It's been a while since I've written anything good about Oak Street (or, indeed anything at all), so it is with much delight that I recap some of the recent events that have been happening in the neighborhood.
The big news is, of course, the opening of the new Hermès store. After seeing a raft of other boutiques set sail for other shores, it's great that this has finally come to fruition. The old Barneys New York space at 25 East Oak Street was huge in comparison to its neighbors, and there was much wringing of hands over having that much vacant space on such a prominent corner.
As you know, part of the building was segmented out for other retail, but Hermès took the bulk of it -- 7,000 square feet -- to replace the location at 110 East Oak Street where it opened in 1989. I found this photo of the renovated store on the internet (sorry, no photos of my own -- I'm still traveling), and although the changes are subtle, it no longer looks like Barneys.
Outwardly, the "Barneys New York" badge that was carved into the third-floor roofline is gone, replaced by large raised letters on the first floor for people across the street, and a smaller set for pedestrians. The Hermes branding has gone up on both Oak and Rush Streets, and most importantly -- the signature red Barneys awnings have been replaced with creme colored, Hermes-branded ones that match the rest of the facade.
Inside, the store is described as "roomy" -- an adjective that one would be hard-pressed to use to describe the old Barneys space, especially on the first floor. It was a maze of counters and shopgirls and product displays fighting for attention. As unappetizing as the warren was for regular shoppers, the bridal fitting area was a disgrace, and the back of the house was even worse. In the end, the move to build a new Barneys New York store at 15 East Oak Street works out for everyone involved -- Barneys, Hermès, and their customers.
But with a clean slate to work with, Hermes was able to stretch out and properly feature its products in a more elegant environment. Credit goes to Rena Dumas Architecture, which is the legacy of Rena Dumas whose fingerprints are on every Hermes store around the world. The old Hermes space was just 3,000 square feet; less than half of its new digs. According to Women's Wear Daily, the new space is ideally suited for selling clothing, as Chicago is one of the strongest women's clothing markets for Hermés. Shoe sales are also expected to double, as Hermés has gone from a few shelves of shoes into a proper shoe department.
I'm not sure if they are the most expensive items in the Chicago store, but there is mention in WWD that you can buy crocodile suitcases at the Oak Street store. They start at $68,000. A little more affordable, and even more exclusive, is a $375 scarf which was made for the Chicago store, and is only available there.
I've seen some photos of the opening day in the trade press, and it looks like it was a literal circus, complete with stilt walkers, women in jockey costumes, and more. That's great, as the winter and spring were not kind to Oak Street. It needed some kind of big event to wake it from its grey malaise.
And the good news isn't isolated to just this one store. There have been a number of major and minor openings in the neighborhood, some filling in prominent space that was left vacant. From the Belgian bakery that took the place of Sur la Table on Walton Street to the Gap 1969 store that slotted into the former Jake space on Rush, things are looking up. And the fewer vacant storefronts there are, the better the neighborhood looks, which attracts more people, and more stores.
Also expected to come to the Gold Coast and Near North Side in the near future: Keep an eye out for Comptoir de Cotonniers, Topshop, Vince, HomeGoods, and Nordstrom Rack. While not all of these brands are at the top of the retail food chain, there's a good mix that will appease locals, international visitors, and tourists from I states.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Tech Company Goes Green in Woodstock
If you've been a Mac owner for a certain amount of time, you're probably at least casually familiar with Other World Computing, the Woodstock, Illinois-based online seller of Apple computers, electronics, and accessories. What you may not know, is that OWC is one of the latest Chicagoland tech company to go green.
Other World recently became the first light manufacturing / assembly building in Illinois to be awarded LEED Platinum status. It hired Harris Architects in Palatine to head the project which included installing a geothermal heat pump, using high-tech insulation, and equipping the building with facilities that encourage people to ride their bicycles to work.
The most visible green element is the 194-foot-tall wind turbine. It generates more than double the power the company needs, so the rest gets sold to the local utility company and ends up in homes in McHenry County.
Most interesting to me is that OWC is engaged in sunlight harvesting. I first saw this on a science program in the 1990's, where a Japanese skyscraper was using an array on the roof to gather sunlight, and then deliver it to cubicles via fiber optic cables. Eight of the last ten offices I worked in didn't have windows, so this was something that got my attention and something I always hoped would become commonplace. Alas, it has failed to catch on as a "green" element as quickly as vegetative roofs or low-flow toilets. But maybe what One World Computing has done will inspire other companies to provide just a little bit of sun to those who toil in their cubicle farms.
