Chicago is filled with social destinations for young, old, single, married, artistic, athletic, and everyone in between. The restaurants, museums, theater and cultural activities are not only among the nation’s finest, but considered world class destinations. Chicago single women can pick from a wide range of social options on any given week, from the Museum of Contemporary Art’s “First Friday,” to Rush Street night life, to sizzling summer block parties, to festive art fairs, and much, much more. Now there is a growing trend among Chicago women and visitors these days that broadens their social boundaries while enhancing their appearances and other skills – Chicago retailers.
Women are filling their social calendars with in-store events, classes, seminars, demonstrations, fashion shows and cocktail parties at stores, shops and boutiques throughout Chicago’s Michigan Avenue, Lincoln Park and Bucktown areas.
“My friends and I attend at least one retail event each week. It’s a way for us to bond, enjoy a night out, and bolster our wardrobe,” says Chicago resident Tina Whittington. And why not. Retailers, who are desperate and demanding to drive more traffic through its front doors, are doing so by introducing in-store events. Retailer marketing staff have been very strategic in implementing store events, which support many objectives -- stimulates store awareness, increases time spent in the store, customer experience and interaction is increased, customer service is heightened, and word-of-mouth is stimulated.
On any given week or weekend, there is an incredible number of events taking place in Chicago stores including, cooking classes and demonstrations (Sur La Table, Williams-Sonoma, Bloomingdale’s Home & Furniture Store), trunk shows (Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom), new store cocktail parties (Marc Jacobs, Akira), book signings (Borders for Books), bridal events (Vera Wang, Macy’s, Belle Vie Bridal Couture), and more. For girls and young teens, Chicago’s American Girl Place has been the destination for events since the giant retailer opened its doors. In-store activities at this mega retailer includes decorating classes, tea and theater, mother-daughter special occasions, and even tips on how to manage your money. “We come into Chicago every 2 months, and always attend an American Girl event,” says Judy Johnson, Indianapolis mother of four girls.
Planning for Chicago shopping and retail events just got easier with the launch of a new online source called Chicago Destination Shopping Club – www.chicago-dsc.com. The website features more than 500 stores, shops, specialty boutiques, art galleries, day spas and more, and serves as the largest single, online source for Chicago residents and travelers who visit the city to shop. Visitors will also find the largest online source for Chicago store events.
The website is free to all visitors who will have access to numerous specialized features. Visitors can also register to become members, which is free, to receive additional store discounts, gifts, and other benefits from popular Chicago retailers such as Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, ~H2O+, and more.
No comments:
Post a Comment