Strange Cargo
Categories: Sports Wear, Shoe Stores, Men's Clothing, Women's Clothing, Used, Vintage & Consignment [Edit]
Neighborhood: Lakeview3448 N Clark St
(between Cornelia Ave & Newport Ave)
Chicago, IL 60657 (773) 327-8090
- Nearest Transit:
Addison (Red)
Belmont (Purple Express, Brown, Red)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Sun 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
25 reviews
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
"Even for a passing-by tourist, this place offers some really cool stuff. My friend got a rather unique (and hot) bracelet here that I wish…" read more »
95 Reviews for Strange Cargo
I went here a long time ago to get a Bears hoodie (the office I worked in said we could wear Bears' apparel and me and my friend/coworker were all about being allowed to wear hoodies to work). I found a super cute comfy one (which I'll admit to wearing *all* the time now). And I got free stuff ~ free shirt (usually only worn under something, like my super awesome hoodie) and some bag thing I don't use. But it was *free* and I loves me some free stuff :) Posting this reminds me I need to stop by there again sometime.
A but cliche to buying 'vintage cloths" or printed shirts or even hand picked printed shirts but you know what I guess you can call me a sucker for that kind of stuff. I always heard about this place and decided to take my brother here when he was in town. And I must say that it was a good Idea we both had a good time and got a couple of free shirts with our purchase.
This is the place to get a cool, unique and often times vulgar shirt that is completely 100% customized. You can either pick the decals they have made already and put them on the shirt of your choice, put your own words on a shirt, or purchase the shirts that they have made. A great place to go to get a Bears or Cubs shirt with a vintage feel. Don't worry about not being able to find what you want here- they have hundreds and hundreds of decals. Books brimming with different designs. I will forever love my "Hot Mess" shirt that I custom-designed here. Just keep your hands off the wigs!!
Maybe this store has lost its luster for me since a) I'm no longer in high school, and b) it is now over-run with Lincoln Park Chads & Trixies searching for some t-shirts and shoes guaranteed to be a conversation starter so they can pick up.
There are now entire racks dedicated to overpriced Cubs shirts, Sox shirts, and Bears shirts. You can get better deals at thrift stores, people. And these shirts are all the same. You could outfit the entire shopping population within a one-block radius and it would be like pod people.
They still have some cute shoes, some of which are reasonably priced, and have a toy/goodie section.
But what I really used to like about this store was the fact that it had original, fun, quirky tees. Now, you can pick up most of this stuff at any number of stores, and you won't be the only one.
My, how times change.
Um I'd be grumpy too if I had to work in Wrigleyville. I have always had a great experience with the staff. They are all very nice and helpful. I go here if I need a great t-shirt that nobody else has. They have tons of iron-on decals. Everything from Iron Maiden to Andre the Giant. They have thrift items and cool shoes plus accessories. There is also a section of funny toys and movie memorabilia. What else could you ask for? Oh yeah, I love that you are not allowed to have your phone on in this store.
DIG IT!
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
Strange Cargo is one of the best stores ever. I have probably a dozen shirts from here. A tee with a random dude giving the finger, my Tom Selleck shirt (which is going to get me laid one of these days, I swear to God), numerous Cubs shirts, lots of witty, fun things to wear. And you can make your own shirt. I am going to make shirts for the Gay Pride parade for us at work, today, actually. It's a great store to browse in. Check out the sale section, I have so many awesome shirts that were only $5. They have shoes and accessories (sp?) but I mostly go for the cool tops. The people are nice, quirky but nice. Goto this store next time you are in Wrigley.
Update:
I had awesome shirts made for the Pride parade. I needed four shirts for us beer kids; I was having trouble picking out the lettering, colors, etc. The stoner dude was very patient and helpful, he didn't seem at all bothered that I took forever to make a decision (he was stoned, so...). And our shirts turned out great. We look so gay and so full of pride. :)
Highly recommend.
I've come here a few times, some just to buy shirts, once to have a shirt made for me. Staff has always been friendly and helpful to me. When I needed a shirt made for a friend's party, the girl working helped me pick out a design that worked well for the party and the shirt. Not all the shirts are my style, nor are the rest of the items, but for a quickly made, well done shirt at a good price and a smile, I'd go back.
People thought this was:
Useful (8)
Funny (1)
Cool (7)
Every time I come here, my inner teenager has to battle my inner curmudgeon.
Inner teenager: Cool! Tons of T-shirts! A large selection of Converse sneakers! Kitschy pop culture doodads!
