WICKER PARK — Everyone needs an ugly holiday sweater — or two — in their closet, and Ragstock is looking to fill those needs.
For years, Ragstock's main Wicker Park location, 1433 N. Milwaukee Ave., has sold such clothing to its consignment customers.
But every year, Chicagoans have demanded more, leading the store to open a pop-up storefront dedicated to the ugly duds for the first time.
"We just sell so many of them," store manager Melissa Kmieciak said. "People love ugly sweater parties and it seems like there are more and more of them every year."
The temporary shop, in the old Lenny & Me store at 1459 N. Milwaukee Ave., has thousands of sweaters, particularly in green and red.
Santa, snowflakes and reindeer are recurring themes, but so are less seasonal motifs like dogs and cats.
Men usually go for the vests, because they don't want to look like they have skinny arms.
"They wanna show off their guns," said store employee Almond Williams, a 20-year-old from Charlotte, N.C., ready to spend his first winter in Chicago.
"I've never been to a ugly holiday sweater party before," Williams said. "If I ever have reason to buy one, I like the ones with cats."
