Turbulent Times for Three Shops in Wicker/Bucktown

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Bucktown and Wicker Park may be the best place to shop according to the Reader's Choice Racked Awards, but that still doesn't change the climate for individual shops whether they're closing in efforts to grow in another direction or closing up shop permanently. As Brigid Sweeney points out in her column today, it has been a rough winter already for a few Bucktown / Wicker Park businesses... and winter hasn't really even set in yet.

Renegade Homemade, the permanent location for the Renegade Craft Fair is closing at the end of the month. The shop, which sells a wide variety of locally made stationery, fashion, jewelry and art, opened in 2007 and is moving on to bigger and better things.

Then there was Grow right down the street focusing on organic and sustainably produced children's and infant products. They'll close on Jan 29. Last week, Clever Alice closed it's brick & mortar business after a fabulous 15 years in business and from here on out will only operate online.
· A sad New Year for Wicker Park / Bucktown [Crains]