Inner curmudgeon: What the f*ck is these people's problem? I think some employees here hate their jobs. Unneeded attitude. And am I going to walk around in carnival Converse? No. And do I really need those Alf trading cards?
I like to stop by and look. Sometimes, pick up a T-shirt and some (Alf) trading cards. Ignore the grumpy kids behind the counter.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
Cool (1)
One of my favorite stores in the city. I have had so many t-shirts made here it's ridiculous. I actually don't like the fit of the blank shirts they sell, so I usually hit up Unique Thrift Store for my own, then bring it in ($5 off!).
Besides the t-shirts, there's loads of other great stuff in here: the kind of junk you'll find at Uncle Fun but less of it. Sticker packages from the 80s (Dukes of Hazzard and ALF stickers? Really?!), great postcards, very funny fridge magnets and related humorous/hipsterized gear essential for strategic placement in the modern apartment. I just bought myself a wee bank with "I'm saving up for some good weed!" emblazoned on the side next to a picture of a 50s little boy grinning like a Cold War junior zealot! I splurged, what can I say...
No matter how many times I go in the store, there's something else that always makes me laugh--the signs on the wigs (on a shelf at the back of the store) warning people not to touch them. Each wig has its own sign, not-so-subtley informing the public NOT to touch the wigs. Really, really funny and to my knowledge I have never seen anyone so much as breathe too closely on any of them.
Some other great stuff I've picked up at Strange Cargo: a mousepad with an image of Jesus carrying a boombox on his shoulder; a rubber ice tray that produces ice shaped like marijuana leaves; a child's accordion; one of those 'metallic shavings' toys where you make hair or a moustache on a person... except this one was more adult in nature of the hair placement; tiny little ninja figurines; Rocky Horror patches and stickers; Dia de los Muertos figures.
The store can get pretty busy, but they're always prompt with the shirts. I have personally never had a problem with the staff, they've always seemed fine to me. Hell, mostly they seem like people I wish I were meeting for a beer after they got off work. Mabye the people who did have "problems" just wandered down from Wrigley and weren't expecting to see counter people who looked like they couldn't give a shit who won the game.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Strange Cargo is always good for a laugh if nothing else. My friends and I have been known to put certain inside jokes on tee shirts, and when I discovered that they would print any design on a shirt for $19 (including the shirt!) I was in heaven! I've put in orders as small as 1 shirt and as large as 18 and every one has been perfect.
One thing that does bug me a bit is the ordering process. You have to email the design, and they will not begin working on the shirt until your order is paid in full. I understand that they do this in order to not get stiffed with a pile of shirts with my buddy's face on them, but I don't understand why they don't allow you to place credit card orders over the phone to avoid making two trips. It wouldn't be as bad if the store didn't close at 6:30 sharp making it hard to get there during the week you work a 9-6.
If you've never been to Strange Cargo, your first visit will likely be best if you like vile humorous shirts. Within a few visits, you'll probably have memorized most of the stock. They do add a few shirts to their collection every month and the new additions are always placed in the window. I walk by on occasion to check them out, and usually only go in if a new design tickles my fancy.
One Saturday while hob nobbing around the town I tried to shock a guy I was dating with the shirts, and I discovered a hidden jewel. The hat bin! I've picked up a shocking shirt or two from there, but I'd really like to shake the hand of the person that has the stones to wear any one of those hats in public! WOW!
I have a Tug of Heart relationship with this place but
I'm glad this place exists.
I hate that their t-shirts are almost see-through (whites) but
I love that they are so so so soft.
I hate that for one t-shirt & print I dished out $22 bucks but
I love that they do it so quickly (less than 10 minutes).
I hate the dorkiness and quirkiness of this place but
I love the dorkiness and quirkiness of this place :-)
How much do I love thisplace? I actually went there last night right after the Cubs game let out!
Strange Cargo has never let me down. They always have a great selection of tees, shoes, and bags. I've been needing a new tote bag, and I've been having trouble finding one that fit my style and wouldn't fall apart. I really didn't want to come down here while the Cubs are at home, but I knew I'd find what I was looking for, and I did.
Unfortunately, my ears practically start bleeding from the moment I walk through the door. I wish they allowed booze in the store, because keeping track of the number of "bro"'s and "kyote"'s (the word is pronounced CUTE not KYOTE!) would make for a fun drinking game. And the orange raspy-voiced "kyote" trixies have a habit of hogging up the mirror, even if you were already using it. That said, this is far from the store's fault, and I'm glad that they do so much business.
