Coach has been hitched to the Mag Mile since it opened a flagship store there in 2001. It closed earlier this year, but the handcrafted leather goods brand just opened a new post two blocks north?— 444 N. Michigan Ave., Magnificent Mile —?and a bolder side is shining through. Covetable bags, including the recent Tabby collection, coexist with retro-inspired track jackets and rugby shirts. A new section lets you personalize your bag with embellishments. And lest you forget where you are, Chicago gets a nod in the form of an art installation with vintage baseball gloves.
The Michigan Avenue location is the first in a series of concept stores that Coach will unveil across the country this year to encourage more of a playful atmosphere. Each Coach Play is designed to be “explorable” and “hyper-physical,” according to the New York-based subsidiary of Tapestry Inc.
Coach closed its other store at 625 N. Michigan Ave., just a few blocks north of its new location, earlier this month. The new store concept wants to connect more closely with its customers and the neighborhoods they call home.
At 3,000 square feet, the new store opens in a 36-story building owned by CIM Group, across the street from the Tribune Tower. Los Angeles-based CIM Group controls approximately 60,000 square feet of flexible retail space on Michigan Avenue, and its leasing team said it is committed to bringing a collection of eclectic retailers to this area, further expanding the retail options and pedestrian engagement in this increasingly popular section of the Magnificent Mile.
The new Coach Play store in Chicago is designed to be a place where customers can explore, and includes local touches and nods to the Windy City, such as an art installation featuring baseball gloves.