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Category: Department Stores [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Streeterville, Magnificent Mile, Near North SideChicago (Red)
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I would have given this place 5 stars, but I hate being limited to a certain number of items in the fitting room. You're only allowed 10.
So, I went in this past Sunday and got some great items:
$100.00 French Connection sweater for 20 bucks
$150.00 Ben Sherman sweater for 30 bucks
3 Calvin Klein polos for $15 bucks each
Kenneth Cole chain
The thing to remember here, is you have to be in the mood to dig around a bit, look for good deals and not be rushed. I recommend coming here without a ton of shopping bags from other stores, big coats, or a big group. The less you have going on, the better as the store gets crowded and tight.
There are som great deals here.
The staff in the men's fitting room area is very helpful with opinions and they actually don't just count your items, but also help you making choices.
So In Canada we have Winners which is basically the same concept but Filene's is better executed. The deals are better and the selection is better.
Of course the oxymoron here is that you have to take an escalator up to the third floor to enter the store and the store goes up to the 5th floor.
People thought this was:
While my friends were shopping at VS, I decided to drop into Filene's...and boy, was I glad I did!
Where else can you find:
-Perry Ellis swimwear for $22
-Ralph Lauren beachcover for $10
-sexytime unmentionables for $4
-a really sweet cashier named Zieta Anderson that was like, "Haaaaay, girl! There's a hole in the bag (of toffee chocolate almonds)- let me go and get another one for you" and doesn't grumble about it!
He also said he loves Navy service people, so that's brownie points in my book. Cool place that I wouldn't hesitate to visit again.
Come to SD, Filene's! (and bring Zieta with you)
:D
People thought this was:
You find great stuff and great prices. 50% of the ladies in the dressing room are rude and the other 50% is really nice.
My friend who is a Filene's fanatic dragged me into this store. Both her and I were disappointed. We didn't find anything good.
On top of that one of the floors was extremely empty with racks, not sure if they were prepping for the bridal sale, but it just gave the impression that they didn't have a lot of inventory.
People thought this was:
WAIT, Filene's BASEMENT? Sure, they only have about 5 elevators.
If you're looking for a bargain, get cho ass over here.
I love this place but lately haven't seen anything worth buying.
While shopping with my gay buddy, I've noticed they have better things for men...
Sigh... :[
This is one of those places that I personally don't care for, but I can't let that affect my review of the place just because I'm not a fashion-minded girl. I'm a boorish fat male who just frankly has no business here. But I went anyway, not realizing what exactly this place even was until I'd arrived.
I'd heard good things about Filene's and their bargains - and since I'm an avid bargain-hunter, I figured I'd give it a go. Unfortunately, luck would have it that this particular day the elevator was out of order and the escalator was non-functioning.
And yes, I've heard the joke that "escalators don't break - they just become stairs" - but when it's a four-story flight of stairs of escalator step-height and people have to use ONE for going both up and down and segments have construction poles in the way; that's a downright danger zone.
After the huffing and puffing and sweating, we were greeted at the top with a 20% off any item coupon and a few more "sorry for the inconvenience" sentiments from the employees. And that's when I realized was this store actually is.
Think of it as two separate stores - one called "Filene's" and one called "Basement".
The "Filene's" store features what are apparently knockoffs of extremely-expensive name-brand merchandise, selling for a fraction of the name-brand price. However, "a fraction of" is a vague term, and once you understand that $300 may in fact be a fraction of the $850 price tag, it's still freakin' $300 for a freakin' purse. Supposedly a NICE purse that's got a famous logo/brand on it, but I'm a dude and not the kind of dude who needs a purse and definitely not the kind of dude who needs an expensive-brand-name type of purse.
Then randomly you wind up in "Basement" - a store that sells things one could generally find lying around in a basement, like some extra housewares stuff or some candles or a metal picture frame with a photo of people you don't know. And while that's all well and good, upon picking up the basement treasure, you come to realize why it was put in the basement in the first place. Some of it was in the Clearance section because it's just broken/torn. Some of it was in there because it really doesn't serve much function around the house, like a scented candle in a very odd scent that nobody would really want lingering around where people tread. Some of it was there because it is hideous and you really wouldn't want people to know you owned something that ugly, which is why it got crammed into the basement.
But I digress - these are personal tastes of mine. All of the other patrons seemed to be very excited about their finds and the deals they were getting for a pair of jeans that normally sell for an arm and a leg instead of just the left foot they were planning on paying for it. And the employees were very helpful, even though there was nothing they could direct me towards and it was between apologies about the escalator/elevator situations.
