Illinois, one city deep.
Twelve shops, all of them in Chicago — two Logan Square furniture workshops, a Ravenswood ceramics studio, West Town salvage, and a market that starts at seven.
One city so far, and it is a big one — Chicago, neighborhood by neighborhood.
Illinois opens with one city, and we are not going to pretend otherwise. All twelve listings here are in Chicago, spread across eight neighborhoods on the north and west sides — Lincoln Square, Logan Square, West Town, Andersonville, Ravenswood, Humboldt Park, Lincoln Park and Pilsen. Nobody has walked them for us yet; every page says so.
What the twelve are: two furniture workshops in Logan Square — Jason Lewis Furniture and Square Nail — building to order; a ceramics studio and gallery room at Lillstreet in Ravenswood; two general stores, Neighborly in Lincoln Square and Foursided on Clark Street in Andersonville; three green shops, Sprout Home on Damen, Plant Shop Chicago on Elston, and Christy Webber's garden centre on Chicago Avenue.
Then the old things and the food things. Salvage One keeps architectural salvage on Hubbard Street in West Town; Circa Modern sells vintage modern furniture by the suite out of a Pilsen loft building. The Chopping Block runs cookware and cooking classes on North Lincoln Avenue, two blocks from Neighborly. Green City Market in Lincoln Park is the twelfth — Wednesdays and Saturdays, seven to one.
The rest of the state comes later, and slowly: the North Shore, Oak Park, and whatever downstate turns out to be worth the drive. Until then, this page is Chicago, honestly labeled.
Three to open with
Salvage One
Architectural salvage on Hubbard Street — doors, mantels, and artifacts from the past, by the floor.
Jason Lewis Furniture
A production woodworking studio making contemporary wood furniture in Logan Square.
Green City Market
The Lincoln Park market — Wednesdays and Saturdays, seven to one, and the reason to set an alarm.
By town
Chicago
North of the city
The rest of Illinois
The slow route: north side, then west
A Saturday built out of the twelve — market first, Lincoln Avenue next, then across to the workshops and the salvage.
Green City Market at seven
Start in Lincoln Park while the market is still setting up. It runs Wednesdays and Saturdays, seven to one — go early, eat there, and let the rest of the day be slower.
Two blocks of North Lincoln
Up to Lincoln Square, where Neighborly and The Chopping Block sit two blocks apart — handmade and fair-trade goods at one, cookware and classes at the other. Ravenswood and the Lillstreet gallery room are the next stop over.
Logan Square workshops
Southwest to the makers: Jason Lewis Furniture and Square Nail, both building to order. Call ahead — workshop hours are workshop hours, not shop hours.
West Town, and the old things
End on Damen and Hubbard — Sprout Home for the plants, Salvage One for the doors and mantels. If there's light left, Pilsen and Circa Modern are the long way home.
Illinois, in short
The short answers
Where are the best independent home shops in Illinois?
Every listing so far is in Chicago: Salvage One for architectural salvage in West Town, Jason Lewis Furniture and Square Nail in Logan Square, Lillstreet Gallery for ceramics in Ravenswood, Neighborly in Lincoln Square, Green City Market in Lincoln Park.
How many shops are in the Illinois directory?
Twelve, in one city — Chicago — across eight neighborhoods and five categories: furniture makers, a ceramics studio, general stores, plant and garden shops, vintage and salvage, and the farmers market.
When is farmers market season in Illinois?
Chicago's outdoor season runs roughly May through October. Green City Market runs Wednesdays and Saturdays, seven to one, and moves indoors in the cold months.
Have you been to these shops?
Not yet. Every Illinois listing is marked researched, not yet visited — compiled from public sources and written honestly. When we walk one, we'll say so on its page.
How does a shop get listed here?
Listings are free. Shopkeepers can claim theirs to fix it or write it themselves; in exchange we ask for a link back or a small affiliate.