Tulips bloom in the middle of Magnificent Mile, an upscale part of Michigan Avenue, downtown Chicago.

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Leica is opening the doors of its newest retail location on the upscale shopping stretch of Chicago’s Michigan Avenue known as the Magnificent Mile. The 5,000-square-foot boutique brings the roster of the esteemed German camera company’s worldwide stores to about 120, and its opening coincides with another notable event this year: the 20^th anniversary of Leica Retail, which dates to the first Leica store opening in Japan. For context, the famed Magnificent Mile includes about 460 stores, 275 restaurants, 60 hotels, and a plethora of sightseeing and entertainment venues, and retail, specifically, is looking up of late after a lull fueled by the pandemic and a changing marketplace. This uptick in business is welcomed by both tourists and Greater Chicago Area residents, who are enjoying the thoughtful influx of new business.

Mag Mile

“The Magnificent Mile is quintessential Chicago,” Mike Giannattasio, president of Leica Camera North America, told me during a phone conversation last week. In addition to its reputation for high-end shopping, it is known for its history, with landmark buildings and significant architecture punctuating the lakefront-adjacent landscape. The area’s art-centric vibe is a perfect fit for a brand like Leica, which holds creativity at its core.

Giannattasio cited the store’s proximity to Towertown, the early 20th-century bohemian neighborhood where an art colony, centered around the historic Chicago Water Tower, took root. It was a haven for artists, writers, and radicals from the 1890s through the 1920s, and while it no longer exists, its spirit remains.

“Each of our retail locations is very deliberate,” Giannattasio explained. “Chicago is one of the most cultured cities – a hub in the center of the country. So what better place for us to go.” The choice of Chicago was as much about joining the city’s intellectual conversation as it was about expanding into a new place, he said, and it seems every aspect of the boutique adds depth to that discourse. From the destination gallery showcasing eminent photographers to the communal creative area designed for collaboration and conversation over coffee, it brings the term “glocal” into sharp focus: a global brand with local geniality.

Go Glocal

Situated across from Water Tower Place in a grand townhome, which was named a historic landmark in 1993, the store’s architecture remains true to its original intent, with a restored Arts & Crafts facade and Art Deco inspiration. The first floor of the store is where retail reigns, and it includes Leica’s full range of products that have grown to include watches, home cinema options, sport optics, and accessories, in addition to cameras – both new and pre-owned. Here, the Chicago Edition 17, a limited edition silver Leica M11-P created exclusively for the Chicago store opening on April 30 is available for sale, paying tribute to the year the architecture firm Perkins, Fellows & Hamilton first inhabited the building in 1917.

A central stairway leads to the second-floor gallery, where rotating photo exhibitions will be hosted, as well as a library for workshops and lectures hosted by Leica’s own Akademie, a repair center, and more. The immersive environment, illuminated by a magnificent camera-lens-inspired chandelier, encourages photographers, novices, and newbies alike to learn, enjoy themselves, and find community in a shared passion.