Say Goodbye to Caza in Wicker Park, Shuttering This Month

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It's been less than a year since Wicker Park vintage store Lenny & Me underwent a major rebranding, one included a complete change of name.

But the store that started as a Lenny & Me and recently became Caza is calling it quits. The store will shut down at the end of this month.

Wicker Park's rising rent is to blame for the store's closing. Store owner Anna Camino told DNAinfo the "rent increase this time around was just too much to bear."

The neighborhood seems to be embracing chain stores now more than ever, which may mean that boutiques like Caza will have a harder time staying in business. Camino told Patch that she wishes the Wicker Park area "would have done what they did in Andersonville." She was reportedly referring to the 2006 Andersonville ordinance proposal that worked to ban chains from the area. Though the proposal wasn't officially passed, small businesses seem to be thriving in the Andersonville area.

Tell us what you think: Is Wicker Park becoming a place for chain retailers? Or is there still a place for small, locally-owned businesses in the neighborhood?
· Patch [Official Site]
· DNAinfo [Official Site]