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AKIRA Men
Category: Shopping Fashion Men's Clothing Men's Clothing [Edit]
1910 W North Ave(between Elk Grove Ave & Winchester Ave)
Chicago, IL 60622
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
(312) 423-6693
- Nearest Transit:
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Damen-o'hare (Blue Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 9 pm
Sun 11 am - 7 pm
- Price Range:
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$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Hal E. said: "If I were the guy from the Dos Equis commercial, I'd say "I don't normally buy custom-tailored shirts, but when I do, I go to Balani". But I'm neither the World's Most Interesting Man nor a cool older actor who pretends to be the…" read more »
40 reviews for AKIRA Men
Review Highlights
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"Joanna has helped me pick out great clothes on quite a few..." In 3 reviews -
"the staff was very very very helpful." In 3 reviews -
"...her miniature pinscher there and I pretty much fell in love." In 3 reviews
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40 reviews in English
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Review from Matthis H.
Chicago, IL
2/16/2012
I'm no Ballah, I come here a couple times a year, and usually rock some sale goods. Some of these reviews are strait shitting on the customer service.... i was not flirted with, or bugged to death by Amanda(?) i explained what i was looking for, and it was handled. No up selling, or slack of service when i explained i was on some budget tip. I'm happy with my wares from my trip today, price was right.
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Review from Brent W.
9/5/2011
I bought a hat here.
It was under 20$.
Winning ?
Possibly. -
Review from Herra Chink y.
San Francisco, CA
9/10/2006
Man, if there was one store I could completely buy everything in it and max out my credit card, it would be here. I'm surprised no one else has reviewed Akira Men yet. It had a kitschy decor, awesome and super-hip clothes, friendly and amazing (and totally hot) employees, and decent shoes. And it's a very "Only in Chicago" place, I don't think there are Akira's anywhere else.
Alas, the clothing is way too expensive for my tastes to purchase everyday, but like I said, if I won the lottery or something, hells yeah, Akira shopping spree! -
Review from Candice G.
Naperville, IL
6/27/2009
I'm not a man... anymore. Just kidding! I'm not a man at all but my boyfriend is and I love shoving him in here.
They've got some pretty cool clothes and some super jazzy shoes. I was hoping their Tom's shoes selection would be wider but ahhh well, it was good to at least try them on so my boyfriend could get an idea of their fit. The clothing section is cool, there's some stuff that's really reasonable but then there's some stuff that's pretty damn outrageous... I like the surprise of looking at something you like and guessing before you look at the tag if it's affordable or not. Tip- they have some really great ties for only $16. I think I'm going to be assigning one to my BF to wear to an upcoming wedding this summer.
The staff there was really friendly and I think the manager had her miniature pinscher there and I pretty much fell in love. Oooh, I also like the posting at the front of store with the employee R.I.P. board that has photos of past employees that stole from the store... very entertaining. -
Review from Alex F.
Chicago, IL
9/26/2010
My girlfriend goes to Akira women to find hot/stylish clothes on the cheap. That's what I expected when I entered Akira Men.
Not so fast Mr. Assumptions. The Merchandisers/buyers here are deffo not the same as at Akira W across the street. This place is dominated by western shirts (which were popular in the spring, but are old hat now) and way overpriced shoes. And the clothes aren't cheap either.
You can surely find cheaper and more fashion forward clothes at many other men's stores in the city. -
Review from Andre W.
5/28/2009
Good stuff here!
The guy that works downstairs (Prosper is his name) is really cool with his unique style of dressing and is really helpful. The last 2 times I was there, he helped me pick out some really dope shoes, Creative Recreation. The girls upstairs are really helpful as well. Mary in particular really knows her stuff when it comes to denim. She almost talked me into buying some really cool jeans, but when I saw the price tag, I changed my mind.
They have all sorts of cool threads here, but they are just really expensive. There were some nice button downs, but they were like $100. I really liked those shirts, but I have never paid that much for one shirt, at least not that I remember. they had a sale on some shirts downstairs for $10, so I went with those.
