This is a very nice outlet mall. The format is similar to other Premium Outlets. However, they have more covered areas. So while you are outside, you are covered in many places from the rain and snow, or I suppose sun in the summer. I was there in the winter though. The food court is a large space with many options. I was impressed, when I arrived, on a pretty lousy weather day, it was clean, fresh looking and generally inviting. Nice. The stores here are high end, or many are anyway. Not Prada or Gucci level, but right below. I liked the way this mall is laid out and found the parking around it to be easy and close to most things. Great signage. I made my way into many of their stores and all were pleasant. This is a mall with easy access, clean venues, and nice people. If you are in the area, or lucky enough to live nearby, this is a great place for a "new something" for you, or that "special gift" for someone lese. Any price range, you are sure to find it here. Enjoy. read more

Great deals at this outlet mall - a bit of a drive from the city but well worth it. GO online and sign up for their VIP club and get a free coupon book with lots of specials. They have a great Nine West, Coach, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Calvin Klein, Nike, Sony, Aldos, etc outlet stores here. Edit: Came here during the 4th of July sale and found many fantastic things!! Turns out that the London Fog store is going out of business so we were able to pick up some nice coats for the parental units - also found some fantastic deals at Banana Republic & PUma. Edit #2: Came here for Thanksgiving's Midnight Madness. We got there at 10:45pm and got prime parking right in the front! We were first in line for everything! Suddenly at 11:30pm, EVERYONE arrived and people were parking up on the curbs. Sales were fabulous - Puma was 40% off the whole store and I got a pair of pumas for only $25 when regularly, on sale, it was $45. read more

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A solid choice for high-end shopping. The entire Chicago metropolitan area is filled with plenty of shopping choices, both indoor and outdoor otherwise these outlets would stand out more. With that said, it does have a pretty good selection of stores with decent prices and could be interesting to walk around during the summer. read more

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Been here at least 3 times over the last year. Decent selection of stores, but the outlet closes too early, and parking can be hell. read more

I come here to shop whenever I'm in Chicago because it's cheaper sales tax than shopping in the city. It's a bit of a drive out depending on where in Chicago you are staying. But I'd say on average 45mins to 1hour without any traffic. They have Nike, Adidas, Columbia, Forever 21 (items $10 and under), Black Hawks store (for any fans looking for team gear), etc. I usually find awesome deals at Nike but there are plenty more stores I didn't mention so check them out! & happy shopping! :) read more

I visited the outlet for the first time since Covid pandemic. I went because I wanted to visit Cole Haan. Their hours are now 11:00-7:00. I arrived to Cole Haan around 2:10. There was a sign on the door that said they would be back. Really?? When?? What time did you leave? After killing time waiting for someone to re-open I finally made a call to the store but there was no answer. After 1/2 hour I called again and this time Jennifer answered. Obviously she had forwarded the calls to her cell. She preceded to let me know that legally she was due a 1 hour break...When I asked what time she would be back she said 3:20. I pointed out that it would be in excess of 1 hour. So she said she would be back 3:10. True to her word she was. Amazing that a 1 hour break is needed after only working 3 hours. I understand that a lot of the stores have single coverage. But there has to be a better way to deal with the situation. There were many shops that had similar signs on them. It will not make me want to visit this outlet or store anytime soon. After all, there is the internet. read more

Chicago Premium Outlets - Not enough for a sign, Time of departure?? Return?? - Shopping Centers Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

My biggest complaint about this outlet is the lack of parking during times of large crowds (Memorial Day weekend for example). I didn't feel the sale or outlet prices were significantly less than standard pricing. I have a few favorite store brands that are in this center so I do come here when I'm in the mood to shop. read more

