Chicago : Serivces for the well dressed. Recommendations please..

[meFIRST]

I've relocated to Chicago temporarily from New York. Though folks here are a little bit more casual, I still need to look good.

I'm looking for the Chicago equivalent of the following New York establishments : (someone who has lived in both cities can relate, prefrebaly with pick up and deilivery to the Gold Coast, where possible)

Premium Dry Cleaner/Shirt Laundry/Presser
Along the lines of Hallak & Madame Paulette in New York, some place where I can comfortably send a borelli shirt or a Isaia suit without worry.

Alterations
Willards or Ramon Diaz, Mott Street
Chicago equivalent?

Custom Shirts
Carl Goldberg "Cego" equivalent? Does anyone do shirts here? . I could call Carl and do it via telephone, but I like to look at the fabric too.

Shoe Shine
I prefer do this myself, (when I have time). I usually have them dropped of at Grand Central in Midtown. Anyone can recommend a good shoe shine place where I can drop stuff off?

 

[Soph]

Originally Posted by meFIRST

I've relocated to Chicago temporarily from New York. Though folks here are a little bit more casual, I still need to look good.

I'm looking for the Chicago equivalent of the following New York establishments : (someone who has lived in both cities can relate, prefrebaly with pick up and deilivery to the Gold Coast, where possible)

Premium Dry Cleaner/Shirt Laundry/Presser
Along the lines of Hallak & Madame Paulette in New York, some place where I can comfortably send a borelli shirt or a Isaia suit without worry.
------Barry Regent-----hands down the best------broadway ave.

Alterations
Willards or Ramon Diaz, Mott Street
Chicago equivalent?
---Chris Despos Custom Tailoring on Oak Street (Boyer, Flusser all cite him)

Custom Shirts
Carl Goldberg "Cego" equivalent? Does anyone do shirts here? . I could call Carl and do it via telephone, but I like to look at the fabric too.
---- Chris Despos again

Shoe Shine
I prefer do this myself, (when I have time). I usually have them dropped of at Grand Central in Midtown. Anyone can recommend a good shoe shine place where I can drop stuff off?

----Truefitt and Hill: on the sixth floor of 900 North Michigan Mall-shoe shine
Truefitt & Hill occupies the position of one of the leading men's barber shops in the World. Glancing at the appointments book, it reads like pages from Debrett's and Who's Who. Clients include Members of the male line of the Royal Family, Members of visiting Royal Households, Captains of Industry, Members of both Houses of Parliament, the City, the Theatre, Ambassadors and the Diplomatic Service, visiting Dignitaries, the Professions, the Arts, and all other strata of British Society. A haircut, a shave with hot towels, and a manicure at Truefitt & Hill leaves a gentlemen ready to face the world knowing that he has been well and truly groomed for the occasion, whatever it may be, by one of England's Hairdressing Aristocracy.

http://www.truefittandhill.com/locations.shtml

Barry Regent:
http://www.barryregentcleaners.com/

Chris Despos
Chris Despos 34 East Oak Street, Chicago, Illinois; (312) 944-8833.Classic elegance is the rule here, and Despos's aim is for propriety of proportions. Updated traditional in its best form, crafted in midweight worsteds that have good drape and hold their shape. Bench-made suits from $3,000; jackets from $2,400.

 

[Buster]

I moved from NY to Chicago recently as well.

For alterations I use:
Boguslaw Sandowski
65 E. Oak St., Suite 1D
Chicago, IL 60611
tel: 312.640.1521

Much (much) better than Wilfred's.


I have not tried:

Paul Chang
180 N. LaSalle St.
Chicago, IL 60601
tel: 312.332.0423

Frank Laterza
211 W. Wacker Dr.
Chicago, IL 60606
tel: 312.201.1144

Custom shirtmaker:
Riddle-McIntyre
175 N. Franklin St.
Chicago, IL 60606
tel: 312.782.3317

 

[Soph]

Boguslaw is not very good for classic men's tailoring IMO

If you want quick, and only one time fast alterations then (which is what Boguslaw is) then Tailor's Touch is much better across the street.

I've been to all the guys on Oak and my ranking goes as this:

Despos:
WAY above all these guys, he is what a tailor should be. You can wear it and see if you would like some improvements and bring it back for refinement:
He understands shape, form, color, fabrics, can overhaul shoulder, silos, takes the time to get it right, is not rush, I could go on. Boyer, Flusser (Dressing The Man) Despos is cited recommended etc. Do I have to convince you anymore?

Tailor's Touch
2nd place but no where near Despos attention to detail and perfection.

Nic at Oak Street Tailors
3rd Place

Boguslaw comes in a distant 4th.

 

[Tomasso]

Originally Posted by meFIRST

Custom Shirts
Carl Goldberg "Cego" equivalent? Does anyone do shirts here? . I could call Carl and do it via telephone, but I like to look at the fabric too.


If you're a satisfied Cego customer, why try to reinvent the wheel with another shirt maker? I'm sure Carl would send swatches.

But no, Chicago has no Cego. Chang and R-M are poor fitters and even worse makers.

 

[Soph]

Despos does make shirts with multiple fittings and prototypes, I believe, and he has ome of the best fabrics and also a good understanding of asking questions like what event you will be attending, weather to be worn, colors that compliment you, textures, patterns and some great ties, but he's going to be higher the Cego, but you'll have a better fit/shirt/quality than Cego also.

Your call on that.

 

[globetrotter]

we should have a chicago meet, sometime between oct 16 and nov 15.

 

[Soph]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

we should have a chicago meet, sometime between oct 16 and nov 15.

---Where?

 

[Buster]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

we should have a chicago meet, sometime between oct 16 and nov 15.
I am in.

Soph, I never said he is the best, merely saying that I was staisfied with his alterations. If you say the other are better than him, I will have to try them as well.

 

[Soph]

Originally Posted by Buster

I am in.

Soph, I never said he is the best, merely saying that I was staisfied with his alterations. If you say the other are better than him, I will have to try them as well.

--- He's an alright guy, but I assure you I've had work done by all of them so I feel I can make a fair assessment. I have nothing personal against him. Strictly on the work performed. I sign of a good tailor I've noticed is: when he's see's something not right even after he's tailored it, he says, "I need to keep this and fix it, he doesn't charge you more, and get's it right because he takes pride in his work"

 

[le.gentleman]

I'll be in Chicago from the 08-17 until 08-20. I'd love to meet some members there if possible.

Regards

Raphael

 

[charlief1975]

Just wondering what you guys think of Richard Bennet?

MY GF got me a certificate last X-mas, got a MTM shirt, the quality of the shirt is great, but I was measured in January and didn't get my shirt until March or April.

Looking to get some new shirts in the coming weeks..

 

[alflauren]

Originally Posted by charlief1975

Just wondering what you guys think of Richard Bennet?


I think they're related to the Richard Bennett up here in Milwaukee, which I've used. They're pretty skilled with alterations and did a very nice pair of MTM pants for me that fit without any alteration.

 

[kitonbrioni]

There's a Nordstrom on Michigan and their shoe shine is a bargain.

 

[Tomasso]

Originally Posted by charlief1975

Just wondering what you guys think of Richard Bennet?
RB farms out their shirts to Individualized and Measure-Up, among others.