I love the setup and the look of this place. Really cool, trendy store with really knowledgeable people willing to help you pick out some good,quality clothing. Make sure you ready to spend some dough!Listed in: Who's Hood? Dre's Former Hood!, Gear Time
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Review from Alex W.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 7/19/2009
Alright...i am officially not happy all with this place...*sigh*
Here are a few reasons why:
#1 The cashier overcharged me for my on-sale shirt then instead of giving me back my cash, she wanted to give it back in store credit
#2 They have a smart card program - kinda like best buy reward zone - spend $300, get a $30 gift certificate. Well, I spent $450 and was never offered a smart card. When I asked about it a couple weeks later (because I found out about the program at another store) the manager at the Men's store said nope and that I could have only gotten one during the same day of my purchase. How was I to know if your cashier neglected to tell me?!
#3 I paid $29.99 each for a couple of pretty cool v-necks. The material felt good and it fit well. After I paid and left, I looked at some of the tags on the shirt, which had a MSRP of $20. When I came back later and asked about it, they gave me some BS about how it could have been the wholesale price that Akira paid...
MSRP = Manufacturers Suggested RETAIL Price, with keyword being RETAIL
*sigh*
All they want is your money. Customer service is great when they know you are going to buy something, but the minute you have a problem, the service is almost non-existent.
So...if you like girls who flirt with you constantly and tell you how great you look AND spending a lot of money on clothing that you could probably get elsewhere for 1/2 the price, Akira is the place for you.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/8/2009
G*D DAMN is this place expensive!
But you know what, i like it...
I was here a couple of tuesdays ago… Read more »
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Review from Jeff K.
Chicago, IL
4/14/2008
Don't be fooled by this once hot spot. Akira used to carry hard to find yet trendy clothes that would make you look awesome and you wouldn't have to worry about someone else wearing the same shirt you had on.
Now this store is a carbon copy of the young adult section at Nordstrom. If that's your thing, I would recommend shopping at Nordstrom's then because they have better customer service.
Two thumbs way down with a "boooooo" Akira! -
Review from Gerald M.
Chicago, IL
10/26/2011
The store was full of over eager and pushy sales people. Sometimes I just like to browse at my leisure with no interruptions. It's nearly impossible here.
Also, for the quality of their line of clothes the prices can peak a bit high.
The sales are good, but typically too picked over.
Love their shoe selection, though. -
Review from K. S.
Evanston, IL
4/17/2007
I dig it.
Although the jeans are $198 as are the hoodies, I did manage to find a T-Shirt with a cool design that was $22 bucks. The clothes are definitely for the trendy casual types as opposed to work appropriate, the styles were pretty fresh and the guy that rang up my order was very personable and knowledgeable about the designers.
He even fielded my question about Akira eventually openning up an online shopping site.
Staff is cool, merch is cool, prices are a bit heavy for my tastes but I'll still give it a 4. -
Review from Steve T.
Chicago, IL
1/15/2012
Love the clothes, but brought my gf with and the one of the guys working their kept hitting on her making her feel really uncomfortable. Not professional at all.
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Review from Larry C.
San Francisco, CA
4/5/2007
Why don't they make clothes to fit guys??
I know I sound like a woman but it really is hard to buy clothes that *fit*. Ok so I am suit shopping and the salesperson says, "Because your drop is so large, your pants will have pockets too far back."
Mens suits are sold with a six inch drop (i.e. 42 inch chest with a 36in waist). But if you wear 46L in a coat size and need 32 for pants, you're outta luck COMPLETELY.
Mens clothiers, its time to divorce your suit pants from the suit jacket to accommodate
Ok, admission here. I am just yelping to toot my own horn, push my stock and brag about my stats. Hate mail me at larrychiang @aa4a.org and not via Yelp so sf staffers wont see it- thx -
Review from Phillie P.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 1/11/2010
I like the footwear section and I give them kudos for the friendly staff at the men's store...
...HOWEVER...
"N*gga, f*ck, my head goes round when you go down..."
Really? These where some of the lyrics of the music that was playing. Now while it may be good for a club, I found it to be quite obnoxious and annoying. And it's freakin' loud.
Akira. I understand who the clientele are. May I suggest more lounge sophisticated music instead of this awful club music.Listed in: Shoppin' in tha hood
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/5/2007
Can't really say I've bought anything from here at full price. But I have gotten stuff on sale. It's… Read more »
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Review from Jon T.
