WICKER PARK — After a summer hiatus, the indoor shopping bazaar known as Dose Market is back in business, and it chose one of the most anticipated new spots in Wicker Park to revive its weekly event.
Sunday's inaugural market, dubbed "Dose Redux," provided a first glimpse into the 1st Ward, a music and events venue housed inside the Chop Shop at 2033 W. North Ave.
The Chop Shop's butcher and deli is set to open Thursday, and its restaurant is scheduled to open Saturday, according to owner Nick Moretti, who was greeting shoppers Sunday.
Sunday's eclectic lineup of 24 vendors included gourmet chef-prepared meals, original clothing from local designers, jewelry, cosmetics, ice cream and vintage furniture, among others.
The vendor tables were spread among the first and second floors of the spacious event space, located in the back of the Chop Shop.
Robin Parsons of Lakeview was among several shoppers.
A fan of Dose Market, Parsons said she heard about the revival of the market through a Living Social email.
"I was intrigued to see it was starting up again. I love trying out new neighborhoods," Parsons said while examining racks of clothing from vendor Study Hall, which has a boutique at 2016 W. Chicago Ave. in Ukrainian Village.
Dose Market curator Mackenzie Maher, a Wicker Park resident, selected the vendors for Sunday's market, which she runs with April Francis, the market's founder.
Maher said she and Francis were looking for a space "that's cool and hip and everything Dose is all about."
Dose Market will run every Sunday through Dec. 15 and feature a different theme each week, such as "Masculin Feminun" (Oct. 20) and "Kitchen Bliss" (Nov. 24).
Though the weekly vendor lineup will change, about a quarter of the vendors appeared to offer food or drink, such as SuckerPunch Gourmet's Bloody Mary Mixes and Red Wall Kitchen, which was selling quinoa breakfast blocks for $4 each.
Around 1 p.m. Sunday, vendor Sky Cubacub, who crafts jewelry and accessories out of chain maille, said she "hadn't sold anything yet."
The 22-year-old Roscoe Village resident said she sometimes spends 20 hours daily creating chain maille and "enjoys repetitive tasks."
Cubacub's hats, crafted from aluminum, brass and copper wire, range in price from $850 to $1,000 and her jewelry starts around $20, with average prices about $70 for a necklace.
Tom LaPlante, 28, assistant shopkeeper at Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams in East Lake View, was working behind a small freezer cart loaded with containers of ice cream.
"I like the vibe, this is a cool joint," LaPlante said, surveying the room.
Dose Market runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. every Sunday at 2033 W. North Ave. through Dec. 15. Entry is $5 for a daily pass; or $30 for a season pass. For more information, visit dosemarket.com or follow the market on Facebook and Twitter, @DoseMarket.
