Street Scene: Chicago

WHILE BIG department stores are great for one-stop shopping-especially helpful during the holidays-overlooking local boutiques is a mistake. Take it from Chicago-based personal shopper Julie Watson, a 16-year fashion industryveteran. Here, she takes us through some of her favorite shops on Damen Avenue in the hip Bucktown neighborhood.

1 PAVILION
2055 N DAMEN AVE
"Pavilion is a really unique 20th-century interior furnishings store, focusing on Mid-Century Modern pieces." www.pavilion.antiques.com

2 APARTMENT NUMBER 9
1804 N DAMEN AVE
"This is probably the best men's boutique in the city. It's a finely edited store, and it carries great pieces." www.apartmentnumber9.com

3 T-SHIRT DELI
1739 N DAMEN AVE
"This store can put any graphics you want [on a T-shirt]. When you buy one, they wrap it up like a sandwich with a sticker on it, and then put it in a brown bag with a bag of chips. It's just the coolest concept." www.tshirtdeli.com

4 STITCH
1723 N DAMEN AVE
"This is a really cool non-apparel boutique. It sells everything from Missoni pillows to interesting handbags. It's all over the place but has a really great aesthetic." www.stitchchicago.com

5 P.45
1643 N DAMEN AVE
"They pick up designers that no one else in Chicago carries, like Abigail Glaum-Lathbury, Jeffrey Monteiro, Joseph and Shyde." www.p45.com