Lansing, MI
8/15/2010 1 photo
Love this place...I'm just not rich enough to fully enjoy it. I try and stop by every time I'm in Chicago out of sheer curiousity. They always seem to be on top of the newest trends and designers and...all the staff is really nice. They smile, say hello, ask if they can get you anything, aka simply great service and not in a kiss ass kind of way.
Yes, they aren't cheap. But if you're not ok spending this kind of money, then don't go. And realistically, not all of their stuff is expensive. Like larger department stores, they have everything from $20 finds to 'I would never pay that' items.
Awesome selection, trendy threads, super friendly staff...it's always a pleasure stopping in.Listed in: Best of Chicago, Wicker Park Chitown
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Review from James N.
Chicago, IL
8/3/2008
It's pretty much impossible to go shopping in Chicago and not stumble upon an Akira store. The only good thing that I can say about Akira is that they always have great sales on shoes... but it's usually Buy One - Get One 50% Off so I get one pair I want and another pair that I don't really want but feel the need to buy because it's half off.
The sales dudes are always pretty pushy which isn't that cool, I'd rather just look around and ask myself "why is this so expensive?".
I guess if you were looking for some hot shit to wear into the club, then Akira will make you happy. The walls are filled with snap shots of D-List Chicago celebs and party peoples...
It's pretty lame man, and too expensive. -
Review from Dee W.
5/20/2007
Akira Men is the male counterpart for Akira and my fiance loves to splurge a little there. He's eyed the jeans forever but can't seem to reconcile spending $100+ for a pair of jeans - they have some nice sales racks where he's found a couple nice tops that are decently priced.
The sales staff is very friendly and very helpful in picking out items. I saw two girls last time pretty much dress this one guy - all the compliments that they paid him sure paid off since the guy pretty much bought everything that the two girls brought him to try on.Listed in: Holiday Shopping in Chicago, Shopping for the Boy
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Review from Jay R.
Chicago, IL
11/2/2007
I'll give it 5 stars, since it's generally affordable and the selection is interesting without being so crazy it can only be seen on a runway.
While I don't agree with all of their fashion, there's enough for me to usually get something there, and with that, you can't do better in the city. -
Review from justin s.
Chicago, IL
2/5/2008
Akira Men is a full-blown, all-you-can-buy buffet of hip men's clothing at decent prices. they are quick on the markdown, which makes them even more tempting and you not look like last season's trash. the brands range from total trendy (rock & republic, true religion) to understated and classy (serfontaine, juicy mens, etc). i always find the racks and shelves literally packed with product, and i myself end up in an alison-in-wonderland state of tasty, tempted confusion. should i try to paint splattered striped tshirt? the embroidered over-the-top dress shirt? the grey cardigan that screams sexy adult professional? i mostly end up trying on everything, and the staff is more than happy to accommodate.
also, this is the only men's clothing store that has offered me advice on how to make my meager, unexciting ass look like a tempting joyride geared towards another man's pleasure. and they were right on.
i am often puzzled upon exit with one lingering thought though.. is this a chain? or just a successful, multi-location local business? -
Review from Christopher E.
Chicago, IL
1/6/2009
I'm so torn. I visited Akira recently, looking for some *nicer* casual clothes for a trip to Mexico and my upcoming Italian honeymoon.
Ugh. Everything is sooo douchie. The sales staff was great. Very attentive, but not pushy. I felt comfortable, having nothing forced down my throat. But my lord, the clothes were all so horrible.
OK. Maybe they wouldn't have seemed so bad if the price tags weren't so ridiculous. But $250 for a pair of jeans that doesn't fit me as well as a $70 pair of Levi's?
I'll give them 3 stars, because the staff was cool. And I'll give the store another try in a few months. Maybe I got lost in a maze of post-holiday clearance. -
Review from Blake M.
Chicago, IL
Akira has been a staple in my clothing diet since before they moved into the bigger store. They have always had interesting styles, cool t-shirts, and a very helpful staff (more on that later).
