This week, for the third year in a row, lifestyle magazine Men’s Journal opens its Gear Lab Pop-Up Shop in River North. The interactive retail space is filled with techie toys, stylish wares, and unique gifts, most of which are pulled from the publication’s 2013 "Gear of the Year" list. The goods range from outdoor gear and fitness equipment to grooming goods and cooking tools: Topping the list this year is a leather bomber jacket by Bleeker, Bluetooth ear warmers by 180, and a Babolat tennis racket that connects to your smartphone. What to buy for the man who has everything? The DJI Phantom, a remote-controlled flying camera.
The 3,000 square-foot shop—located at 55 East Grand Avenue—only pops up in Chicago. It runs from December 5 to 22, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.