[category]
[title]
The Center of Order and Experimentation is definitely not a cult. And their website and signage out front will consistently remind you that they’re not. The West Town shop, located at 1727 West Grand Avenue, is a fantastically peculiar boutique that stocks “unexpected goods for unexpected times,” as their website states.
Jean Cate and Julie Purpura opened COE, which looks like it’s been plucked from the mind of Wes Anderson, four years ago. Since then, it’s become a beloved destination for curious knickknacks and a go-to for excellent coffee (courtesy of the on-site Monday Coffee Co. outpost), and is a focal point of the community’s vibrant creative scene.
Cheeky anti-cult branding gets people in the door, literally: a sign out front reads “NOT A CULT!” But warm greetings from staff and COE’s Head of Customer Satisfaction, a 15-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel named Martha who sits floppily in a basket at the checkout counter, pull you into the shop’s whimsical world that “transcends geographical boundaries and exists in a realm where order and experimentation harmoniously coexist,” as their website notes.
RECOMMENDED: West Town, Chicago: The ultimate neighborhood guide
Stock rotates regularly, but the curation is based around helpful utility. On any given day, you might find designer pocketknives, scissors and flashlights presented alongside high-end Japanese stationery and an ornate, handcrafted cutting board for $409.
One constant, though, is the vast selection of candles made by Italian brand Cereria Introna. Categorized as “nonperishable food for eternal fun,” these wax creations are hyper-realistic, true-to-size recreations of elaborately decorated cakes (available full or by the slice), fruit, veggies, ice cream sundaes, sandwiches and even a pile of folded towels.
“Thanks to a neighborhood that actively champions creative work, we’ve expanded our offerings to include goods from over 80 local makers,” says Cate. “That local enthusiasm also fuels our corporate gifting program, especially our Chicago CPG snack box.”
COE has become synonymous with what one can expect from West Town’s community-focused retail scene. The company doubled down on this model by welcoming a coworking and social wellness gathering space called The Space Between to the building’s second floor earlier this year.
The booming neighborhood, recently named Chicago’s coolest, has also welcomed a host of high-profile businesses in the past few years, from an anticipated bakery and high-profile cocktail bar to buzzy galleries and retail concepts. Spots like COE paved the way for West Town to become a launchpad for some of the city’s most important debuts, and it continues to champion its neighbors. Case in point: COE publishes a Shop Local Guide—check out the second edition here.
“I love living, working and building community in West Town,” Cate says. “It has a wonderful mix of industrial and manufacturing spaces, working artist studios, longtime residents, young families and new local businesses. Having neighbors like world-class galleries and amazing hospitality design firms brings incredible creative energy to the area.”
