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Shopping

The villages of Barrington offer a wide range of shopping experiences. From locally owned businesses in the downtown area to the new South Barrington Arboretum Lifestyle Center and award-winning Deer Park Town Center, there is much to explore. In 40 years of partnerships between the Barrington Chamber of Commerce and local merchants, those businesses willing to change and grow with the times are the ones that do best—even in times when the economy suffers. For shoppers, a variety of retail pleasures await—traditional shopping centers, boutiques and specialty stores, the Foundry with its diverse collection of local merchants, and South Barrington’s brand new Arboretum with upscale dining, gold-class entertainment, and upscale fashion shops. From the familiar look of the Ice House Mall to the ultra-modern lifestyle centers, you’ll find it in Barrington.

The Arboretum

South Barrington’s Arboretum is the newest addition to the Barrington shopping landscape. This $200 million development offers top-class entertainment with the Village Roadshow Gold Class Theater, and the combination winery and “white tablecloth” restaurant, Cooper’s Hawks.

According to Mike Jaffe, president of Jaffe Cos., which developed the Arboretum project, this brand new lifestyle center was created with an eye for aesthetics, a desire for top-notch shopping local to Barrington (as opposed to a trek to Woodfield Mall, fighting traffic all the way), and consideration of local environmental concerns.

More than 2,700 trees were planted as part of the development; add a nationally recognized kids’ play area and upscale retailers such as L.L. Bean to the mix, and you have a magnet not just for Barrington shoppers, but for anyone in the surrounding area who wants the experience, but hates the trek to Woodfield. Mike Jaffe said, “It began with addressing a need we heard over and over. People want a beautiful outdoor main street-type center of their own. Being right on the interstate, we knew it could draw people from the outside area. Any significant retail center needs that to thrive.”

South Barrington Mayor Frank Munao is excited about the Arboretum. “It's like nothing else you’ll find in this part of Illinois,” Munao said. “The mix of types of businesses and services offered is going to be unusual. It will be more than what you usually find…the developer had approached the village with the concept, and came in with a concept of combining architecture and uses. We did not want an ordinary strip shopping mall; we wanted something that would be unique.”

Mike Jaffe says the public agrees with the mayor’s sentiments. “It's overwhelmingly along the lines of ‘This is exactly what we're looking for, we can't wait.’ We chose a Tudor theme [for the Arboretum]. We've lived in the Chicago area most of our lives, and we see how people in the North Shore embrace their town squares...we went with this mostly Tudor theme in creating this downtown village to give it a sense of permanence.”

The Foundry

Located on Route 14, The Foundry is an outdoor mall facility with a strong contingent of locally owned and operated stores. Jan Cunningham owns G. Whiz. Her Foundry-based business is one of more than 20 stores in the facility, which is what she calls a “prelude to a lifestyle center” like the Arboretum. Cunningham says 70 percent of the stores in The Foundry have been operating for 15 years or more. In spite of economic gloom and doom reports on the nightly news, her customers are strong supporters of local business—and not just because they like what they find. “Customers have come to shop here because they’ve become our friends, not just our customers.” Cunningham added, “I think when things get bad, people tend to do a bit more comfort shopping. People might be more cautious, but they are shopping locally. We haven’t seen a drop at all.”

Deer Park Town Center

If you’re looking for “big box” retailers and national chains, Deer Park Town Center is home to 70 exclusive shops and eateries, including the Apple Store, Victoria’s Secret and Barnes & Noble. Located at the intersection of Route 12 and Long Grove Road, the Deer Park Town Center is an outdoor mall with plenty of parking. Pull up to your favorite shop and browse the wares in Gap, Crate & Barrel, and MAC Cosmetics. You can also catch a movie at Century Theaters and grab a bite at one of several ethnic restaurants. “Deer Park Town Center draws customers from a trade area of 643,992 people,” said Deer Park Town Center Manager Konda Dees. “The draw is based upon the unique selection of stores, entertainment and restaurants available.” Dees has her eye on the future of retail in the area. “Deer Park Town Center is constantly evaluating merchandise and shopping trends. The mix of retail, restaurant and entertainment will change based upon market and retail trends.”

Downtown Barrington

The downtown Village Center has a collection of storefront shops and local services such as McCauley Kitchen and Design and the Fresh Flower Market. Yarn shops, children’s clothing and other small businesses are gathered in the five city blocks; Chamber of Commerce president Janet Meyer says visitors from out of town will enjoy the stroll. “It’s a nice selection of local businesses,” said Meyer. The combination of history, local architecture and local offerings make this an irresistible area for leisure time strolling.

Icehouse Mall

A description of downtown Barrington shopping wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Icehouse Mall. The story begins in 1904 on Applebee Street when the original building was constructed for Bowman Dairy, serving for nearly 70 years as a real ice house. Today, the historic feel remains in this collection of local businesses, including a spa, four unique clothiers, restaurant and many other shops offering Barrington flair in home furnishings and services.