A Store Forgotten, But Not Gone
What's become of the Chicago Tribune Store
Depending on the type of friends and relatives you have, buying Christmas presents can be difficult. For out-of-towners I like to come up with some Chicago-themed items when I can.
Fortunately, lots of Chicago companies have their own interesting gift shops (the Boeing Store at 100 North Riverside Plaza is always a favorite for guy gifts).
When the Tribune Company went into bankruptcy, it decided that it needed the money from leasing out the Tribune Store space more than it needed a Michigan Avenue gift shop. The store became an Argo Tea, and I switched to the Chicago Sun-Times Store in the building known as 350 West Mart Center (350 North Orleans Street) for my newspaper-themed gifts.
But while picking up some Carolina Honey Tea the other day I noticed that in the back of the Argo Tea in the Tribune Tower, the old Tribune Store still exists. Barely.
It’s been shoved down a small hallway, reduced in size, has no outside access, and barely carries any Tribune items, but it’s there. At the time I was there, I was the only customer, and a chat with the staff revealed that hardly anybody goes in there because no one knows it’s there.