I think this will have to become my new Great America - I'll have to take a day off just to go down there.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I got a shirt made here that said "Ryan Gardner is a cock" and the person writing the order down hardly batted an eye. That's the kind of respect I feel I deserve.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
This store is quinnessential urban downtown shopping. With their off-beat graphic tees, edgy accessories, and wide selection of hip shoes, you can go in and be outfitted for a day of city-tivities. The staff was friendly, not too in-you-face. They have great sale prices. I was able to purchase a cute shirt for only $8!
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
Great costume finds in their vintage and new clothing section - I was a very sexy Brownie Troop Leader one Halloween thanks to Strange Cargo. For Gay Pride, I got all sexed up in a Dickies mini skirt and went as a transgendered mechanic gone wrong. Fun fun fun! Love their vintage t-shirt reproductions, shoes, funky accessories, toys, gifts. It's not all whimsical. They also have very useful items like stick on mustaches, for example. What girl can do without those? I, for one, never pass them up!
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (1)
Cool (3)
This is a great place to get printed clothes made you can either purchase their materials or bring in your own. They have a ton of prints you can use on their walls and letters/numbers which they can set on to clothes.
I have used them several times to create t-shirts/sweatshirts and I have never had a bad experience. Also, I would use them instead of the higher priced T-Shirt Deli in Bucktown, not to bad mouth them but I from past experience you will pay less for the same service at Strange Cargo.
This place rocks!!! I picked up a custom shirt here when I was in Chicago on the way to my first Cubs game at Wrigley, what an experience!!!..it was tough to choose what shirt to get there were so many I would have wanted to pick up. So when I got back to LA I decided to check out if they had an online store and low and behold they do....SWEEEETTTT!!! I think I'll have a few more shirts shipped my way...at $5 shipping no matter how many you order...dang that's a great bargain!!!
It's because of this store that I go to the nearby mall for a Christmas/birthday/any other holiday gift only as a last resort.
Strange Cargo has a bunch of things to offer, ranging from a huge collection of shoes, vintage clothing, t-shirts galore (you can get them customized also), jewelry, posters, toys, and other random things like patches, posters, trading cards from your favorite TV shows and movies (Star Wars, In Living Color, M*A*S*H, etc) and wigs. Make sure you turn off your cell phone also. And don't you dare try on that wig and have someone take your picture. There are posters up in the store that remind you to do so. The staff will not hesitate to kick you out. They close early (around 6:45), so make sure you get there on time.
I definitely recommend this place. You're guaranteed to find something you'll really like.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
!!!!Warning stuff alert!!!!
Cool store with lots of crap and a great selection of vans. And half-cabs at that. Too bad they didnt have my size due to the fact that I have chicken feets....
But if you want 90210 baseball cards and shrits with booze on them come here....
I went here to meet OUR ROYAL HIGHNESS, QUEEN ANDY for his fitting because as you all know, he's going to be one of the models for the yelp fashion show this Thursday!
They have funky shoes, accessories, a little bit of cool used clothing but they REALLY rock the house with walls and walls of cool, funky, funny, and cute designs to choose from for t-shirts and hoodies! You can also have custom shirts made... I think I may get a couple really cheesy ones made for myself but it's just gonna take a while before I actually get get on it since I can't decide which ones to do...
- bob barker pick meeee!!!
- erik's wife
- i designed this. neat hu?
- a sucker is someone who takes the time to read long text on t-shirts.
- don't you know who i am?! (neither do i...)
- "your mom" (written in japanese characters)
yeah i know... cheesy =)
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (4)
Cool (5)
They have garbage pail kids here!!
Went here three times when I went to visit a friend last weekend in Chicago. Bought a St. Pattys Day shirt, a pair of $20 vans, knick knacks, and garbage pail kids...!
Ha ha. I love Strange Cargo. If I had lived in Chicago and found this store when I was a teenager I would have never had money for the giant triple mochas I used to drink, because I would have spent my whole allowance here.
Even as an adult, I love this place. Thanks to Strange Cargo, I have a Neil Diamond shirt. And my SO has a Starship shirt. Super fun.
They also have a small selection of non-iron-on clothes, and sometimes you can find a cute piece. They have a decent selection of shoes, too.
What a strange, but awesome shop.
I was walking down the street one day with a friend after breakfast, and we popped in here after realizing that they sold Alf trading cards.
