BUCKTOWN — Marc Jacobs — who selected Bucktown/Wicker Park to open his first Chicago store in 2008 — has closed the Damen Avenue outpost in a move that was not a big surprise considering the famed designer announced plans over the summer to consolidate his fashion lines.
A sign on the door of the storefront at 1714 N. Damen Ave., covered over with white paper, tells shoppers to visit Jacobs' store at 11 E. Walton St. in the Gold Coast.
Jacobs' entry into the area in 2008 was the culminating event in a Chicago magazine chronological timeline of "How Bucktown got Boutiqued," which also included the now-closed Scoop NYC.
On Tuesday, a laid off worker from the Damen Avenue shop declined to comment, save for saying that the store closed on Nov. 1 and it is not planning to reopen.
Calls, emails and tweets to Jacobs' New York office were not returned. John Krenger, the owner of the 102-year-old building, which also houses a BCBG Maxazria, did not return calls inquiring about the future of the storefront, either.
Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) said it is "likely that such a prime retail corner is quickly picked up by another retailer" but did not elaborate on what sort of shop, if any, could be taking the boutique's 4,000 square-foot lease.
Located at the southwest corner of Damen and St. Paul avenues, Jacobs' Marc by Marc Jacobs store opened in early 2008. The then-new shop showcased Jacobs "less expensive, urban-oriented line Marc by Marc Jacobs," the Tribune reported. After Jacobs moved in, several other national chains followed. Rents were driven up and smaller shops moved off Damen as rents became too expensive.
In August, Vogue reported that Jacobs was discontinuing the Marc by Marc Jacobs line and that the status of its retail stores were unknown.
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