This is my favorite of the outlet malls I've been to in St. Louis and Chicagoland. My parents live about 30 minutes away so I make sure to hit up CPO at least once or twice a year when visiting them. Word of advice - do whatever you can to go on low traffic days (i.e. NOT weekend, NEVER near the holidays!). Yes the parking lot is huge but I have seen it at 100% capacity and people creating their own parking spots along the road when I've made the mistake of going at the wrong time (i.e. Fourth of July holiday weekend). I really prefer to go during the day on a weekday or even in not so nice weather (it's an outdoor mall so people tend to flock here on nice weather days). Some of my favorite stores here: Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, Coach, J.Crew, Nike...to name a few. Also noteworthy: on very crowded days, there is a literal line to get into Coach! So not my scene. I went here with the family the Monday after Easter-pleasantly low crowds. Also almost all of the stores were having incredibly "spring" sales or something. I always have at least one or two great finds and am already looking forward to my next trip! read more

I stopped in the store today and was very disappointed with customer service. There were 5 employees there No one greeted me as I came in. I was not asked if I needed any help. I was interested in a piece but no one came to help. I know they all saw me but they were standing around talking to themselves. No offer to help so read more

Chicago Premium Outlets - Shopping Centers Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

I shop whit my friend first time here we fined lots stuff clothes, shoes gym shoes purses and more we be back for more read more

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Almost everything is here! All my favorite brands and so close to i88. They should open some good food options too. Marketplace is not nice. read more

Chicago Premium Outlets - Shopping Centers Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

We first visited here last fall and found it helpful in picking up suits and jackets. this weekend we came back expecting more and didn't find anything else. honestly, the only thing this place is good for is some business suits, sports jackets and dinner blazers at Polo, Brooks and Hugo. The Kenneth Cole store too had some promising stuff. But Bose, for example, didn't have better prices than Best Buy downtown! Sony was too crowded and disorganized and just not a pleasant experience to go through stuff. They also didn't have too many brands for girls - clothing or jewelry - and that's a big void! Check out the concierge desk at the food court for special coupons etc! read more

It's alright the I went there recently on a Saturday to try to find some deals. The place is packed because well it's a nice summer day to go to the outlet mall. It's set up very nicely with a play ground and seating area for the kids and parents who don't want to shop. I only got to stop in at Hanes, Nike and Claire's. The sales are just so-so. We also went into Fannie May candies and there you can find a pretty good deal on some pixies 3 boxes for $25 or you can get the smaller bags three bags for $30 not too shabby. It's fun to shop but I wasn't feeling it Saturday no real good bargains for me to find. To me I can go to a regular mall and get better deals. read more

Deals can be had here, but you have to be careful. What can happen is a retail establishment will claim that they are having a 50 percent off Black Friday sale (or whatever the occasion is) and then right before the sale they will mark up all the prices. One thing though is even if you do buy the item at the inflated 50 percent off price it will probably be a better deal than buying it at a department store like Macy's or the flagship store on the Gold Coast. If you shop at the Ralph Lauren store, I recommend signing up for the text SMS coupons. This is not advertised and an associate will help you sign up for it on your phone. What will happen is you will get a 30 percent off coupon via text and it can be used in conjunction with any sale (though not all the 50 percent off sales) going on in the store. Also if you shop at any of the Sunglass Hut locations they have refurbished sunglasses available at significant discounts. Over the years I have purchased several pairs and I can tell you there is nothing wrong with them and they hold up well. The non outlet locations do not offer the refurbished option. Please be aware competition for a parking spot on the weekends is fierce. I recommend going late in the day or during the week. In my experience the best deals to be had are right after Christmas. Happy Holliday's! read more

I like this outlet mall, but it's a bit far from me. I do like the stores that is offered here. They have rides to entertain kids. Parking lot is usually crowded. Food court is pretty sad with like 4 options. They do have Starbucks and Auntie Annie's though! read more

