Shopping in Chicago

Stocking shelves with new and recycled duds since 1971, Ragstock fortifies wardrobes with a storefront brimming with new and recycled men's and women's clothing and accessories. In addition to mainstream garments, stores sling eclectic outfit accouterments such as neon suspenders ($9.99) and thick-rimmed spectacles ($4.99+) that allow shoppers to evoke the air of literature professors without blithely quoting Joyce.

Lakeshore Bike's crew of passionate cyclists embodies more than 45 years of combined experience pedaling and rehabilitating bicycles. Riders can bring home a new bike from such brands as Argon, Fuji, and KHS, or rent a two-wheeled steed for a jaunt on Chicago's lakefront. Lakeshore Bike's tune-up packages may include drivetrain lubrication, brake tightening, and an attitude adjustment—a boon for cyclists out of mouth soap.

Wanting to further the careers of other artists he knew, Jake Nickell set up a competition-based T-shirt-design company in his small apartment to give those artists a chance to make their art and get paid while doing it. Today, the small design startup has expanded into Threadless, a virtual boutique showcasing artsy apparel and accessories from designers all over the globe. Each week, guest artists and illustrators submit designs depicting pop-culture references, animals, folk art, and vibrant abstract works, leaving it up to the online community to vote on which entries will populate the shop’s menagerie of merch ranging from T-shirts and hoodies to bags, laptop cases, and umbrellas.

In addition to printing their work, Threadless honours artists with awards for designers in various categories, as well as a Made By program highlighting artists who've developed a following in the community or discovered the whereabouts of Van Gogh's middle-school diaries. Store staffers also award scholarships to hardworking designers and present Design Challenges to focus submitting artists on a central theme or aesthetic style. At Threadless Atrium, they collaborate with charities and other outside organizations to gather eclectic art submissions that currently benefit the American Cancer Society and Disney Villains.

Mobile Generation's Verizon Wireless retail centers have expanded as rapidly as an onion in bloom while unloading a spectrum of cellular devices and services from one of America's largest mobile networks. Knowledgeable staffers can help patrons set up tailored service plans or pilot them through the wilderness of home and car chargers. Interactive showrooms chirp as customers test-drive basic cell phones and smartphones, and the store's vast inventory of phone covers offers protection to devices used to call Adrian long distance from the boxing ring.

Evoking a fun, feminine aesthetic with a name taken from the Turkish word for girl, Kiz Chicago outfits ladies from head to toe with flirty loungewear, delicate dress-up pieces, and outfit-polishing accessories. Shoppers can peruse the shop's slick, monochromatic floor, checking out flowing tops, casual and dressy bottoms, and flouncy dresses for day and night. Outerwear, scarves, and hats keep bodies warm and stylish on chilly days, and statement jewelry adds dazzling sparkle to necks, limbs, and fingers. Like a professional-wrestling championship belt, a new handbag or pair of shoes can add a fresh twist to a favorite outfit while demonstrating athletic prowess.

On Sunday mornings, a long line snakes through Don Pedro Carnitas, at times even winding into the kitchen where cooks simmer pork for what Serious Eats called “the best carnitas in the city.” Though the décor here may be sparse, the dishes certainly aren’t. Patrons can order up crisp chicharrones, cactus salad, spicy chorizo, and even deep-fried cow brains that Serious Eats likens to “a savory eggy custard in a fried crust.”