Independence Menswear Shop Brings American-Created Outfits, Shoes To Former Neighborly House In Wicker Park

WICKER PARK — A menswear shop with an emphasis on American-produced garments has opened on Division Road in Wicker Park.

Independence, 1909 W. Division St., opened in May well at the previous house of Neighborly present store, which shut its Wicker Park location in April.

Independence sells a array of upscale men’s outfits from brands challenging to obtain any place else in Chicago, owner George Vlagos reported.

“It’s focused on workwear, early Americana workwear,” he stated. “It’s a great deal of inspiration from what the Japanese apparently have performed with American workwear. And that’s things that we carry.”

Independence grew out of Vlagos’ initial business, Oak Road Bootmakers, which he started on the net in 2010. He reported it quickly exploded in popularity, bringing the brand a lot of awareness and good results “overnight.”

Vlagos commenced Independence in 2011 to broaden his focus to denims, shirts and all varieties of clothes.

“I made the decision to start off Independence, which would concentrate nearly solely on produced-in-United states brands and models that I liked that I could obtain in New York, that I could come across on line, but did not have any retail existence in Chicago at the time,” he stated.

Credit rating: Quinn Myers/Block Club Chicago

Given that then, Independence has moved from its very first tiny store in the Gold Coast to West Loop before settling in Wicker Park, exactly where Vlagos lived for a lot of many years.

“I generally preferred Independence to be there, and there by no means was the suitable spot. And when we had been looking, there nonetheless was not a spot on Division. But we heard that Neighborly was heading to be shifting out. … And I was quickly like,’ This is it. This feels suitable. This is heading to be the longterm property for Independence,’” he said.

Reception to the retail outlet has been excellent, Vlagos said. Before this month, users of Rage From The Equipment stopped by when they have been in city to enjoy a clearly show at the United Middle.

They are not the 1st renowned musicians to store at Independence more than the several years. Vlagos claimed he’s sold clothing and footwear to the Avett Brothers, Jack White and rapper Earl Sweatshirt, amid many others.

“The shoes were being form of to begin with the draw. That is what we’re most identified for. But Independence is basically the flagship dwelling for Oak Street Bootmakers and all these other great designed-in-United states brands,” he said.

Independence is open up 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and midday-6 p.m. Sunday-Monday.

Credit history: Quinn Myers/Block Club Chicago

Credit score: Quinn Myers/Block Club Chicago

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