One of my favorite parts of going to Akira is seeing the Wall of Shame of people (and former employees) who were caught stealing. It is their subtle way of "Hey shoplifters, go fuck yourselves. We are trying to run a local boutique here." And I like that. Because seriously, who steals expensive clothes? It's not like you are taking them to feed your family, you're just driving up the cost for the rest of us.
The selection of clothes is balanced such that they stock clothes I am immediately drawn to and also clothes that I would not ordinarily buy but still look good. Every time I stop in I expand my fashion horizons just a little bit. The prices vary from cheap (the clearance and sale racks downstairs) to crazy expensive (a few things on their racks have such exorbitant prices I have no idea how they ever sell). Generally speaking, though, I am happy with the clothes I leave with and never feel like I was gouged. The real danger is just finding way more than I want or need and spending too much that way.
The reason that I am willing to pay a small premium to shop at Akira is because the staff is so helpful. I subscribe to the philosophy of always having a fashionable female with me to pick out clothes, and they fit the bill. Some are better than others, but generally speaking all of them will give me an honest opinion on how the clothes look and fit. If something doesn't work out, they will suggest a size, style, or brand that would work better. Joanna has helped me pick out great clothes on quite a few occasions. All of this feedback is great, because ultimately looking good for the ladies is one of the primary reasons men try to dress well. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that they come off as flirty. Some people have said they felt overwhelmed by how friendly they are, but I have always felt at ease.
Unfortunately, I have to shave off a star for the little things. The two week return policy for store credit only is weak. All sale items being nonreturnable is weaker. Even though they have a ton of great stuff, I cannot count how many times they do not have my size in something, since apparently all the M-sized people come in and buy all the clothes the day they come in.
Overall, Akira is a solid spot for fashion and one of the better stores in the neighborhood. -
Review from Michael S.
Chicago, IL
6/1/2009
Okay.. yes.. this place is a little pricey..
I've been twice and I have dropped a pretty penny each time.. The service however is really good..
Their selection I think is incredible although I'm not trendy enough to try and even pull off some of the clothing items here..
I have a special fondness for this store.. Thank you for introducing me to the Penguin brand.. just love it!!! -
Review from Rich H.
3/7/2010
Nice store.
they carry some cool brands, and have a decent selection of sales items. I tried on a shirt but the price wasn't right so I asked the guy who was helping me if he could bring it down a little and he did. I'm sure not everyone is as thrifty a shopper as me, but my experience just shows Akira's willingness to satisfy their customers. I will definitely be back. -
Review from David R.
Chicago, IL
5/6/2008
Hot Wicker Park Spot!
I frequent this establishment monthly and love what they have to offer. With the move and expansion fover the winter rom their old location they now have an even more perfect assortment of trendy/casual attire as well as the artsy/emo stuff. Prices vary greatly so just keep an eye out for bargains and buy a bunch of those killer casual deep V's for cheap so can average out that perfect jacket you can't put down and have to splurge on.
The shoe department downstairs has a solid selection with creative reaction's, nikes, converse and the like; it always keeps me busy. And if your down there don't be shy to talk up my boy Prosper (but everyone calls him richard) for a bit.
All in all, this spot belongs in everyone's rotation. -
Review from J W.
Itasca, IL
2/28/2011
Way too overpriced! On top of that, I had a Groupon for this place that didn't mention any restrictions on sale items (about half the store), and yet they would not honor the Groupon. The manager couldn't be bothered to come out of the back to explain to me why they "couldn't do anything" for me (yeah, right) although I consider it false advertising on their part, and they tried to blame it on Groupon who I've never had a problem with on other Groupons. T-shirts start around $30, belts are around $80, and nice shirts are around around $70 - $150, if you can find one that fits. These clothes are made for the thin model types and seem to be about a size smaller than they say.
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Review from Laura R.
Venice, CA
10/18/2006
LOVE akira men! My boyfriend gets many of his clothes here (always gets jeans from here) and the store has great style. It's more of an indie style of you've never been there, don't expect to find many beat up cargo shorts. But tons of really cool pants, sweaters and accessories for guys. They also have really great people working there who are always friendly and helpful. They're people you actually want to talk to instead of being intimidated by them and they aren't pushy at all.
Listed in: Best of Wicker Park
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Review from derek s.
