the walking route for all these stores. It would be a shame not to stop in for a sniff or two while you're in the neighborhood.

Merz Apothecary is especially fun. Don't miss.

I have many great things to say about the sale associate at Barney's New York in Chicago. I'll be making a visit to the store in the next few weeks to pick up many on my list but more importantly to just mingle with some great people.

Thank you all so much!! I'm so happy that I'm getting into town before my friends. I would have skipped Barney's in Chicago because I did not have a great experience in Seattle - but now it will be my first stop. So sorry I missed the L'Artisan store, but maybe that's a good thing... You are all exceptionally fabulous. Thank you!

Is C.O. Bigelow still located in Water Tower Place? Or in Chicago? I can't seem to find any location except in NYC and they're not listed under the Water Tower Place directory...

At least a month ago, Bigelow was in the Water Tower mall, but I don't know if it has closed since. If i ever stop again, I'll check. However, they literally didn't have any fragrance. They only had lots of creams and body products (or candles). For perfumes, there's a nice perfume store on level 2. And, for a bigelow-type of place, Merz apothecary at the Palmer hotel is much more interesting.

cacio

Thanks a ton cacio! I might be stopping by Chicago this coming up week so I'll stop by and look.

As you know, there are a few interesting places in the Michigan ave-oak st area, so that's worth anyway. Remember that Chanel (exclusifs) is closed on sundays, and I think it closes early during the week (like 6pm or so?)

cacio

Had been in WTP a few years ago, may have paired down or moved. I think they were on an upper floor. As I recall, they had store products in front and niche in back. Let me know, thanks

Was just in Water Tower Place yesterday. Did a quick run through all 7 levels, so I may have missed it, but I couldn't seem to find Bigelow's anywhere or in the mall directory inside. :-/

However, I got to explore most of the main department stores (w/ the exception of Saks Fifth Avenue and Barney's) to include Nieman Marcus (easily the best IMO), Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, and Bloomingdales (was moderately good, vividly remember the Annick Goutal line). Chanel's boutique was impressive as well for the exclusifs. Filene's Basement was disappointing to me just because they seemed to only have bland fragrances and a small amount of them as well -- I think my local Marshall's had more stock.

Overall, I left Chicago with 0 fragrances ($$) but it was a great journey that I recommend nonetheless. In hindsight, I'm lusting for Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille even more and kicking myself that I TOTALLY forgot to make it to Barney's lol.

Chris:

your nose couldn't have possibly taken Barney's today! It has the largest selection of niche, so you should keep it as a standalone for the next trip. By then, Henri Bendel could be open - and there's a chance that it will also carry some niche, if not as in NYC, at least a small selection.

Bigelow was pretty big, so I guess it has closed in the past month or so. Which probably explains why they didn't have any perfume back then.

cacio

Unfortunately CO Bigelow closed in August. It had a few niche lines as well as men's grooming and home products.

Cacio, are you saying Henri Bendel is opening a store in Chicago? They were here (900 N. Michigan) and closed awhile back.

edit - I just saw that on their website they are opening up in Water Tower in November!

Yes, there are signs up at the Water Tower. Though it's not clear how much space they'll have, and so if and how many perfumes they'll carry. I'm going to miss that, I'm going to leave in a couple of weeks. But it seems they've opened in DC as well, so I'll check it there.

I arrived in Chicago in july, so I just visited it before the closing. they didn't have any sale, though, which they should have done...

cacio

I received a postcard the day before they closed - some notice.

Rich

Whew! That makes me feel much better! I'll have to return to Chicago soon, but it's probably a good thing I didn't stop by Barney's just because my friends were starting to get annoyed that I was stopping at EVERY place I knew carried fragrances. Hah.

I don't know if this is new news or not but... I was leaving the Chanel boutique when I saw a sign right outside that said a Van Cleef and Arpels boutique was opening up soon! Can't wait for that, eager to test several frags (Midnight in Paris!).

They should have VC&A, TSAR, and MIP at Neiman's.

For Chicago BN'ers:
the SA at Neiman Marcus on Michigan told me that Francis Kurkdjian will be at the store this sunday oct 30 2011, from 2 to 345pm,
to talk to customers and sign bottles.