I came here the other day because I wanted to check out a few of the stores they had to offer. This outlet mall is phenomenal. There are so many stores to go to, and I can see people staying here for hours on end. To begin with, there are so many different stores to go to. There are high end fashion stores like Sax Fifth Ave, Ralph Lauren Polo, Micheal Kors, Lucky Brand, and Ugg. Then they also have more commercial based stores like Nike, Pumas, Adidas, and Victoria Secret. The nice thing is that there is a store for someone no matter their age. In addition, they have a bounty of parking that you can't complain about. You will always find a spot to park that is close to the store you want to go to. Also, they have food carts and a large food court in this mall for when hunger strikes! read more

Very nice outdoor outlet mall. Each store is clean, friendly staff and good deals. A couple of favorites- Ann Taylor, Jockey, Le Cruset, kitchen Collection, and gosh so many more. Clean bathroom was a big plus. Become a VIP for free and get a coupon pass for many of the stores. read more

This outlet is located in Aurora Illinois and one of the nicest outdoor outlets I've been to in a long time they have a lot of shops a great open atmosphere an excellent prices and if you check in with your yelp you can go to customer service and get a coupon book to save even more money when my favorite stores there is Restoration Hardware read more

Chicago Premium Outlets - Shopping Centers Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

We have always come to a Premium Outlets on Thanksgiving night as a tradition for a few years now. The problem was that the parking spots on that evening were not sufficient at all. The parking condition was quite terrible. The quality of items was just as the same as other premium outlets we have visited in Florida. There was a wide variety of store with some high-end brand factory stores. This place is right for lodging, shopping, and walking around with friends. read more

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I came here on Sunday of Labor Day weekend and boy, was it crowded. It was a beautiful day though, and we got here early enough to find some parking (of which there are plenty!) and had most of the mall to ourselves for the first half of the day. I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the outlets and the ambiance the architects had created. There were wide corridors, shaded pergola type structures overhead to block out the sun, a large and spacious kids area (I wanted to play in it, seriously), and a giant round fountain/pond in the center for people to "ponder" over (okay, I will see myself out now). We were here from 11:30 - 4:30 pm, but I seriously recommend getting here early as possible to avoid feeling claustrophobic amongst the people. We hit up Saks Off Fifth, where I was able to find a Calvin Klein belt for $10, and Sam Edelman embroidered slipons for $40. Then, we got a wrap dress at Dress Barn for $20, a whale-print cardigan from Ann Taylor for $10, pants from Loft for $15, and Clarks Mary Jane pumps for $30. All in all, we made out like a bandit for $125 for everything. Some of the stores that I also went into include Calvin Klein and Lucky Brand. Some of the stores seem like factory/outlet stores while others seem like regular run of the mill non-outlet stores. We stopped by the Starbucks near the Market food court, and it was small but efficient. Instead of finding a restaurant nearby, we decided to try the food court and ended up with sushi and a 3-combo plate from the Japanese storefront. My friend got the sashimi combo and I got noodles, teriyaki chicken, black pepper beef (slightly spicy), and sesame chicken. No complaints about the food. I love that there are bathrooms every few steps around the mall. They are very well maintained and clean. I will definitely be back before the holiday season! read more

Chicago Premium Outlets - Maki Japan 3 combo plate: noodles, teriyaki chicken, pepper beef, sesame chicken - Shopping Centers Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

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Good shopping mall. Outside is nice in the summer but pretty damn cold in the winter. The park is nice but due to Covid is shut down. The food court needs some help. Only four places to choose from it leaves something to be desired. But store like Nike, coach, Oakley. Carters.. it's nice to have read more

This place is crazy. I have never seen so many suburbanites!! The parking is insane. The stores were packed. Although the checkout guy told me I must not come here much because it wasn't busy by his standards. The store selection is amazing. The set up of the mall is smart. The deals are great. But I think I'd rather shop online. read more

Chicago Premium Outlets - Shopping Centers Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

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One of my favorite outlet malls. It's an outdoor mall so it's great for shopping in the summer and even in the winter since all the stores are next to each other so you don't have to be outside. They added a skating rink and play area recently which is nice during the holiday season and a lot of new restaurants near the rink. The prices are unbeatable which makes it our favorite mall to shop at during the holidays. They have all your mall favorites plus a few high end stores including Coach, MK, Saks, etc. They made the parking lot even bigger so you don't have to worry about parking and it's free of course. read more