So I'm torn and going to give this place 3 stars. I can't give it any better because they didn't have anything I could afford or would want to buy and also they made me exercise. I can't really give it any worse because the staff was friendly and the place was cleaner than any basement I'd ever been in (though organized as poorly as most basements I've been in) and my sentiments about the apparel and prices are a personal thing and not very objective.
So if you're a frugal fashionista in good shape, climb the stairway to moderate-bargains and have a squealingly good time.
If you're a guy like me, walk one door down and ogle the Victoria's Secret displays instead.
People thought this was:
Filene's basement effing sucks and it is the embodiment of what is wrong with our society today. Let me expand on that if you will.
The prices are terrible. I about choked when I saw a Dolce T-Shirt going for 100 bucks. There was nothing special about this T shirt. It had NO writing on it. It was pretty thin...made of cotton...for 100 bucks?? If I'm buying a T-Shirt for 100 bucks, a date with Christina Aguilera better come with it. The jeans are still hideously expensive too.
Who buys this crap anyway?? Who pays that much for a label?? Well, I have an idea who does, based on this conversation I heard while on an escalator:
40 year old lady to her friend: "I got all excited because I looked back and I saw JUICY!! Then I saw it was just your bag."
I was thinking to myself....lady, you're in your 40s. You just talked excitedly about Juicy Couture like you were a 17 year old girl. There are problems here at work. In a country and world where the economy is in the preverbial crapper, jumping up and down about a brand that's made for people 20 years your junior isn't very flattering for you.
This country really sickens me sometimes, and this store really was a microcausm of that. People paying way too much for brands that offer them nothing more than the ability to feel like they are a greater person for having a particular tag attached to their clothes. It's sad, it's truly sad.
People thought this was:
I totally forgot I had been to this store in NYC.
Eager to score a pair of Manolo's or Louboutin's for my big night in Chicago, I left feeling empty.
If you are still into the "clone" pocket jean scene, this is the place to score a pair of Seven's, Paige or R&R for about $100.
Other than that, I only spent $18 on 2 pairs of nice designer opaque tights a cool hat and 2 pairs of sexy unmentionables. ;)
People thought this was:
Maybe I've just lost my talent and zest for bargain shopping, but the Filene's basement on Michigan is just terrible!
Going up the escalator with the bright blue lights made me feel dizzy, and the underwhelming selection just made me feel worse!
I literally could not find a single thing worth trying on in the entire store. I'd actually rather browse in the TJ Maxx in my hometown than try to shop in this store again.
I really do like Filene's, but as a previous user stated, the supply of new items does seem to have dried up some. The good news, perhaps is that the chaim was recently purchased by Syms and is no longer in Ch 11.
For men's clothes, you certainly can't do all of your shopping here (I don't know I would want to), but for deeply discounted dress shirts, underwear, socks and ties it makes the shopping more enjoyable. Fellas, if you are shopping just for yourself, skip the mile long escalator fat Michigan Avenue and take the elevator to the fifth floor. You'll thank me later.
I have to admit, I'm a big Filene's Basement fan. It's most definitely my favorite discount store, and has a lot more stuff than similar places like Marshalls and TJ Maxx.
I can't tell you how many things I've gotten from here just in the past few months. Just today, I purchased over $700 of Diane von Furstenberg luggage for $100 on clearance. I've gotten Kenny Cole ballet flats, Nine West pumps, gloves, umbrellas, hats, purses, etc. and all at incredible prices. And this particular location off Michigan has the super long elevator that makes you feel like you're going up to heaven.
My only gripe is that some of the departments are just oddly smaller than others. For example, could the men's coat department be more skimpy?
But in all honestly, I can't complain because, well, I'm a woman and that doesn't affect me. I really like it here.
People thought this was:
It's pretty hard to tell if Filene's has been affected by the recession... however, I think it would give them MORE business. I am in LOVE with this place. I couldn't believe what I got here. Manolo's for $200... sold!
Tahari coat for $70... mineee! And the employees were actually helpful when I approached them. Definitely will be here more often.
People thought this was:
Yes, you have to dig through mounds, piles and racks... Yes there are boxes mixed in with the wrong size... but has there ever been such a heaven for bargain hunting??? I think not.... My last trip netted me 2 pair of Gucci sunglasses, a pair of sony headphones, and a long lingering look at a Prada bag that I still could not justify... even at a fraction of the regular price.
