Missing Jake

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Once one of Chicago's best designer boutiques, Jake is closing up shop. Unfortunately, another one bites the dust.

Like New York's Kirna Zabete, Jake is one of the US boutiques that designers clamor to be in–or at least it was. One of Chicago's best retail spots is expected to close up shop early next month, reports WWD.

A fixture on North Rush Street in Chicago, the men's and women's specialty store has been in business for six years and simply could not weather these tough times. In fact, a group of 28 designers, including Philip Lim, Lutz & Patmos, Chris Benz, Behnaz Sarafpour and Band of Outsiders, filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition last September seeking $516,000 from the retailer.

Now working with new investors, the pair is set to debut a pop-up shop called Space 519 in May at the 900 Shops, a Michigan Avenue shopping center housing Bloomingdale’s and Michael Kors, among others. The temporary shop will sell books, CDs, apothecary items, and men’s and women’s accessories. The partners also plan a home-based concept store on the city’s North Side in the fall, but there are no plans to reenter apparel.

“If customers want to pay designer prices they want someone that they know,” creative director and Jake co-founder Lance Lawson said. “The business model we started with (bringing new high-end designers to the market) is hopelessly broken.”

And so we ask you: If you had the cash to burn, would you rather buy something from an established luxury house such as Chanel, Hermés, YSL or Prada, or would you be willing to shell out for an equally gorgeous garment from a lesser known designer?

2 Comments

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  Abbie • about 2 years ago
  Hmmm...that question is a toughie. I suppose it would depend on the piece

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  Coco_Leigh • about 2 years ago
  They deserve to close for not paying their vendors. And I'd take Hermes any day over someone new...always classic and I'd always be able to re-sell it later if I had too.

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