Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
restaurant reservations. The Shops at North Bridge, 55 E. Grand Ave. (at Rush St.).
& 312/379-4300. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand.
Saks Fifth Avenue Saks Fifth Avenue might be best known for its designer col-
lections—Valentino, Chloe, and Giorgio Armani, to name a few—but the store
also does a decent job of buying more casual and less expensive merchandise. Still,
the mood here can be somewhat chilly, and the high-fashion clothes on display
seem geared toward the super-skinny. The men's department is located in a sepa-
rate building across Michigan Avenue. Don't forget to visit the cosmetics depart-
ment, where Saks is known, in particular, for its fragrance selection. Chicago Place,
700 N. Michigan Ave. (at Superior St.). & 312/944-6500. Subway/El: Red Line to Chicago.
MUSIC
Beat Parlor If the idea of hanging out where the local DJs do appeals to you,
then Beat Parlor is your place. In the city where house music was born, Howard
Bailey's Bucktown shop sells lots of it, plus plenty of hip-hop and local DJs' mix
tapes, on CD and vinyl. The store's two turntables are always in use by cutters
checking out new merchandise. 1653 N. Damen Ave. & 773/395-CUTS. Subway/El: Blue
Line to Damen.
Dusty Groove America In 1996, using a rickety old PC, Rick Wojcik and
John Schauer founded an online record store at www.dustygroove.com. Since
then, the operation has expanded in both cyberspace and the real world. Dusty
Groove covers a lot of ground, selling soul, funk, jazz, Brazilian, lounge, Latin,
and hip-hop music on new and used vinyl and all new CDs. For the most
part, selections are either rare or imported, or both. 1120 N. Ashland Ave. ( & 773/
342-5800. Subway/El: Blue Line to Division.
Jazz Record Mart This is possibly the best jazz record store in the country.
The first of four rooms houses the “Killer Rack,” a display of albums that the
store's owners consider essential to any jazz collection. Besides jazz, there are bins
filled with blues, Latin, and “New Music”; the albums in the record rooms are
filed alphabetically and by category (vocals, big band, and so on), and there are
a couple of turntables to help you spend wisely. Jazz Record Mart also features a
stage, with seating for 50, where local and national artists coming through town
entertain with in-store performances. 444 N. Wabash Ave. (at Grand Ave.). & 312/222-
1467. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand.
New Sound Gospel Chicago is the birthplace of gospel music, but when Lee
Johnson opened New Sound Gospel 20 years ago, few people were selling it.
That has all changed, thanks to the recent resurgence in gospel led by Kirk
Franklin, whose platinum albums have crossed over into mainstream success. All
the major labels now have gospel music divisions, and the rising tide has helped
store owners like Johnson, who has since opened a second location at 10723 S.
Halsted St. ( & 773/785-8001 ). Both brim with records, CDs, and tapes, from
gospel's greatest legend, Mahalia Jackson, to groups with names such as Gospel
Gangstaz. 5958 W. Lake St. & 773/261-1115. Subway/El: Green Line to Austin.
Reckless Records The best all-round local record store for music that the
cool kids listen to, Reckless Records wins Brownie points for its friendly and
helpful staff. You'll find new and used CDs and albums in a variety of genres
(psychedelic and progressive rock, punk, soul, and jazz) here, along with 'zines
and a small collection of DVDs. There's also a location in Wicker Park, at 1532
N. Milwaukee Ave. ( & 773/235-3727 ). 3157 N. Broadway (at Belmont Ave.). & 773/
404-5080. Subway/El: Red or Brown line to Belmont.
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