People thought this was:
I came out of the fitting rooms feeling dirty, they're really unpleasant. Incredibly unhelpful staff, chewing gum. Really awful PA announcements complete with feedback that hurts your ears. The shoe selection made me cry (and not with joy). I found one item I liked and got all excited until I realised it was only left because it had a huge hole in it. I did manage to buy tights and sports socks for a lot less than elsewhere, and I understand that the stock varies so it's worth checking on.... just take a deep breath first, I guess.
People thought this was:
I bought a slew of things here last weekend and was just amazed at the deals that were available. Got some early bird card w/ an additional 20% off everything I bought that morning. Quality stuff, ridiculously cheap prices here -- if it weren't for the odd shopping experience.
Here's the KEY problem: Manager douchebag guy (who didn't look much better than I did) thought I was stealing. Yes, I understand that I didn't look as presentable as I would have liked on a Sunday morning w/ scruffed faced and a t-shirt, but come-the-fuck-on man! I had five things in my hand and asked this guy where the facilities were. I walked over, hung my stuff on a rack, and then went in. 2 mins later, I realize that dude man has followed me in --- like I was doing something wrong. Weird, but there's more.
I leave and get my things, and then DB manager shows up at around almost every corner (ever dept that I go into) and the dressing room. Finally, I wait in line for the check-out and he's behind the counter now! He paces customers in line just so he can wait on me. WHAT THE F! I hate that kind of suspicion.
Lucikly he sees that I"m spending a good chunk of change and it looks he's getting over the merchandise I"M NOT STEALING. At my request, he also gave me an additional 25% off of a sportcoat....which was huge --- so maybe he felt bad for following me once he realized that I was shelling out clams?
The thing I don't get is that when I was leaving, I went down to the 2nd floor below to look at some other stuff. Guess who's there? Yeah.
Don't get it. Uncomfortable nonetheless.
That guy turned what would have been an incredible shopping experience into a weird one. Love Filene's, but stay away man-dude.
love this place. I live in California and there are some great deals on jeans over here.. sometimes i can find them for 90, 70, once i bought jbrands for 25... when i go back to the midwest (my home) and travel up to chicago, i try to go to filenes basement to see their great deals. The last time i went (in may) they had paige jeans (current styles) on sale for 70.. i still kick myself in the butt for not buying them! :'(
Filenes is like anyother discount store. they have a mix of great items and old past season items too.. like every good shopper, you have to take the time to go through things to find a good deal! you'll find one though.. trust me!
come to california Filene!
So what if the elevator and the escalator are both always broken?
Sweet Madonna... I just bought a pair of glossy, metallic, gold Juicy Couture flat sandals (With bows! And Charms!) here. They are either the most tacky or most glorious pair I'm looking forward to wearing all this summer.
And they were $30.00! Cue Maniacal laughter!
Mine! Mine! All mine!
People thought this was:
A quick tour through my closet, or "the archives" as I call them, will reveal that probably 85% of my clothes have been purchased from Filene's.
Seven For All Mankind jeans for $39! True Religion jeans for $90! Making my butt look great? Priceless!
It can be disorganized, yeah, but it's the volume, people, the VOLUME of stuff there that lets you make excellent discoveries. And it makes shopping seem like more of a safari. A style safari!
People thought this was:
Well, I do believe Filene is on her way out....they are doing some form of construction so the escalator is out of service and you need to walk up. Which is like climbing Everest. Yes, there is an elevator, no, I don't have time to wait in the line, so scale it I did. There isn't much in the store at this point, and what is there is still mostly overpriced, they always have great accessories though, but for actual clothing, not much there.
They did have some good deals in housewares, including some nice 400 thread count sheets on the cheap, but nothing else to report worthy of scaling the Everest escalator...
Can you say TJ Maxx on steriods. Designer jeans half off to 75% off!!
I bought two Lucky Brand Jeans for $75. I bought a Dolce t-shirt for $15 (I think it was mismarked but oh well it's not my job to correct them). You can also get great deals on suits and sport coats, dress shirts, ties (although the ties are all wide and I don't like wide ties because I have a pretty big head, both in size and I tend to bragg a lot, Hence Yelp).
I found my new love... and her name is Filene... Oh sexy sexy Filene how I long for our next meeting....
People thought this was:
I usually avoid this Filenes because I loathe tourists , but Corporate has been sending me coupons for days so I thought "why not?" I walked away saying "Why"?
The escalator is still broken. Posts back to May 10 comment on it, so here we are 12 days later, on the cusp of the Memorial Day weekend, and its still not working.
