happyriverz
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2016
- Messages
- 717
- Reaction score
- 1,419
Not sure what Gallery Aesthete's financial conditions were before COVID, so it's possible that they were slowly deteriorating even before the pandemic, but I always got the impression that they had a very loyal customer base. As someone who moved to Chicago in 2015 and have been buying pieces from Gallery Aesthete every season since then, I always saw other customers who were buying pieces at full price.
Obviously COVID was a big hit for a brick-and-mortar operation like Gallery Aesthete, where the products really needed to be seen and felt in person, so I can imagine the store closure took a big hit on the bottom line.
In any event, it is very sad that the store is closing. It had a great selection of merchandise, and the staff is super knowledgeable and helpful. It's where I was exposed to a lot of good brands, and with its closure, the list of independent boutiques in Chicago with strong points of view shrinks.
Obviously COVID was a big hit for a brick-and-mortar operation like Gallery Aesthete, where the products really needed to be seen and felt in person, so I can imagine the store closure took a big hit on the bottom line.
In any event, it is very sad that the store is closing. It had a great selection of merchandise, and the staff is super knowledgeable and helpful. It's where I was exposed to a lot of good brands, and with its closure, the list of independent boutiques in Chicago with strong points of view shrinks.