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Categories: Shoe Stores, Toy Stores [Edit]
Neighborhood: LakeviewBelmont (Purple Express, Brown, Red)
Mon-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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This place is cool!
If you're ever wandering around the Clark & Belmont area, window shopping at the wonderful artsy and niche interest stores, definitely take time to walk into this place.
A.Okay sells customized kicks; Tokidoki and KidRobot t-shirts, plastic figurines, stickers, bags and cell phone charms; art (all of the anime/graffiti/NYC caliber); and Equilibrium bags (think, the bag version of a lego set...or 6 bags in 1!) They also have an art gallery in the back that is worth a look.
I especially appreciated this place because they sell blind boxes: little boxes containing a plastic figure designed by an artist, but you won't know which design you get until open the box! My friend got me a Dunny 4 and a Munny zipper pull from NYC for my last birthday, so it was great to see that this store had the entire Dunny collection for sale, and some cool Dunny t-shirts. Too bad the t-shirts cost $50. Oh well, I'll stick to the $4 cell phone charm.
The staff was also really nice and helpful, especially when assisting my friend and her bag purchase.
Check this place out!
they sold me a gift certificate on 5/04/09 and yesterday, on 5/31/09 i take the teen to go use it, whaddayaknow.... they are OUT of BUSINESS.
I'M FURIOUS. If anyone knows who the owners are of this place by name, please let me know.
I love that they have all the newest Tokidoki t-shirts, bags etc....
Super fun atmosphere and great, helpful staff!
My friend said this was the "Phil-store" because not only did it have toys, but sneakers as well. Not to mention the staff seems to be Filipino.
They got paint and "SB" laces for your kicks as well as a nice art gallery.
It's a nice one-stop for toys & kicks in the Belmont & Clark area.
You probably will spend some dough here.
Ok, guys. I bought something here about a year ago, and the transaction was fine.
But recently, I went back, and things were very disappointing. For those who visit the store, you know about designer toys and blind boxes.
I went to A-OK Official in Chicago this weekend trying to pick up one of these blind box toy to see if I can catch a chase version (a rare version, it's analagous to buying a McD happy meal and hoping you would get a limited edition toy) through some miraculous means. They're the only shop that I can find that still has any in their inventory (i.e. My favorite shop, Rotofugi, was out...so sad).
Well, this time is different. Although the store manager and I eventually reached an agreement on a full refund, I thought I share this experience not as a blind criticism to the store but to make sure for all those who consider buying blindboxes there that they are aware of what they are buying.
They only had two boxes left by the time I got there. One was empty for the store display, which is a regular yellow version. The only looked fine as if it has never been opened. I brought the unopened one to the cashier and asked if it's been open (just to be sure, since I've heard horror stories that other unscrupulous stores that would sell opened, unsealed blindboxes). The cashier said that they would never sell unsealed toys. So I figure ok, that must be the case. I have no reason to think otherwise. As I mentioned, I bought something there a year or so ago, and the blindbox was really unopened.
Well, I bought it and brought it to my car. The anticipation was killing me. Do I have a limited edition chase. Could I really be that lucky!
I opened the box, and as soon as I pop the box open, guess what: the darn thing has already been ripped open because someone checked to make sure that this is not the limited edition chase. Man, am I disappointed to see the yellow regular version. Now, I'm not suggesting that someone who work for the store opened it. Quite honestly, I didn't care by then. Someone opened it, found out that it wasn't the chase, and dumped it back to the shelf.
So I walked back to the store immediately, explained to the cashier, and she was very contrite about it. Imagine my surprise when she revealed to me about the store's UNCONDITIONAL no refund policy.
I finally got in touch with the store manager. After I spend 10 min explaining to him why it doesn't make sense for me to commit mega $$$ on a designer toy that had already been selected for not being a chase, he finally agree to a refund.
But guess what!!! Before he would do that, he gave me a 10 min lecture on why I was wrong. He said, for blind boxes, I should always open the boxes to make sure that a blind box is really still a "blind box" (i.e. that no one had ripped to reveal the identity of the toys). I couldn't believe this! And here I am wondering why the toys would be unsealed to begin with. Apparently, the store has no problem with customers ripping open the blind boxes to see what's inside before purchasing. Oh, I absolutely cannot believe this. Can you imagine if someone bought a lottery ticket and he/she has to do diligence to make sure the the lottery drawing is real and not a scam! What in the world...
Anyway, I thought I update my review to make sure that other buyers should beware of what they are getting into with this store. Oh, man. Guess that's one less store for me to visit in the future!
