Reverse in Profile Store.

I was recently in Chicago and was able to visit a popular online company that recently opened their own store. The company was founded and is still run in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago, so it makes sense that their new store is also in the city. It's located on Broadway, a few blocks south of Belmont. As I hope you'll see, it's a store worth checking out, for a variety of reasons. I'm going to go through it in reverse, maybe you can figure out what the store/brand is by the end of the post?

Hmmmm, what is it, an art space under the L tracks on Franklin? A new spot in Wicker Park? Well, this is the upstairs loft at the joint and it's not very big, but it crams a lot in. Don't quote me on it, but I believe it's local artists and changes pretty often.


There's even a place to sit while you just stare off into the art. I like that. Reminds me of the scene in the museum in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.


Here's a nice big possibility for that tattoo I've been talking about. Maybe just like this, on my back!?! Or maybe it was telling me something right before the job interview I was on my way to?


So, now we're getting to the nitty-gritty, ok, really just their product. It's t-shirts, all day and all night. Mind you, these are not just normal t-shirts - this company uses online submissions and voting to determine the designs of all their printed stocks. And, if you submit a winning design, you get more than just pride... you get cash and credit (for their products). They basically make everyone creative (or dumb) enough to send in a design a partner in the company (to an extent, of course). All the actual t-shirts are on the shelves, but above each rack is a flat screen monitor that shows you normal and not-normal folks in the t-shirts... kids, adults, crackheads, everyone.


It might be a bit hard to see the screens, so here's a little bigger picture of one. Each t-shirt screen has images that scroll as you shop. This particular shirt/screen features some pretty good celebs if you like Best Week Ever, Flight of the Conchords, or Human Giant. It's Aziz Ansari and Rob Huebel... pretty cool for the "local t-shirt joint"!


Nice front counter and they even have paying customers!!! You know it's good. (ah, no, I didn't buy anything this trip.) It's also interesting to note that they pack A LOT of thought and features into a physically small space. It's bi-level, but not very big. You get the art space, retail space, dressing rooms, office, etc. Pretty neat. Good things come in small packages.


Well, if you hadn't guessed it by now, the company is called Threadless, which is the name on the storefront as well - makes sense. If you're in the neighborhood, check 'em out. If you're not in the neighborhood, look 'em up online and submit a design or grab some sweet shirts.