I'm probably unable to go, unfortunately... on the other hand, I already bought a bottle of the absolue pour le soir...

cacio

Thanks for the news, Cacio. I won't be able to make it, but I appreciate the info.

Since we're talking about what to do in Chicago this week, Barney's has the city exclusives for Le Labo and a tester for Tubereuse Criminelle. As reported by others, the Le Labo should reman for a few week. I smelled quickly and didn't find anything that grabbed my attention (Gaiac is interesting, but I'm no big fan of the dry, woody-ambery style). The SA said that the actual TC bottles for sale should arrive within a week or two.

cacio

Will be in Chi next week. Plan on going to Barney's and Saks, since they between the two of them seem to have the niche lines that I'm most interested in. I do know Saks has Kilian and Bond No 9 lines. Barneys has SL.

Might also check out that Designer Perfume in WTP. Is that the type of place that would have Caron Pour Un Homme, for example? I heard they might carry Rochas man.

Neiman Marcus has Kurkdjian, so it's worth visiting too. It's in front of Saks anyway.

Yes, I noticed a bottle of Caron pour un homme at Designer Perfume, as well as a bottle of Troisieme homme. I don't think I saw Yatagan. Among the various things, I noticed a bottle of Coriolan (obviously old stock). I believe Rochas man too, though I assume it's the newer version; but I didn't pay enough attention. I bought Metal and Feu d'Issey light at that store (they have another bottle of Feu d'Issey).

cacio

Just got an email from Filene's Basement - they're sadly going out of business.

All items are 20-40% off.

I personally never found anything at this store when I was shopping in Chicago, but it was a nice change.

Good of you to mention the Filene's closing, Chris, just so people know. However, like you, I didn't think they added anything to the serious fragrance shopper's experience.

I'm visiting Chicago in February, haven't been in 5 or 6 years (right before my scent obsession took off). I'm excited but also a little panicky. I can really only afford to buy one or two fragrances, so I need to come up with some kind of plan. I definitely want to visit Barney's, Chanel, and Neiman Marcus. I only have 2 days.

Excited though, for sure! Quarry, the google map link is super helpful, I'll be using that.

Hey, I'm excited for you, My pep pep. I like to have a battle plan, too, but never quite stick to it.

I was in Chicago for a few days. Regrettably, designer perfume at the water tower appear closed. Too bad. On a more positive note, I did notice a store (Marilyn Miglin) on Oak street that carries Amouage. They told me that they are setting up the store, so who knows, one wonders if they will expand the selection. They also carry the in-house collection. I tried pheromone (a light woody, nice but not nothing special) and M (horrid aquatic).

(as an aside, I think I remember that the husband of Marilyn Miglin was tragically killed during the same killing spree in which Gianni Versace died).

cacio

This is true. She also happens to be a really nice and down to woman. I've met her a couple of times and have nothing but nice things to say about her.

Here's some suggestions for Sephoras in the Chicagoland area:

http://www.sephora.com/about/storelo...62979819999998

Visiting soon......will report any fragrance finds in the area.
Wish me luck!!

For what it's worth, I believe there's a CO Bigelow out at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg.

There's also a Blue Mercury store in Lincoln Park (Halsted and Armitage), which is near the previously mentioned Aroma Workshop, a L'Occitane, a LUSH, and a Benefit. Nearby is also Autrepart, which carries a few French organic perfumes. At Clark and Diversey are an Aveda and a Body Shop, TJ Maxx, and - at Halsted and Clark - a Marshall's. Though honestly I've never really found anything worth buying in TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, or Marshall's.

I've also noticed a couple cheap looking Perfumania type stores in the Loop just west of Millennium Park, possibly on Madison, though I've never been inside. Also in the loop are Sephora on State, Anthropologie, Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, The Body Shop, and Burlington Coat Factory, but mostly you'll want to check out the aforementioned Merz Apothecary inside the Palmer Hilton. (There is another Merz location in Lincoln Square).

There is also a Quality Scents store down on 79th Street that seems to focus on inexpensive imported scents from the Middle East, though I've yet to visit the place.

Edit: As far as Chanel, I haven't found the staff to be very well informed about any of the scents at all, but they have the full line of Exclusifs, so it's worth stopping for that if you find you're in need of an emergency dose of Coromandel...