For anyone even a little familiar with Chicago, shopping brings to mind only two words: Magnificent Mile. The Magnificent Mile, though not a true mile, is a stretch of conveniently closely located boutiques, restaurants, first-rate fashion stores, and high rise malls. For anyone with an appetite for designer labels, the Magnificent Mile is sure to satisfy. Chanel and Louis Vuitton offer delectable handbags, luggage, jewelry, and accessories. Continuing down the stretch Italian jeweler Bulgari and Tiffany & Co. are ready to outfit shoppers with sparkle and shine. Italian lingerie is sold at La Perla, a very expensive and trendy boutique. Giorgio Armani, the world's largest Polo Ralph Lauren, and Neiman Marcus are ready to dress all kinds of shoppers. Two hip and more modern shops on the Magnificent Mile are pulling in the younger and trendier shoppers. The Virgin Megastore is located in the retail wing of the Chicago Mariott and offers huge stockpiles of CD's, books, videos, DVD's, and games. Kenneth Cole New York also offers contemporary footwear for both men and women along with men's sportswear and suits. Families, and especially young girls, will have hours of fun at American Girl Place. The three story plaza attracts girls from all over the country. The complex offers tons of accessories, clothes, and toys for all of the historic characters in the American Girl line. Visitors can take in a stage show which brings the characters to life; visit the store's caf which offers a perfect spot for an afternoon lunch or tea, and several other attractions to occupy hours of time. Aside from individual stores, the Magnificent Mile is also home to several malls. Water Tower Place is Chicago's first, and is still the busiest, vertical mall. The seven floor mall, opened in 1975, contains about one hundred stores and a dozen different cafes and restaurants. Reportedly, Water Tower Place accounts for about half of all retail trade transactions along the Magnificent Mile. Talk about staying power! 900 North Michigan is the most upscale of the malls on the Magnificent Mile. The building is often called the Bloomingdale's building, based on the largest store in the complex. The mall houses about seventy stores, a few good restaurants, and a nice movie multiplex in the lowest level. 900 North Michigan is home to Chicago's Gucci store and MaxMara, the unbelievably expensive women's fashion house. Chicago Place opened in 1991 and is slowly becoming a bigger part of the Magnificent Mile equation. The mall's largest and most prominent store is Saks Fifth Avenue, but the rest of the stores are not quite as upscale. Mall chains such as Ann Taylor and Home Element fill the rest of the complex, making it somewhat of a cross between the Water Tower Place and the upscale 900 North Michigan. Westfield North Bridge is the newest complex addition to the Magnificent Mile and probably the most family friendly. The anchor of the mall is a four story Nordstrom and also includes the A/X Armani Exchange, Giorgio Armani's younger and more affordable line, and Tommy Bahama which sells upscale tropical wear. The entire third floor of Westfield North Bridge is devoted to children's shops. Kids can play and buy at The Lego Store, get leathered up at the Harley-Davidson children's store, and find hats made by a local designer at the Linda Campisano boutique. Shopping means different things to all people but it will be difficult to find anyone who won't enjoy themselves spending an afternoon strolling down Michigan Avenue and Chicago's historic Magnificent Mile.
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