Chicago Premium Outlets - Cool new playing area for the kids. The mall is much bigger now and nice! - Shopping Centers Near Me - Aurora, Illinois

If only all outlet malls had this number of stores and deals! I have been to outlet malls that are ghost towns. This place is packed and the deals were awesome. read more

Visited the Chicago Premium outlets yesterday for the first time in over 10 years. I had a great experience and great customer service in Aerie. Amanda and Evelina was very helpful, and patient with bra sizing and choosing undergarments. They were very knowledgeable, personable, and kind. Definitely recommend visiting this store. read more

BEWARE PERFUMES4U!!! I enjoy coming to the outlet mall often since it's close to home and always a great atmosphere. My boyfriend and I recently decided to step into the perfumes4u store located across from gap to purchase some fragrances. The sales rep there happen to also be the travel manager of the company helped us. He immediately turned out attention to this brand called Claude Marsal stating that it was a very popular fragrance from Paris and they reclusively sold this product. He showed us 2 that really stood out and really did smell amazing with soft notes. They were priced at 149$ each and it was a bogo sale for any second bottle would be 10$ so we purchased 2 of the Claude marsal. Later that evening I'd figured I'd do some research to find out that they themselves perfumes4u made this product in Florida and the webpage of the perfume was nothing more than an inactive webpage with the IP address that was made by perfumes4u. I also found other yelp reviews with the exact same experience from the store. And reviews from former employee stating how they were pushed to upsale these counterfeit products, or they would be fired. This product was also patented by this company. Upon finding out. I went back to the store for my refund which the manager stated he could refund me because of there policy. After I threatened to expose them and had him call corporate she decided to refund me. Which I had to return the next day to receive even though i paid cash. If you're looking to buy perfume steer clear from this place please!!! read more

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Great customer service at Hollister cashiers and sales on the floor. Highly recommend this location.

Overall an okay shopping mall. Pros: A great variety of stores. You kind find everything from shoes to furniture. They have all the major retailers; Victoria Secret, Adidas, Old Navy, Levi's, Bath and Body works etc The mall is kept VERY clean. Probably one of the cleanest, if not the cleanest malls in the area. Overall nice place to walk around a kill some free time Cons: Not all the retailers are outlets! Even though it's an Outlet mall, many of the stores are regular priced stores. It isn't a huge deal, but there is nothing posted or any kind of list telling you which stores are and are not outlets. I don't have a problem paying full price, but when you go to an outlet mall, for me at least, I expect deals. Another thing con is the parking situation. If you want to come on a weekend or a major shopping holiday parking can be insanely scarce. It seems as if they have a huge lot, but it always fills up so fast! I recommend you come on a early weekday for the best parking. And finally, I think the layout of the stores could be better. I feel like you have to walk a mile to get the the other side of the mall, only to realize the store you wanted to go to is in a different wind in a different direction. The cons aren't major, it's a nice mall to spend some free time at! read more

It's alright. Got some better brands but don't really carry the "in" stuff. You might be able to find some heavily discounted high fashion designer brands merchandise, but they are usually years out of fashion. Regular brands seem to carry better stuff. read more

I visited this for the first time not too long ago and had a great time! We went early on a Sunday morning and beat the crowds. Around 12 it was starting to get VERY busy, like lines out the door at some places. The parking lot is HUGE and that's a good thing. No worries about finding a space. The outdoor layout really is roomy so even though it's busy, it doesn't seem too crowded. The only complaint I have about this place is some of the people who were shopping! Just really inconsiderate jerks trying to cut the line or let their kid run around and knock crap over. Come on people! Hey, did you know that if you have AAA you can get a great coupon book at guest services? Even more savings! Go for it! read more

