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The 38 Essential Stores and Shopping Experiences, Fall 2012

It's that time of the year again for our Fall update of The Racked 38. From Chalk in Evanston to Florodora in the Financial District, and all the shops in-between--Ikram to Akira--this is your essential list of all the "need-to-know" stores all over the city. We've tried to span a range of neighborhoods, price points and aesthetics. As always, if you feel we've missed your favorite, please let us know about it in the comments section.

For this round of the Racked 38, We're changing it up ever so slightly with Branca who has just closed her Pearson storefront after a fun sale and set up shop in her North State Street atelier, and started to bulk up her West Loop warehouse. Second, we have to admit our sadness for Chicago staple for many years, Mark Shale will be coming off the list in the next update of The Racked 38. They're on the list this time around because the liquidation is good, and after winning the Racked Award for Biggest Shitshow, we'd like to extend the brightness of the spotlight until the curtain closes. For other switch-ups, dark mainstay, Bonnie & Clyde's Hideout is no longer. As the next step in the evolution of the store, they've added Gallery Aesthete to the roster on Oak. And finally, R.I.P. to the building on Oak which used to house Sofia. Gladly, Sofia found new ground close by on Walton, relinquishing its post on Oak to the slew of new stores coming into the Esquire Theater.