The owners of a Chicago boutique have opened a pop-up shop in Oak Park’s Pleasant District through the holiday season.
Study Hall, which opened Nov. 5 and will sell women’s clothing and gifts through the end of the year, fills the 1,200-square-foot space at 128 S. Marion St.
“That space has been vacant for a while, and the property owners really wanted a retailer there,” said Viktor Schrader, economic development manager for the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation.
Located in the Ukrainian Village/West Town areas of Chicago, Study Hall opened in 2012. The shop primarily offers women’s clothing, along with a selection of books, home goods, jewelry and a curated vintage selection, said Naoko Nagano, who owns the business with her husband, Malcolm Felder.
The name Study Hall was chosen to mean it’s about more than just clothing, Nagano said.
“The idea is, you would come in and discover something new,” she said.
Nagano said the Oak Park shop offers more space for merchandise by Chicago designers, and the selection is heavy on gifts, since it’s a holiday pop-up. Prices range from about $20 to $200.
With a trendier, artsier vibe and locally made goods, “I think it’s going to play to a similar demographic as Muse,” Schrader said, referring to the former women’s clothing boutique on Marion Street.
Nagano said the area seems like it’s in the midst of change with so much new development, and she feels like the shop is located within a nice pocket of the Pleasant District.
“We’ve always sort of loved Oak Park every time we’ve come to visit,” Nagano said, noting that the Chicago shop has plenty of Oak Park customers.
Schrader said both property owners and retailers have become more comfortable with the pop-up concept, which allows retailers to test the market.
He pointed out Oak Park boutique owner Takara Beathea-Gudell initially opened her most recent shop on Harrison Street as a pop-up, before deciding to sign a longer-term lease. Schrader said he hopes Nagano decides to do the same with Study Hall.
“From a community and economic development standpoint, we’d prefer retailers to sign long-term deals, but see the value in the excitement and energy pop-ups bring vacancies during the prime shopping season,” Schrader said in an email.
If the response to Study Hall’s pop-up shop is positive, Nagano said they’ll “absolutely” consider staying put.
“We definitely could see making it a long-term situation,” she said.
Study Hall, at 128 S. Marion St., will be open from 11 a.m to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, with possible extended hours in December. For more information, visit www.shopstudyhall.com.
Caitlin Mullen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
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