The End of an Era: Ultimo to Close

It’s no secret that boutiques are suffering in this tumultuous economy. With each trip to our favorite shopping districts, there’s a new “Closing” or “For Lease” sign on the windows of our once-busy boutiques. Most recently, though, it’s the news that Ultimo is closing its doors that rocked Chicago’s fashion community.

Since it opened in 1969, Ultimo’s impressive selection has been groundbreaking in terms of bringing us high fashion by elite and emerging designers. Originally a store for men, Jerry Weinstein opened the boutique in an Oak Street brownstone near Michigan Avenue. It was the infamous Joan Weinstein, Jerry’s wife, who later brought womenswear designers into the mix. The store closing, incidentally, comes some two months after her death. Ultimo’s current owner, Sarah Albrecht, acquired the store in 1999 and has preserved the Ultimo vision to provide Chicago with timeless fashion by amazing talent. When asked about the recent announcement to close, Sarah told Crain’s Chicago Business, “It just seems like the right time.” Time or not, that brownstone’s next owner has some big shoes to fill.

By Meghan Turner

Image courtesy of Ultimo

Tags: Chicago Boutiques, Chicago Shopping, Ultimo, Ultimo Closing

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.