A women’s clothing boutique with locations in Forest Park and La Grange will add Oak Park to that list.
Jayne will move into the 2,500-square-foot space at 122 N. Marion St. in early spring 2017. The store fills the vacancy left by Update Interiors. In addition to Forest Park, Jayne has locations in La Grange, Glen Ellyn, Highland Park and Lake Geneva, Wis., said owner and founder Craig Cohen.
“This will be our eighth store,” Cohen said of the new location within the Downtown Oak Park business district.
Cohen also owns Craig’s Shoes in Berwyn and Madison Street Shoes in Forest Park. The first Jayne location opened just down the street from Madison Street Shoes in 2013. Once the Oak Park location opens, Cohen said he’ll have 20,000 square feet of retail among all of his stores.
Since the Marion Street space isn’t as large as some of Cohen’s other locations, the store will feature a curated selection of clothing, shoes, accessories and home goods.
Cohen was hesitant to classify the store’s customers, and said the shop is intended for “daughter, mom and grandma.” Featured brands include Free People, Birkenstock, Papillon, Kut from the Kloth, Lucky Brand and Frye.
Cohen mentioned the burst of new development in Oak Park, including the Vantage and Elevate high-rises featuring residential and commercial space in Downtown Oak Park, played a large part in the decision.
“We wanted to be close to the new towers going up,” he said. “Walking traffic was important to us.”
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Cohen said they feel good about the opportunity there, both to pick up new clientele and cater to loyal shoppers who live in Oak Park.
“There’s definitely people who have told us over time, ‘We love coming to Forest Park to shop. If you were in Oak Park, we would shop you even more,’ ” he said. “With the new towers rising, we also felt there would be enough people who only knew Oak Park, and wouldn’t even know of Forest Park.”
Viktor Schrader, economic development manager for the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation, said the new developments in the area, with their promise of new residents and therefore new dollars, continue to attract business owners, including Cohen.
“He wanted to be a part of that,” Schrader said.
Schrader credited Cohen with being open to learning the market as it evolves, and noted Jayne’s loyal following.
“I think he recognizes, and we recognize, that there will likely be some overlap,” Schrader said of the customer base among Forest Park and Oak Park.
Jayne’s presence on the block should fill the gap left after women’s clothing shop Muse closed almost a year ago, Schrader said.
Jayne, which will be at 122 N. Marion St. in Oak Park, will be open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit www.jayneboutique.com or call 708-366-6300.
Caitlin Mullen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.