I don't live incredibly far from here but I've only ventured into the place twice- once when it first opened years ago and once a few weeks ago when my attempt at plasma donation went awry. My second visit reminded why it took me so long to come back. The first time I came I ended up leaving with an automatic tweezer... it broke not too long after. The second time I ended up getting a pair of slip-resistant shoes from the Crocs store (don't judge me, they were for work) and that was it... and this is coming from a person who could drop a grand in a 7-eleven if the moment struck her right. I went in a lot of other stores but I never even felt the urge to purchase anything. Weird. I attribute that to things not even being just from last season but maybe from like a few years ago and not s'much for being in style (hello, turtle necks). And for the most part, the prices aren't exactly outlet-y. I don't remember thinking anything was worth it's price; in fact, I don't even remember seeing anything on sale. Full price for old azz merch? N'thanks. LAME. read more

Boooo! This outlet mall is boring and overrated. The prices are ridiculous. You might as well shop at the real deal. We went to Lids today at the fox valley mall, or westfield, whatever its called these days, and they were charging $30 per hat. We were like eh...let's wait and see what kind of deals the outlet mall has. So we headed to "Lids for Less" as soon as we got there....only to find that there were also charging $30 per hat. Tell me again why you're called Lids for Less??? The Nike, Addidas, and Reebok stores are lame. I'm always looking for work out clothes and good running shoes and their selection is awful, not to mention you are paying the same amount you would at Fox Valley/Westfield....but with a much better selection. The Gap here isn't too bad. They always have the best deals going on year round. You won't find an american eagle, forever 21, express, or victoria's secret here and that's upsetting to me. Make sure you hit up Coach in November and December. They are practically giving them away but you have to wait in line outside for at least 45 min to an hour just to get into the store. It's crazy....and freezing. Parking is a joke. Don't bother looking for a good spot as you come off of farnsworth or I-88. Just circle the entire mall until you get to the farthest side (by Gap for Kids). There are usually spots around there, but its still a hike. read more

One cold Thanksgiving night, my wife and I decided to hit the midnight Black Friday sales at Chicago Premium Outlets. In our pajamas. Why? They were doing some sort of promotion for the first X number of people who showed up in their pajamas would get gift cards. I-88 was backed up to Connecticut, I think. Because we sat there about a mile before the mall for hours. HOURS. HOURS. With stomachs still full from Thanksgiving. Gridlock. Nobody moving. Nothing. And my wife uttered the words. "I have to pee." Ohnoes. There was nowhere to go. Nothing to do. The only option? For her to squat on the side of the road. And she tried. Oh yes, she tried. But it wadn't happenin', so my wife hoofed it in her robe and slippers all the way to the mall. And nearly got arrested in the process (more on that another time). What I'm saying is, this is one popular place. Even on a good day you generally can't find parking. Deals galore with something for every taste, size and flavor. My favorite places are the Nike Store, Bose, Banana Republic and Merrell. Prices aren't quite bargain basement, and my understanding is that the merchandise is specially selected/created for these outlets, rather than getting outdated stock from their non-outlet stores. So there's that. But I'm almost always able to find a few treasures to take home, and I'm certain that you will too. But if they'd just do something to expand their parking lot, or create a garage or something, you wouldn't have half-crazed women willing to pee on the side of the road just to get to the Coach store. KnowwhatI'msayin'? read more

This review is for Luxury Beauty Store found at the Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora. I called to ask for a Kiehl's product and the sales rep gave me the info and we hung up. A couple of minutes later I get a call from the sales rep telling me that she gave me the wrong info and she offered me a better solution. I wasn't able to go during the first day of the sale however I did go the day after. This store has great high end products so I was afraid that I wasn't going to find what I was looking for... I asked the sales rep and she was so nice to put the Kiehl's kit which was a better value to the side for me. Talk about going above and beyond. This situation could have ended a lot different, her giving me wrong info, me driving there to find out i was misinformed... I'm definitely a customer for life! read more

