Chicago has world-class art museums, theater and music venues. You won’t be hard-pressed to find an arts-loving local or visitor in the snow-drenched streets. With the explosion of giant craft-supply stores providing creative folks with all their hobby necessities, it can be tempting to forego small businesses. As a jewelry-maker and beader, I often find the vast knowledge and interesting finds of local bead stores more appealing. I decided to visit five such stores in North/Northwest Chicagoland to discover what each one had to offer.
Beadniks in Wicker Park
Beadniks is a feast for the senses. Walking into the dark wood-panalled store, you’ll first notice the welcoming scent of burning incense. Once your eyes adjust, you’ll enjoy the spaciousness of the store. Anyone who has purchased beads from an independently-owned store will know the drill: Pick up a tray, a marker, and baggies. Most bead stores sell their beads individually and they are all priced differently. As you make your way around the tables, you’ll pick up the beads you wish to buy and place them in the baggies, marking down the amount and the price per bead as you go. A spacious store makes this shopping exercise much more comfortable. In addition to a large supply of beads, the store also offers classes and even tables where you can bring your current project to schmooze with other beaders.
String A Strand on Wells in the North Side
String A Strand on Wells is a bright boutique, displaying a large selection of hand-made jewelry. String A Strand is less a bead supply store and more an advertisement for the craft. The jewelry for purchase is beautiful and is for sale along other accessories like scarves and headbands.
enBeadia in Lincoln Park
enBeadia’s walls are packed with thousands of colorful strands of beads. Showcasing beads on strands is another method of selling beads for crafters who need a larger supply of the same bead for a project. enBeadia also offers in-house designers who will work with you to design the perfect item and then create it for you.
Ayla’s Originals in Evanston
Ayla’s Originals really offers a mix of all of the great qualities of the stores mentioned above. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. They had a large selection of beads, and while I was browsing, an employee was working with another customer to design a necklace. Their class list is extensive, sometimes offering four classes a day!
Bodacious Beads in Des Plaines
You need a car to get to Bodacious Beads, as it’s not accessible by public transportation, but please don’t let this stop you from visiting. Of all the stores I visited, Bodacious Beads’ inventory surpasses them all ten times over. While smaller and jam-packed, this store offers all of the materials, tools and beads you could need for any project. For the beginner, the offerings can be overwhelming, but the staff is knowledgeable and will surely help you find what you need.
The craft of beading is so versatile and offers something for the beginners, the time-crunched, the experienced and the impatient. And with five equally- versatile bead stores in Chicago, there’s a place for every creative mind.