I think this store must be closing. It is sparsely stocked with a terrible selection of junk. One rack of swimsuits...Memorial Day weekend and one rack of swimsuits. The shoes selection is pathetic and the handbags are worse. I have given up on this Filene's.
Filene's basement has good prices on clothes, BUT THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE SUCKS!!
First, they informed me that if you want a refund, you have to have all the tags that came with the item attached to it. IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU TO SIMPLY RETURN THE ITEM, WITH THE TAGS DETACHED.
Second, when I did get a refund, I later found out that they put it on hold for 5-7 business days if done using a debit or credit card. So if you make a sizable purchase and then decide to take it back--don't expect to be able to access the funds via debit or credit card right away.
Overall, they hire deadbeats and losers. PAY CASH ONLY, AND DO NOT RELY ON THEIR EMPLOYEES FOR ANYTHING.
This Filene's location is much like Britney Spears. A HOT MESS.
The clothing racks are ALWAYS in disarray, the fitting rooms have dust bunnies that will eat you alive, and the salespeople are just plain grumpy. I swear, I've never seen ANY of them smile, and it seems like they're always arguing with each other. Have I found some nice things here? Sure, but if I wanted to dig through piles of duds to find a winner...I'd much rather do it at a thrift store and pay the lesser price.
Yesterday was the kicker because I nearly got run over on the escalator by two security guards chasing after a shoplifter. The State Street location is so much better.
People thought this was:
Kick-flippin-A! I forgot how sweet Filene's is! Especially now during the holidays.
Filene's to me is like thrift shopping - but you find a hell of a lot more (and, yeah it's not as cheap...but you find more!). If you're lucky, and more often than not, you are, you'll find some last season stuff there, that still looks good now. AND you'll be the only one wearing it because everyone else is "done" with it. But if you like some older styles, and think you can pull them off still, then go here.
Okay on the shoes. I found some KC Reactions today that are awesome (last pair!).
Good for men's slacks, suits.
Just overall good for the price and effort you put in to finding quality name brand clothes.
The one on Michigan Ave. is way better than the one on State.
People thought this was:
For this location, I'm torn between 2-3 stars. They do have a nice selection of certain things, particularly shoes and coats. Their clothing does not seem great, or if it is, any good finds are...well too hard to find. For one thing its SO PACKED. On top of that, there's just a lot of junk here. The State St. store just seems a lot better- the layout here is horrible for keeping people moving. I kept getting stuck behind people walking like idiots. The way they have the handbags laid out is also completely stupid. I came here looking for a bag my sister mentioned wanting - not knowing exactly what it was but knowing she said she saw it here, I figured I could find it. No such luck, and this was only a week later.
Overall I say ick. You might find something fantastic in the clothing departments every once in a while, and its decent for accessories and shoes, but just not worth the crowd you have to deal with!
People thought this was:
It's hit or miss, but isn't that what you expect from a discount retailer?
I keep going back because the hits are worth it. I've got some AMAZING deals on high end accessories. (I'm petite so it's hard to find clothes that fit me.)
People thought this was:
Ok, I know you're a discount store, and I love discount store (Loehmann's, TJ Maxx, Marshalls) but I walked into this place and couldn't leave fast enough. To begin with, there's an escalator that basically takes you to another planet, I swear, it is three times the normal length. Once you get to the first floor the items feel like they have been haphazardly placed where ever there is place. I've seen garbage bags have more organization than this. I mean COME ON!
There really is no rhyme or reason to how they've laid out their store. On top of that, you'll feel like the wall are closing in cause there are literally NO windows and just SO much stuff. NOT a good combo. Really don't waste your time. I'll make this review simple for you since that's what I'd like Filene's to do.
No organization+No windows+Too much stuff=GO ELSEWHERE!
People thought this was:
this filene's is fantastic...i frequented this chain when in DC, but the one on michigan avenue has hands down the best treasures :)
dont go in looking for anything specific...because you probably wont find it. instead youll find a random shirt that grabs your eye by a designer at an irresistible price.
oh filenes...i never fail to walk out with one of the kitschy "i just got a bargain at filenes" bags....
also, it has the running of the brides...which from what i hear is hysterical. im just dying to see it!!!
People thought this was:
I found a half dozen, narrow Ben Sherman ties for $20 each. I bought them all. So, so happy.
People thought this was:
An overwhelming mess. The walk to the Filene's Basement on State St. is well worth it. However, TJMaxx ranks FAR higher on my list.
