Womp Womp: Haymaker Shop is Closing

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We wish we had some heart-warming news on this frigid morning; but readers, it's not to be. We got word last night that Haymaker Shop in Andersonville—which focuses on locally made goods—will close on February 2.

In a letter to his customers and friends, owner Arrin Williams confessed to spending "many sleepless nights and restless days" mulling over this decision. "But Haymaker is not finished by any means," he wrote. "I have many ideas and aspirations for the brand, for future retail iterations, for collaborations, for projects both known and unknown."

Williams does list a few reasons for closing the store, including a steep increase in rent and a desire to help his brand evolve. He also cites "market changes." With so many stores cashing in on the locally made cache, "the specialty of what I created has been diluted," he said. For now, here are next steps:

This week, the store will be closed through Friday as staffers begin the process of (tear) clearing out. Starting this weekend, the store will reopen and start its clearance sale, with most items going for 25 percent off (and room for plenty of "wheelin' and dealin'," Williams said.)

In the days leading to February 2, Haymaker Shop will be open by appointment on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and open to the public on weekends. Williams concluded on an upbeat note: "This is not a funeral or a sad occasion—this is change, this is excitement, this is newness! It is not a period at the end of the sentence; I consider it some ellipses going forward..."
· All Haymaker coverage [Racked Chicago]
· Haymaker Shop [Official Site]