Wicker Park and Bucktown

Two neighborhoods at the cutting edge of shopping and style
Talk of the town: One of Wicker Park’s most bizarre retailers is the Boring Store – a clandestine spy-supply shop that also funds a kids' creative writing program.

Aside from the area’s nightlife, there are plenty of daytime distractions here. The main shopping strips are Milwaukee from Ashland to Damen, Damen north from Milwaukee to the Expressway, and Division east of Damen.
Damen is for women’s fashion: the acclaimed p.45 boutique, just up from the junction, bristles with imaginative work from new designers; and a Marc by Marc Jacobs outlet and Helen Yi’s elegant day and evening wear are on the next block. Nearer Armitage are hard-to-find, edgy looks at The Edit. You can drop your man off at Apartment 9 for clothes from Paul Smith and Phillip Lim.

Milwaukee’s mixed delights include Myopic Bookstore’s vast collection of used books, Reckless Records’ used-CD emporium, great men’s and women’s clothes at Una Mae’s Freak Boutique and thrift shops galore. Still standing? Check out the eye-popping cowboy boots from Alcala’s Western Wear at 1733 W. Chicago.