Don't Be Afraid to Wander Down Chicago's Alley

Ask any Chicagoan about the Alley and the first thing you'll hear is, "I used to shop there when I was 17." Owner Mark Thomas has heard it a million times and wonders why 17 is the magic number.

But it makes sense. Confused teens generally awaken to the idea of self-expression around that age. What better place to get the unique gear to project the image you're going for than the Alley? Whatever the reason, chances are you looked a helluva lot different back then; so did the Alley.

After a nine-month stint at the Woodfield Mall, Thomas took over the Alley in 1974 and decided the suburban locale wasn't quite right. He moved the store to the corner of Surf and Broadway, just a few doors down from one of the largest gay clubs in the city: the Phoenix. Thomas's "alternashop" racked up ample foot traffic for more than a decade. When the AIDS epidemic hit and the gay scene retreated, the Alley was forced to move to its current location at Belmont and Clark: in the alley behind Clark Street. At the time, the store had no windows and an entrance through the cobblestone alley leading out to Belmont. The store's only advertising consisted of a bunch of flyers made at a local copy shop, handed out by kids on street corners. It seemed to work. The Alley took in one million dollars the first year at its new location.

It's no longer the '80s and you aren't 17, but there's something for everyone at the Alley today. Having grown into a serious maze of alternative stores, each with its own individual flavor, the Alley offers everything from punk and Goth gear to cutesy dresses and unique decor for your digs.

Known as the Alternative Complex, the Alley and younger siblings like Taboo Tabou and Architectural Revolution are joined at the hip, literally. You can navigate through entrance after entrance, never knowing which store you might walk into. In one room you'll come across bright furry sweaters and trendy dresses that seem suited for a regular department store; in another you can deck yourself out with Chicago cop coats, biker jackets, thigh-high boots and vinyl skirts.

While Thomas still believes that "it's the kids who force society to look at itself, and we are the ones who dress the kids," he also realized that in order to stay on top, you have to change with the times. "Taxes rise, times change, it's a challenge." You literally have to pull a Madonna and adjust every time the scene evolves. The right thing to do was to try to appeal to everyone. "Back in the day the business was very heavy metal, male dominated," says Thomas, "then I opened Taboo Tabou. Women's clothing outdoes men's 10 to one."

Contrary to popular belief, the Alley is "not so much a neighborhood store as it is a destination business." Only 35 to 40 percent of the business comes from the neighborhood; the rest hails from as far as Indiana, but encompasses mostly the surrounding suburbs.
Although the Alley has become a melting pot, Thomas's top priority is to satisfy the core customer. Perhaps he feels obligated to the punk kids and metalheads it all started with, the ones he took a personal interest in. Still, the Alley has evolved into a place where mainstream and extreme can co-exist.

If you don't believe this punk rock haven has changed to meet your Lincoln Park needs, stop by and take a peek. You'll find an SUV-driving yuppie rubbing elbows with a purple-haired version of her former self. You'll witness the grungy girl studying a cool money clip while a well-manicured shopper examines a sweater she's sure no one else will be wearing at the "couples dinner." You never know who or what you might walk into here, but it's safe to say that this dark Alley is more approachable than ever.

The Alley
3228 N. Clark
(773) 404-8000
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11-12 a.m. Friday; 10-12 a.m. Saturday; 12-9 p.m. Sunday