This shop rox!!! We saw it a few months ago but never went in. We drove by this place again today… Read more »
Wow! I love this store and I wish I could go every week but minor problem: I don't live in Chicago...
I stumbled in here after I spotted vinyl toys in the window display. I'm really into cutesy collector's items/blind box assortment. It's hard to find many places in Austin, so of course I had to go in.
A.Okay carries an eclectic array of designer toys, apparel, accessories, and the sorts. Come here to satisfy that blind-box itch that you have or simply to gawk at all the interesting products they carry.
If you come on a regular basis, you'll have the opportunity to catch the ever-changing art on display -- in the backroom. Also, if you're a Tokidoki fanatic like me, you'll find a great selection of bags, toys, and apparel. Sign up for their email newsletter to get heads up on sales and events.
Prices are moderately high but that's not really a surprise for these types of things. Shop at their online store for more fun things: http://www.aokayoffici...
If you didn't know I have a vinyl toy problem, and a great play to fuel my vinyl toy problem is A. Okay, they also have all the other fantastic thing that make an urban hip hop nerd like myself happy.
I was a little bummed out that they were sold out of the Simpson toys, but I managed, and they had plenty of other cool Kid Robot things, and I ended up picking up a shirt, and had a great time riffing with the older lady behind the counter. Great experience, I'll be back soon.
A OKAY is a-ok. They are like a St. Alfred's meets Rotofugi.
I still like Roto's Toy selection a tad bit better but I can totally appreciate this place. The set up is nicer than Rotofugi, and bigger. My boyfriend and I Have several collections so we are always happy to find a new place!
They were sold out of the Simpson and Adult swim blind boxes when I went but the guy that worked there said they should get some more...
They have an gallery in the back too so check it out!
I was there pregnant and then 7 months later I went without pregnancy and the owner recognized me and hugged me! I love that she did...
I am a fan of their stuff and wish they would be near downtown!
This place is better than A.Okay, in my opinion. I feel it's more like "Woohoo! As good as it gets!"
They have tons of neat little things that I want. You can tell the people that work there genuinely love their jobs, because they are the nicest human beings I have ever met. The night we went in they told us about an event they were having. Free drinks! I wish I could have gone *frown face*
This store is so dangerous I have to avoid it most days lest vinyl toys take over my home. The perfect atmosphere for their target audience, A.Okay Official invites you in and makes it cool to just meander around and enjoy the great art. With a great selection of Tokidoki goods in addition to their wide array of vinyl toys and super cool kicks. The owners and employees are spot on in their customer service. They have that oh so important timing, offering assistance when needed, allowing you to gaze and drink in the eye candy too. They made it easy for us to pick out our wedding toppers from among their huge selection of toys and made sure we were signed up for their promotions.
Chicago is lucky to have two great toy shops (Rotofugi being the other one). Having recently visited Kid Robot in SF I'm even more impressed with A.Okay than I was before. Between selection, overall shop appearance and customer service A.Okay has really worked to nurture the vinyl toy community and the artists who create such incredible work.
I love this place and kept coming back here to buy new "angry smoking things" as I call them...
Last Xmas, I had to buy a hanful of these fellas for all my friends.
I had no idea until I was invited to an opening, but A.Okay has a bitty gallery in back. You walk past the front counter and this skinny hallway leads you to a back room. As far as I know, this place is hands down the best little gallery for urban art in the city.
Are you kidding me? This place blows. The Hot Pop over in Milwaukee is so much better - they have a greater collection of pop art and Japan-esque figurines and clothing, better graphics, boards, art, shoes, etc. The employees are all huddled up in the corner in this joint, the layout and the atmosphere was like that of a warehouse, and the selection that they had wasn't impressive. Save your time and your money.
A.Okay is amazing. I was so happy when they opened last year because Rotofugi is too far for me to be a regular customer, and Mystery City had just closed.
A.Okay has more toys than you know what to do with, tons of cool shoes, shirts, Hoodies, Tokidoki bags, hats, lunchboxes, etc, etc, etc. They have everything! I make trips out there more than I should, and I definitely spend more money there than I should. They make me feel okay about it with their awesome stamp card, for every $10 you spend, you get a stamp, and once your card is full you can use it to get 15% off of a purchase! They also have a lot of sales, and occasionally send out coupons in their email newsletter. They really care about pleasing their customers and supporting the community.