8/1/2007
dudes, WATCH OUT.
okay aside from a pretty hip selection of clothes...
which cost a bunch...but do seem to hold up to scrutiny...
they've hired these deviously charming and pleasant young women (one in particular) who will turn you from "the guy looking at a killer tee on sale just outside the front door"
into
"the guy who just spent $300 on a jacket, three shirts, a pair of shorts, and some sunglasses because she said they look great on me".
which they do.
honestly though...jenny r.'s review of this place kinda says it all. -
Review from Dane K.
6/20/2007
OK so i didn't actually buy anything here.... but i shopped for a good long hour. the staff was very very very helpful.
I fell victim of a "nothing in my size" day... First I found a great shirt I wanted but decided the small was slightly too tight, so I wanted a medium...well, no medium. Then I tried on at least 15 pairs of jeans: not a single pair fit me right? I've never had so much trouble shopping for jeans... I'm what I thought was a fairly standard 32x32 but their jeans were all either riding up my butt, or they were made for someone 6'5" ... They said the tailor next door could shorten them but I don't feel all that comfortable spending $200 on a pair of jeans that doesn't fit me? The one brand that did seem to fit me well they only had 31's and 33's in, no 32. She took my name/number and said she'll call me if/when they get size 32 in of that brand. Oddly, the next day I went to Nordstrom and tried about 5 pairs of jeans on and 3 of them fit me perfectly, and some of their brands were even the same brands of jeans?
They had a bunch of stuff on sale, not sure if it's the kind of place that always has something on sale but it did seem a bit like it. Seems like a cool store, I'll def. be back!
They do seem to have very good sales people working, they were very helpful.Listed in: Stuff around my 'hood' (West…
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Review from Raphael D.
Brooklyn, NY
5/12/2008
I always come here if I need something fancy and clubby but they do have some medium-priced stuff too like some of their t-shirts and button-ups. I would like the female staff to tone down the fake flirting a bit but thats their sales technique. Come on honey I'm not stupid.
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Review from T M.
Chicago, IL
5/28/2007
My bank account would have been a lot happier with me had I never found out about this place when I got a pair of shoes from the store on State. The staff are always super-helpful and nice, and seem to have some sort of special power which lets them know which items they show me I will be powerless to refuse. It can get a little crowded on weekends- if you can, try to go during the day, then you'll get maximum staff attention and a minimum of competition for looking through the racks. Akira has a lot of turnover in their items, so it's a good idea to check in regularly and see what's in or what's on sale.
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Review from Arjun C.
Chicago, IL
4/4/2007
I love that this place has brought some real stylistic variety to the men's clothing scene. The price is also reasonable. But frankly, the quality of the actual clothes is questionable. More style than substance, shirts tear easily....and the people who work there vary from being brilliant to not having a clue. The girl who helped me was cute and spunky and lovable but she kept picking out clothes that her 20 year old boyfriend would like --- not a guy in his late 20s, who can't always dress like a jackass since he spends some time dealing with Republicans. Then she actually criticized things I picked out. Finally I looked at her and said, "gosh, you've been so helpful, just go and pick out something you absolutely HATE, and I guarantee you that I'll like it."
I feel that we bonded over our inherent incompatibility and then she kicked ass. 3.5 rating more than 4... -
Review from dave s.
Chicago, IL
3/11/2008
Can't say anything really bad about this place. It is hit or miss on clothes and shoes, but usually I can find something I like. Prices range from inexpensive to expensive so you do have to dig around a bit.
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Review from Manuel S.
Berwyn, IL
8/23/2009
I was in the area for Wicker Park/Bucktown sidewalk sales of local stores. So as I was strolling about I decided to finally stop into Akira. My first time in the store. Such an array of fashion, totally loved it. The second thing I noticed was the music. They were jammin' out with some good house music. I felt at home being the house head that I am. I'm browsing around from rack to rack. Everything from Ben Sherman, Monarchy, Hugo Boss to Scotch and Soda. After a few minutes of looking around, I was checked on by a nice salesgirl. A minute later she came back with a few recommended items that she thought would look cute on me. I must admit she read me good. I did like the selected items and tried them on. However, I liked not loved them. I had to control myself. I fell in love with a Scotch and Soda henley but alas it was the last one left and it wasn't my size. I purchased a couple of basic v-neck tees that a nice sales dude helped me with. I will totally be back! Can't wait to see future selections.