The people working there is always willing to help you. Very professional and knowledgeable to their product. There is a variety of sneakers than you can go through and find a pair that you'd enjoy for your daily or some sports. Like Adidas. This store has a lot to choose from. Good prices, great selection Might be a chance that you can't find your size on some sneakers due it's an outlet store, but they're cheap, good quality and always have promos and discounts on clothing and footwear. Unbeatable prices and lots of choice. Tons of shoes, apparel, accessories. I can recommend this store to everybody that loves Adidas. Prepare to spend money here! read more

The Chicago Premium Outlets is located about 15min from my parent's house so it's really convenient for me to make a trip out there. Otherwise, I'm not sure how feasible it would be for city dwellers to drive to Aurora for some discounted shopping especially with the gas prices these days. Without further due here is my take on the stores at the outlet... BCBG Max Azria - In my opinion BCBG is probably the best store at the entire outlet. I'll admit I don't find something eveytime I go but when I do the deals are awesome! For instance, I got a dress that was retail $200 for $50 and a long down coat that was $400+ for $170. My friend once bought a $300 purse for $100. The store has a pretty good selection of dresses, shoes, purses, work clothes and casual. As long as you don't mind not having the latest BCBG trends immediately I think BCBG outlet is a great alternative to get the same goods for much less. Puma - I don't really wear Puma gear but the shoes are extremely comfortable and great for everyday walking in the city. The sales here are similar to those at Famous Footwear (Buy 1 Get 1 Half Off) but with much more Puma selection, obviously. I had been planning to buy some new Pumas and was not ready to cough up $100. I found a pair that I really liked for $60 at the outlet. Since my boyfriend was already buying a pair, mine turned out to be $30 so he bought them for me =) Coach - I use to be a fan of the Coach Outlet because I was able to snag great deals on the purses. However, now that I'd had these purses for a while I'm starting to think the quality is not as good as Coach. You would think that the same purses from Coach get shipped to the outlet and indeed that is true in some cases. I also believe Coach Outlet makes their own line of purses as well. Now that Coach purses are more affordable you see many high schoolers walk around with them and it's devalued the Coach name in my eyes. However, if you're a huge Coach lover then the Coach Outlet does have pretty sweet deals and is worth a visit. Just keep in mind that when there are huge sales, the lines outside the store are as long as the opening day at the movies. Ann Taylor - They have good deals on their suits. I bought a pinstripe jacket/pants set for $129. The jackets itself are usually more than $129 at the Ann Taylor store. The suit landed me my second job so it did its job well. Nine West - I've bought a couple pairs of boots here. Boots that are usually priced at $100 can be bought as low as $20 and $30 at the outlet. They have a nice variety of pumps here too. Liz Claiborne - Also has good prices for work shoes. Guess - It's a hit or miss.. as I get older I'm growing out of the Guess look so it's getting harder to find things I like.. the prices are great here.. I bought a bikini 2-piece set for $44 whereas each piece would normally be around $40 each at Guess stores Juicy Couture - Another store I think that I'm outside the age group but according to my sister it does have some good deals Banana Republic, Calvin Klein , Gap - I usually can't find anything here but my boyfriend seems to be able to find something i.e. dress shirts, khakis, boxers ;) J.Crew - It's not really my style but I am able to find nice collar shirts for work and for only $20/each Diesel - My sister has found a few cute things from here and my friend has bought diesel shoes here for a good price.. I haven't found much.. Elie Tahari, Giorgio Armani, Salvatore Ferragamo - Still too expensive for my pockets.. you're looking at $1000 Armani suits going for $600 ** Dates to avoid if possible - The day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) and the day after Christmas... The outlet is complete chaos. Unless you have a particular outfit in mind and you're determined to push everyone out of your way to grab it, it's really not worth fighting the massive crowds! ** read more