The (I think) Owner, and her mother and other employees are always so friendly and chatty when I come in and they definitely make your trip in there even better! There is always a DJ spinning or someone doing live art when I go in (sometimes both!) and its just a really cool atmosphere. They have a gallery in the back and have a lot of events and gallery openings.
I went to the opening of the CTA train art exhibit, and it was jam packed, so much so that you could barely walk around or see the art, but I was happy for them that it was such a success, since here were about 10x as many people there as the last opening I went to! Plus, I got a free drink, so I was happy. I went back another day after the opening to get a good look at the art since most of it was being stood in front of at the opening.
For local designers/artists/etc or just those who have some Nikes they wont ever wear, A.Okay does a lot of consignment as well, and most of the walls are covered with art that people have submitted/you can buy.
I went in there the other day to show my visiting family where my money goes instead of on groceries, and my mom ended up buying more than I did. Also, to my surprise, and extreme delight, they had a toy that had come out -and sold out everywhere online- the week before.. in fact they had at least 4! I'll definitely be heading here first for new and rare releases from now on.
I have nothing but positive things to say about A.Okay, I'm so glad that they are doing well and I hope they stay around for a very long time! I also can't wait until my next paycheck so I can go get some more toys and that Joe Ledbetter lunch box I've been eyeing!
Does anyone know what happened to A. Okay? It's completely empty and there isn't even a note on the door. I love this store and it's owners and wanted to get in touch with them about what happened. Does anyone have any insight?
Tokidoki!!! Urban toys!!! Artwork!!!
It's heaven at this store! Great selection of toys, clothing,…
Read more »
YAY. I found a place that I can buy my kid robot vinyl toys.Im able to keep my addiction. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing considering I'm a broke college student. Anyways it is a great urban street art store with lots of fun things. Clothes, shoes, vinyl toys, books,shoe paint and artwork. They carry upper playground gear which is a PLUS. They also have an art gallery in the back with monthly art shows and great DJs.
This store is really cute. The whole store sort of fits my culture. I am a sneaker pimp, so the shoes are my favorite part. I've seen some cute hoodies there too. My husband and daughter love this store as he mainly is obsessed with vinyl toys, tokidoki, kid robot, and anything japanesey. I myself am a bit bothered with the popularity of this culture that used to be so small and underground. I hate fads (yes I'm one of those people who stops liking something because it gets popular since I always get lumped in with the fad followers). The people there are really nice, like someone mentioned earlier, way nicer than the LDRS guys, and may I add the Kid Robot people. Emilio always invites my husband(and I by default) to parties and art galleries, though we've yet to go. I like going in here even if I don't buy anything. It puts a smile on our faces. ^_^
my daughter and I love this place... Great hard to find toys for her and dope kicks for me! Jessica and the staff are awesome. Check out the gallery in the back!
This place is one of those shops that have it alllll. Clothing, Sneakers, Vinyl Toys, Art, a design firm, music studio...Yeah, I know it's "one of those shops." However each element is covered with a specialist that keeps up with trends and know how to order what is current which i think is a great idea. I think the reason why a lot of places like this failed before is because one person would think they knew all elements and try to order what they think is current. The space is humongous, you would never know that a space the size of the Alley still existed in Wrigleyville.
Although the space is massive, there is still a cozy feel to it, like you just walked into somebodys really cool basement, with turntables, a plasma screen with a 360 set up and shoes, bags, shirts, toys, and art decorated alllll around. The sneakers are a bit pricey, but only because they are "sneaker enthusiasts" prices and all exclusives and on limited run. Everything else is very reasonable though, they got cool tees, cool purses (like I would know right?), and toys.
Definately a refreshing breeze to the tainted yuppiness that is wrigleyville. Finally a bit of culture and some real "ish." Oh, and you dont have to keep it too real when you're there, just a little.
I've been collecting designer toys for a couple years now so it's always nice to have options in Chicago.
This store has more of an urban art vibe. They sell awesome sneakers, clothing and accessories too. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to take in one of their art shows cause their gallery seems amazing.
The staff/owners are extremely friendly and their discount punch card is a nice incentive. I've been there a few times now and plan to be back regularly.
I'm not really into collecting vinyl toys, but it was definitely worth it to step inside anyway! They have really interesting urban art and fun apparel. I was really amused by the products and my boyfriend walked out with a $10 t-shirt. Will definitely be back when I'm in the neighborhood.
The lakeside answer for vinyl toy heads.