People thought this was:
I do not believe that 'Filene' is a name. I mean, I guess it could be, but there's really no reason. We already have a lot of great names. Anyway, Filene's Basement is way cooler than my basement. More clothes, not too expensive. Bought a good sweater there. Filene also has a discount program, where s/he will send you an e-mail every day with coupons. I appreciate that, and as a person with few e-mail contacts it really helps me stay connected and well-dressed.
People thought this was:
4 stars because I scored, YES! Ok, I didn't know what to expect and the place seems a bit messy. Then I started going through various racks...getting a bit interesting...got to the clearance racks, BINGO! Ok, you have to be in the mood to shop and willing to spend the time - luckily I did and I scored! Got a black cashmere Adrienne Vittadini cardigan w/ jewel buttons for less than $30 - HELLO! That gave me energy to flip through more racks. Scored a few more tops at low low price. I had some self control and only bought great deals...limited space in luggage but I was thinking...dangerous place for my sisters!
How about opening up a branch in San Francisco?
It is an awesome place from clothes to accesories. Without going to details, This is an One stop shop you get a variety of different brands. Atleast stop by and check out for yourself.
People thought this was:
Where the hell is the basement? You have to go up the longest escalator ever to get into this place. Super ultra crowded, a bit disorganized, and hotter than a warm night in Hanoi. Essentially the the stuff is standard fare Nordstrom Rack-esque merchandise... the prices aren't bad. Still if you're like me you look at that $80 t-shirt priced at $40 and think to yourself, I wonder how much that 6 year old in the sweatshop was paid to make this garment in the first place. Alright maybe I think too much for successful shopping, but I think I'll stick to the Rack, at least it's easier to navigate and has AC.
People thought this was:
While the basement isn't going to win any awards for customer service, if you like the thrill of a good bargain, they're just as good as Marshall's or TJ Maxx - only with a larger selection of upscale designers.
I was there last night, but I drop in every other week or so to see what's new. They're pretty good at rotating stock so it's worth it to stop by frequently. I was searching for pants that I could wear to the office. However I'm a very short person (5'3) and thin (size 2) so finding pants that aren't so long that I need to tailor them by 5 inches is a real challenge. On the flip side if I try on "petites" they tend to be just slightly high water. I was excited when I saw there was a very large selection of pants to choose from. One of the problems though, was that almost none of the garments had a size labeled on the price tag. There is a space for it, but more times than not it was empty. This meant that I had to look inside the waistband of about 200 pairs of pants. Many of which required me adjusting hangers to get at it. I think the basement should definitely rework their labeling system. Luckily I managed to find a few 2's and I scurried off to the dressing room to try my luck.
Wow, the dressing room is a shambles; which I already know from prior visits. But they must have been hit pretty hard with the holiday weekend because not only was it dust bunny city with broken doors and hooks missing in the rooms...I found clothes that had been left in several of the rooms and empty hangers in the one I picked.
I did get lucky and two of the pants worked out, which made me very happy. The price made me even happier. I got a pair of Michael Kors for $35 on clearance, and the other pair was only $25 bucks. Compared to the prices at Express right now, it was a steal. They are charging $69.99 and up for a single pair of dress slacks. So I felt like I got an awesome deal.
Amazingly there was no one in line (it was 6pm on a weeknight) so I even managed to get out of the store pretty quickly.
I think it all boils down to what you're willing to look past for the chance of finding a deal. Sometimes you win and sometimes you loose but I personally don't mind the chaos and poor service if I occasionally come home with designer duds for a pittance.
People thought this was:
You know I want to like Filenes but I can never find anything that is my style. Everything is either too old looking or too young looking. On the other hand they have some rocking purses and shoes.
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Ernest Sewn jeans for $15? Yes please.
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No windows? Disorganized? Hit or miss? Long escalator? Come on people, I think you're forgetting what store you walked into. Macy's and Bloomindale's are right outside the door. Think outlet store and discounter - what you see is what you get. I was at the original one in Boston years ago before they went national. Talk about being disorganized, cramped, and crowded. But it was an institution. Why? The caliber of the merchandise blows other discounters out of the water.
People thought this was:
I prefer this Filene's to the other one - there's more selection and things are better placed on each floor. THey have such good deals here from jewelry to clothes to coats. This location is better than the other since it's more on the Magnificent Mile.
Neighborhood: The Loop
Category: Department Stores
Neighborhood: The Loop
Category: Department Stores
Neighborhood: Magnificent Mile
Category: Department Stores
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Women's Clothing
Neighborhood: The Loop
Category: Department Stores
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