This store is a must for men who are on top of their fashion.
I made my way downstairs to their shoe department and I was a little unimpressed. Their dress shoes are on point but perhaps not enough of them. Totally not diggin' the trend that is neon sneakers and ugly footwear. Y'all know what I mean. -
Review from Julian W.
Chicago, IL
8/22/2007
Funky, trendy clothes; if I was a clubber that would be my stop. But is there an Akira rule that the salespeople are supposed to be arrogant and act like their sh*t don't stink? Sure, they're attractive and dress 'natty', but that's becasue they get a fat employee discount!
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Review from Paul K.
Chicago, IL
11/11/2010
WOW. This store is awful. I'm sorry, but poorly designed graphic tees with poorly screen printed graphics designed to attract "bros" does not qualify you to be a boutique. Steve Madden shoes? I think I'll to go Famous Footwear for that. They have a decent denim selection, but I don't understand why they carry some of the brands that they do. A lot of the denim that they carry can't be defined as "Premium" most of it is denim that you can find at a department store. J. Lindeberg? Great designer, but nobody cares for him anymore. Sorry. William Rast? Justin Timberlake's denim line DESIGNED by J. Lindeberg? Even more sorry. Rock and Republic? Yuck. They DO have Naked and Famous, which is grade A solid in my book. A lot of my female friends like Akira for women, and I can understand why, as they do have nice clothes for women... but their men's store really, really needs a lot of work.
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Review from Diana M.
Chicago, IL
11/12/2009
I work directly across the street and my favorite part about Akira is that they are a big family, and the most amazing neighbors. Between all the locations on North ave, Akira has become my one stop shop for everything. I work a lot, so I'm usually in a hurry when I'm shopping and their service is the very best. All the stylists in the store are experts at what they sell and always know what I'm looking for even if I don't have a clue.
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Review from Bridget I.
Chicago, IL
12/21/2009
I shop Akira Women and Accessories from time to time, but I recently went into Akira Men with my boyfriend and fell in love with the place. The service is phenomenal (not like what you get at the women's store, but rightfully, it's a different feel), the clothes are hot, decent prices for the quality - a lot of local designers - and music by DJ Wizz Kid - what more can I say? They have an amazing shoe selection downstairs and the guy who was working the day we were there was very cool, not pushy, but just really helpful and has a good eye. They have great sales as well.
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Review from Wil T.
Chicago, IL
1/15/2010
Walked in to just browse but the sales woman was persistent in a polite way of informing me of what items were 50% off. I found a military style m65 jacket for half off, couldn't resist the deal.
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Review from Ben K.
Chicago, IL
1/30/2011
I wish it was possible to award 0 stars. This sorry excuse for a high end men's boutique is not even deserving of a single store. First of all, the merchandise they carry is overpriced. My biggest complaint with this store is the service. The staff is incredibly rude and disrespectful. I attempted to order a pair of shoes from this store and I promised on a number of occasions that I would receive a phone call within a week to update me on the status of my purchase. After three weeks of inquiring about the status of my order, I finally went into the store to speak to the manager. The manager of the store refused to help me and was insulting. She accused me of fabricating the story and proceeded to verbally harass me. I advise all to stay away from this store.
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Review from Brian M.
Chicago, IL
1/14/2008
One of my favorite Men's clothing stores in the city!!!
I'm very picky about what I wear, and actually have a hard time finding clothes. Not here...their selection is amazing, I ALWAYS find something great!!!
The prices can be a bit much for some people, however, they usually have fantastic sale items!!!
The staff has Always been extremely helpful and pleasant to me!!!
:) -
Review from Andrew G.
Chicago, IL
7/14/2007
I gave Akira Men with the 3 stars rate due to all clothes are too pricy. It's paradise for me to shop and, Their t-shirts is exactly what i m looking for. Lean n Coool. The best! Only question that leaves me with is... Quality is good? I will find myself in that store more often to look for some sales.
Listed in: Born to Shop