Do not! I repeat: do not visit the Chicago Premium Outlets on a summer weekend! Soccer moms, minivans, SUVS, tantrum throwing toddlers, and strollers wreck havoc during the weekend. I am not willing to save a buck in exchange for spending a few hours in the fourth circle of hell (that's where hoarders & spenders go) of Dante's Inferno. The stores are mid-range, although there are a few higher end designers such as Armani and Hugo Boss. Most of the stores do not offer great deals. Honestly, you can get better discounts shopping online sales or midseason sales in the city. The number of women waiting in line to enter the overpriced, gauche Coach outlet bewilders me. Ladies, you are being fooled. You are being offered overpriced, China made, low quality, factory direct to the outlet bags. Save some money and buy a real leather Coach bag or other designer bag on sale at Macys. So you ask, "Stephanie, if you hate outlets, why did you go?" I went looking for sold out items from previous cosmetics collections and gym shoes. I scored two Bobbi Brown Shimmer bricks for $20 a piece. They retail for $45. I also scored a deal on gym shoes at the Nike outlet. (Reason alone for bumping up from a 2 star review to a 3 star review) There are a few diamonds in the rough at the Chicago Premium Outlets but come prepared. Expectations do not always meet reality. Shoppers need to be realistic that most of the items are made specifically for outlets. Therefore, the quality may not be up to par to the items sold in retail stores. read more

This mall kiiiinda sucks because...... A. They're not really giving anything away. I've seen things in the Zumiez, Aldo etc and they've been the same price as at Fox Valley mall. I'm talking exact same shirt, same price, same day. B. The selection-- again, not great. I just don't see the point of dealing with the rest of the b.s. this mall has to offer to save $3. C. Parking sitch. Total clusterf*ck..like traffic backed up to 88, everysingle spot taken, slow walking, huge family having, dumbass people milling all around. D. Selection. I personally think the selection at a lot of these stores sucks. Sure, there are a few stores that are worthwhile (CCO/Kenneth Cole) but for the most part they offer straight garbage, the Guess and Juicy Couture stores are laughable. Ick. I could probably go on for a lot longer complaining about the tourist factor, the freezing ass-ness in the winter etc but just thinking about this place puts me in a pissy mood. If I ever need to return to check out an item at CCO or accompany a friend, I will do it on a weekday, the lack of a crowd makes this place so much more bearable. With warm weather, it could be bumped up to three stars. read more

Ray Ban sunglasses? Coach purses? White Ruffled Bikini? Juicy Couture panties? Le Creuset wedding registry so overwhelmed and color-blind guests don't have to try to color coordinate? Good times. Oh and 8% sales tax. Remember those days Chicago? Somehow this isn't squandered. You go here to shop and wonder what's different... there are no potholes. No panhandlers. No litter. No loiterering city workers or construction crews. No angry people freezing their overtaxxed butts off. Decent shopping where there are no boarded or papered storefronts. It's like a time warp to back when shopping looked and felt good! read more

If you are designer and brand conscious, these are the outlets for you. Dolce and Gabana, Calvin Klein, Crabtree and Evelyn, Brooks Brothers, Coach, Nine West, Armani Exchange, and I probably could go on forever. But I am neither, and I had gone here in search of an elusive brown dress for an upcoming wedding. I went home empty handed in that department, but I did find a great deal on shoes instead. I went the day before Independence Day, and they were holding some kind of sidewalk sale. We got there early enough in the day to find a parking spot without much hassle. But when we left, it was a trip into hell. Even trying to get out of the parking lot took fifteen minutes. And that was with people directing traffic (OK maybe not directing, but they were dressed up in neon colored vests and waving the light-up cones around a little). Will I find myself at this outlet mall again? Well, since it's outdoors, in the winter, hell no. In the summer, maybe. If it's not too hot, and not an insanely busy day. Maybe during the week! (Oh, if you want to get from the city without driving, you can catch the Metra BNSF from Union Station!) Oh, and stay away from the food court. You will be ass raped by the exorbitant prices and shitty quality. read more