But not just Alf trading cards... but Magnum PI, Growing Pains, Bill & Ted's, MASH, Saved by the Bell, and many more.
And they sell toys. And clothes. And hilarious post cards with naked people on them.
Pop in, and you'll find something to bring home for you.
They also have free matches. Y'know. If you need some. To light things on fire.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (3)
This place has so many out-of-mind old school things, from Smurf trading cards to T shirts featuring David Bowie playing the Goblin King in Labrynth. Seriously, all this obscure stuff makes for great gift giving. Not only that, but they make custom shirts too. So for instance, when I had to make my friend Stacey A. a t-shirt that said "Bounce Bounce Bounce" on it (long story), they were able to hook me up with that.
They also have some cute regular clothes and shoes, and the purses catch my eye every time I'm there, not to mention they have an excellent array of Cub and Bear-wear. (They'd better have the former given their proximity to Wrigley, but still). Nonetheless, even those are kind of out-of-the-ordinary, not your typical sports fan gear. Let's just say this is where I got a shirt featuring a screen of Chris Farley playing one of the Superfans.
I enjoy the heck out of this place and if you have any taste for vintage, quirk, and/or old school references, go. Just go.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
This place sells some of the finest crap in all the land. On a recent visit I purchased a Jesus action figure, a Harry Caray T-shirt, and a postcard featuring old naked people. All of this under one roof! With Christmas fast approaching it's a safe bet that I'll be back.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (6)
Cool (5)
I love this store. I got a cute top to wear to a Bears game. I ended up getting a few other things as well. I got a friend a tshirt with a quote that she says all the time and she always gets compliments on it. I found some cute sweaters and sneakers there. That reminds me I need to go back for some slippers to rock to work.
There is something for everybody there. Strange Cargo is the store Urban Outfitters wishes it was.
I was not that impressed with this place, the store was really small and had little to offer. What was there was overpriced.
Though they did have some nice Puma's for 20 dollars!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
I hate giving boring gifts so I come here to shop and I think anyone who regularly receives b-day gifts from me expects something odd but fantastic because of this store. Where else can you find New Kinds on the Block trading cards, wax lips and cat ass magnets all in one place? I have never had anything "made" here but I know people who have and I have never heard any complaints. Good selection of belt buckles and purses/bags. The shoes section is dangerous, as I might spend my entire paycheck on them betches if I am not careful.
I love that they have a sign that says "NO CELL PHONES" on the door. Damn right. Yak outside. I don't wanna hear about how "wasted" you got last night. No one cares.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
Cool (2)
i bought a t-shirt that says "you must be irish cause my dick is dublin" - need i say more? oh and they have garbage pail kids here. love.
I love coming to Strange Cargo for funky gifts. My 10-year-old nephew LOVES the Pac Man tee I made for him, as well as the stick-on moustaches. It's also a great place if you're looking for sports teams gear. You can spend $20-40 for a generic-looking Cubs shirt down the street, or you can pay $17 and design your own. That came in handy when I was buying Christmas gifts for 10 out-of-town nephews and nieces.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
anytime you can walk into a place and feel the history, feel the fun, feel the same energy you first felt back in highschool and were looking for something to help express your identity to the world...its a magical place.
Full of recycled and remixed odds and ends, shoes, clothing, wigs and trinkets, Strange Cargo is the place Molly Ringwald's characters would be seen shopping. In the corner you would notice "ducky" from the movie 16 candles just dancing away to his own beat and that really hot weird chick you noticed last weekend at neo's restocking some shelves.
Custom shirts can help bring back a taste of yesterday here and for some reason everytime I exit the place back into the sunlight, the first few lines of SE Hinton's "the Outsiders" always echos in my mind.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
It only loses a star for its immense ability to attract the largest amount of Trixies and Chads I've ever seen in a so-called, "alternative store." Or outside the line at Barleycorn.
Seriously, I went the night before one of the last Bears games...looking for a tee shirt to wear. Something semi-vintage looking, cute, not like the stuff you can pick up at Jewel. Something I could wear around the house or out walking the dog, and not look like a super jock. So yeah, I head over here thinking its been a cool spot and I've always had luck in the past with unique finds.
