Chicago’s Magnificent Mile could be seeing a retail revitalization as popular brands vie for prime spots on the stretch of shops, according to a report from Crain’s Chicago Business.
American Eagle Outfitters is in the process of opening a flagship store at 600 N. Michigan Avenue that will carry several of their brands, including Aerie.
Plus, denim retailer Levi’s is moving from American Eagle’s new home into a two-level space just a bit south at 663 N. Michigan Ave, and Nike could also move from 663 N. Michigan Ave. to 540 N. Michigan Ave, though no formal deal has been completed, Crain’s reported.
Other new additions to the Mag Mile are Leica, a high-end camera company that recently opened at 800 N. Michigan Ave., and the Candy Hall of Fame Experience, a massive 60,000-square-foot, multi-level candy “destination” coming to 830 N. Michigan Ave.
The new store openings are part of an uptick in leasing activity along the Mag Mile in recent months, a much-needed boost for the retail corridor that has faced years of challenges and a slow recovery since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Crain’s.
At the end of 2025, the availability rate on the Mag Mile was at 29.3% in July 2024, after rising to roughly 34% in the years since the pandemic, according to data from a Chicago-based accounting firm.
American Eagle’s Michigan Ave. store will be the brand’s comeback to the city after a location on State Street closed years ago. The new store that spans approximately 14,000-square-feet will have three floors, each one dedicated to a store for one of three of their brands: the namesake American Eagle Outfitters’ brand, their intimates brand Aerie and activewear brand Offline, according to Mid-America Real Estate. It is expected to open in 2027.
American Eagle Outfitters did not immediately respond to NBC Chicago’s inquiry.
