WICKER PARK — A long boarded-up storefront at the northwest corner of Honore Street and Milwaukee Avenue that served as part of the exterior set in "High Fidelity" has opened up again.
On Wednesday, City Soles, an independently-owned shoe store, relocated to 1514 N. Milwaukee Ave., about one block south of the spot at 2001 N. Damen that they'd operated out of for nearly 20 years.
Until the last few weeks, the 3,000-square-foot store, in a popular stretch of Wicker Park surrounded by national brands like Urban Outfitters and Carhartt, had been boarded up.
A mural painted over the boards by artist Adam Rotter was removed in January when the buildout began, though City Soles owner Scott Starbuck solicited Rotter's help with painting the new store.
Starbuck said that every customer — many loyal shoppers that had long been buying their shoes from Starbuck or his tightknit team of four sales clerks — who came in on Wednesday during the store's first 3 hours left with a pair of new shoes.
Scott Starbuck (DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser)
"Now we're more centrally in the Wicker Park shopping district. The area we were in before was in front of a bus stop and at a busy corner, so we had more commuters than shoppers. This is better," Starbuck said.
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