The most visible green element is the 194-foot-tall wind turbine. It generates more than double the power the company needs, so the rest gets sold to the local utility company and ends up in homes in McHenry County.
Most interesting to me is that OWC is engaged in sunlight harvesting. I first saw this on a science program in the 1990's, where a Japanese skyscraper was using an array on the roof to gather sunlight, and then deliver it to cubicles via fiber optic cables. Eight of the last ten offices I worked in didn't have windows, so this was something that got my attention and something I always hoped would become commonplace. Alas, it has failed to catch on as a "green" element as quickly as vegetative roofs or low-flow toilets. But maybe what One World Computing has done will inspire other companies to provide just a little bit of sun to those who toil in their cubicle farms.
- You can click here to read One World Computing's full press release about its green efforts.
- And click here to take a virtual tour of OWC's facility.
Things For Your Time
I got an e-mail today from the people over at the River North Residents' Association (kudos for correct use of the apostrophe) with a list of upcoming events. A couple caught my eye, and I thought I'd share them with you.
I encourage you to check out the first one. I'd love to go myself, but I'm otherwise committed that day. But events from Friends of the Parks never fail to inspire.
The second one should also be fun. I've never been to the Taste of River North, but considering the caliber of restaurants in the neighborhood, it's probably worth a visit. Unfortunately, the link provided by RNRA for signing up volunteers only goes to a standard form for sponsors. So if you'd like to volunteer, probably the best thing to do is to call the Association at 312/235-2617, or send an e-mail to info@rnrachicago.org.
Free Lecture on Hidden Park Gems
Ever wanted to escape for a walk in the woods, but couldn't figure out where to go or how to get there without a car? Erma Tranter, President of Friends of the Parks, will offer a visual tour of great parks you can escape to by public transportation. Jason Rothstein, author of Carless in Chicago, will offer tips for your carless explorations and suggestions for some other easy-to-reach destinations.
The one-hour lecture, which is Free and open to the public, will be held at 12:15 pm on Thursday May 13 in the Chicago Cultural Center's Claudia Cassidy Theater, 77 E. Randolph Street. Co-sponsored by Friends of the Parks and the Active Transportation Alliance.
Sign up now to participate in the 2010 Taste of River North!
Space is limited; Sponsors, Restaurants, Merchants, Exhibitors and Volunteers: click here!
Hosted by the River North Residents' Association, the Taste of River North is a professionally managed, family-friendly, 2-day riverfront festival featuring great live entertainment and showcasing the area's wonderful dining, art and design scenes. This year's event will take place on July 17-18, in and around Erie Park.
I encourage you to check out the first one. I'd love to go myself, but I'm otherwise committed that day. But events from Friends of the Parks never fail to inspire.
The second one should also be fun. I've never been to the Taste of River North, but considering the caliber of restaurants in the neighborhood, it's probably worth a visit. Unfortunately, the link provided by RNRA for signing up volunteers only goes to a standard form for sponsors. So if you'd like to volunteer, probably the best thing to do is to call the Association at 312/235-2617, or send an e-mail to info@rnrachicago.org.
Free Lecture on Hidden Park Gems
Ever wanted to escape for a walk in the woods, but couldn't figure out where to go or how to get there without a car? Erma Tranter, President of Friends of the Parks, will offer a visual tour of great parks you can escape to by public transportation. Jason Rothstein, author of Carless in Chicago, will offer tips for your carless explorations and suggestions for some other easy-to-reach destinations.
The one-hour lecture, which is Free and open to the public, will be held at 12:15 pm on Thursday May 13 in the Chicago Cultural Center's Claudia Cassidy Theater, 77 E. Randolph Street. Co-sponsored by Friends of the Parks and the Active Transportation Alliance.
Sign up now to participate in the 2010 Taste of River North!
Space is limited; Sponsors, Restaurants, Merchants, Exhibitors and Volunteers: click here!
Hosted by the River North Residents' Association, the Taste of River North is a professionally managed, family-friendly, 2-day riverfront festival featuring great live entertainment and showcasing the area's wonderful dining, art and design scenes. This year's event will take place on July 17-18, in and around Erie Park.
Monday, May 3, 2010
TweetEcho: April 15-May 2, 2010
For those of you who don't subscribe to our Twitter feed, here are the items we tweeted in the last week or so:
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