However, A.Okay is definitely geared more towards a culture and lifestyle than just the toys, as someone said in a previous review. Their product selection is vast, as they carry limited edition sneakers, skateboards, vinyl/plush toys, handbags/purses, t-shirts, and consigned artwork...along with the small gallery in the back half of the store. There is usually an after-party that coincides with gallery exhibitions, across the street at the bar/lounge Spot 6. At the openings, music is always of the head-bobbing variety and I'm not sure about drinks...but I assume they're either cheap or free. There are sometimes raffles and live painting or silkscreening demos, too. It can get kind of thick at shows sometimes, so get there early, or get there late.
Check their website out too, which they keep looking fresh and up-to-date. If you're from out of town, you can stay in the know of upcoming events and get your A.Okay purchase on, via the world wide web!
Great store. When I saw that this was the top fashion result on Yelp I had to visit. Instantly I was impressed with the selection, reebok pumps, creative recreations, some rare nikes. It was great. The t-shirts were just as good. The people who work there are friendly and even gave me recommendations for other botiques I might like.
HOT.
One our way to Chicago Comics, I saw A. Okay on the corner & saw something weird in the window - vinyl toys! I thought Rotofugi was the only vinyl shop in town, but I was mistaken. This place stocks a great assortment of blind boxes, larger figures, paintings, clothes & designer kicks. Those are sneakers, for my suburban friends. It's gonna get pretty ugly for me, being within walkin distance and all. Somehow, I'll have to learn to control myself.
lost their lease and closed their doors after 2 years.
A.Okay is a great store with tons of cool toys, shoes, and some shirts. On the weekends they have art shows in the back room with a DJ. Great art on the walls. Currently, they're selling these awesome trains with graffiti. I bought my brother's girlfriend gold sparkly shoelaces...don't think I could have found those fabulous shoelaces anywhere else!
This place was packed on a Saturday. Crazy. I have never seen Kid Robot even this crowded. I am so glad that these toys stores are popping up everywhere for I never grew out of them. I got my brother some munnys my girl a sticker and left feeling warm..??...
I love shopping for birthday gifts here! Go for the blind boxes!! They are my favorite.
great stuff here. everytime i come in there's always someone asking me if i need help with anything.
great selection of toys sneakers and shirts.
i might hit it up tomorrow if i beat my future hangover.
also check out the art exhibits they have on the weekends, if you're an art geek or just a big kid like me, you'll enjoy it.
I was just there on Saturday, and I really liked the store. It was my first time in Chicago, and going to that neighborhood of Clark and Belmont it really reminded me of telegraph in Berkeley or Haight street in San Francisco. Excellent selection of product real boutique like and exclusive, especially with the homegrown art on exhibit. Definitely need to check it out more when I got more time.
This brand new upstart in Chicago's North Side is definitelty worth a visit. Good selection of rare Nikes, Adidas, etc, as well as contemporary art/artifacts. Canvas paintings along with Kid Robot, BAPE and Rolling Stones-licensed action figures are for sale. T-shirt selection here isn't as great as you might find in a number of Milwaukee Ave shops. A. OKAY Official focuses more on American-meets-Japanese street culture. DJs spin on weekends and the staff (whom I presumed was also the owner) was very helpful.
This is such a cool store. They have the best selection of tokidoki for LeSportsac bags. Adorable!! They also have plenty of shoes that I haven't seen at any other place and a lot of those cute vinyl figurines. The people are friendly and the music is good. I didn't get to buy anything because they're a bit pricey but I understand the prices are more or less the same everywhere... so eh.
i really never heard of urban vinyl toys or the term custom sneakers until the store opened and i first stepped in. and wow! this place is awesome!! why didn't i ever know about anything like this before?!? everytime i go there, there's something new and different. the toys are fun, the shoes are amazing with color. i proudly own several small toys (covering my desk at work), a pair of adidas shoes, le sportsac/tokidoki bag, and a couple of their own t-shirts.
they also have local artists display their work on consignment, and again, there's something different everytime i go there. there's a gallery in the back of the store and they hold opening receptions when new work is displayed. i've been to almost all of the shows and the place gets packed! but it's still fun because there are free snacks and drinks as well as good music by awesome djs, seems like a better place to go to than a club/bar! hehe. last summer they had artists work on stuff live, like C2 with shoes, or Revise and his art, as well as different DJs spinning.
i'm on the email list to let me know of their upcoming events, coupons, sales, etc. it's such a fun store that i go there all the time. and it also helps that the owners and employees are awesome, too. ;)
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Here is a list to benefit the others like me out…