It's packed to the damn gills with girls in Ugg boots and guys with popped collars, and I about wanted to barf, seriously. The people that work here were very obviously fed up with the obnoxious number of people...they aren't really known for their freindly nature as it is (part of the charm). The kind of people that talk really loud so everyone can hear, are perma-attached to their blue tooth headsets, shout profanitiy nicknames (Hey beeyotches!) loudly across the store, or just your generic older trixies with huge effing diamonds looking for an XS kids shirt to show off the mounds of silocone. :)
So yeah...I guess on a non-busy day or whatever, this place is a good stop for cool trinkets, some funky clothes etc. I've gotten some great deals on clearance stuff and have had some cool t-shirts made for family members and friends out of town that don't have access to cool places like Strange Cargo.
I just can't handle rude people (the customers) in large groups. I just can't. And one cash register doesn't help the flow of things either.
That's all. It's worth it. Sorry for my rant about rude people. I'm sassy today.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (5)
Cool (4)
Great place to stop for gifts! Great selection of vintage, screen t-shirts. Everyone can find something here.
Store is fully stocked and is tight to walk through, especially when before/after Cubs game.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Standing in front of their vintage candy selection I am instantly transported back to 1986. They have all kinds of new and vintage t-shirts, band t's, bowling shirts and crazy old jackets. If you're very tall or large you may not find sizes that fit. Mainly because an "extra large" back then is a medium now. I'm talking dudes here, I can't vouch for the ladies. But it's a fun store to poke around in and instantly dispels the drunken jock vibe of the rest of the neighborhood. Weird jewelery and accessories. Nothing is overpriced.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Sometimes vintage clothing stores are expensive because they carry cool, hard to find stuff. No such excuse is applicable to this place. They need to up the quality and the quantity of their selection, because both are lacking. If you're used to good vintage store shopping outside of this fair city, don't expect much. They also sell a lot of shoes, but you can find Chuck Taylors anywhere these days.
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
This place has been around for years and continues to have a cool selection of both vintage and new hip cloths and shoes. Nice selection of Converese Chuck's and Vans, but inventory changes. Some funky novelty toys, Mr. T dolls, Jesus bandaids, fart cushions..mmm! The jackets, tshirts, shoes keep me coming back and all the other funky stuff like the sunglasses, postcards,. jewelry and bags keep me entertained. You can get great, disgusting fun, weird, retro T-shirts made to order here.
Where else could I purchase my very own custom Camel Toe T-shirt ?
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Just nice people. I love the staff here. Leave your cell phone at the door, though, people! Nothing I like better than shopping here in the summer while Neil Diamond's "Hot August Night" plays over the loud speaker. I have bought a gross of mirrored aviators here over the years. They end up in lakes, oceans, planes, cabs, and urinals, but I always know where to get the next pair. I have many t-shirts, western shirts, jelly bracelets, posters and pins purchased as this fine establishment. I have been going for years. I used to live in Hawai'i and a friend would always ask me where I, "got that shirt." When she moved to Chicago, I think that it was the first place she wanted to go. One of my all-time favorite places to shop for clothes and novelties for friends birthdays. Make sure you get there before 6:45pm, though!
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (2)
Cool (2)
I confess, it's been a while since I visited (I moved out of Lakeview), but this has always been one of my favorite shops in Chicago. I'm kind of surprised to hear the Trixies and Chads are taking over. I can't imagine they'd have anything here that would interest them. Maybe they're having frat/sorority t-shirts made or something.
Anyway, this is a fun shop and a great place to take out of town visitors. Lots of geeky novelty items, some cute vintage clothes and new clothes and a suprisingly large selection of cheap but cool-looking shoes. I once got an awesome pair of rollerskates here. And of course there's the whole make your own t-shirt thing.
I've always found the people who work here to be really nice, especially the manager/owner. He helped me find a leather jacket for my boyfriend once.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
This is by far my favorite place to shop in the city. I love their purses and shoes. The custom tees aren't bad either. They've great excessiories and wigs! Love the wigs.
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
This store is basically what I want my attic to look like in about 50 years. A cheap hodge podge of really cool junk.
Do you remember those crappy, awesome collectible packs of cards in the 80s? Garbage Pail Kids, Cyndi Lauper, 80s metal, Goonies, Alien, whatever. They got 'em. Tons.
They can make you any shirt you want, even on short notice...so if you don't see what you want TALK TO SOMEONE. Yeah, depending on who is at the counter you might have to talk to a hipster who might think they are cooler than you-but mostly, 99% of the time, people who work there are nice folks.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
Christmas Shopping
I know you're thinking, IT'S ONLY NOVEMBER! but if… -
No Money to Shop :(
If you need to know why I don't have dollars to… -
