Chicago’s 108-year-old athletic equipment manufacturer — which got its start making tennis racket strings and leather footballs using byproducts of the South Side stockyards — just opened its first retail store. The 2,200-square-foot Rush Street locale offers all the athletic fare you’d expect. “We consider this our heritage store, so our history is showcased throughout,” says Wilson sportswear president Gordon Devin. Fitting rooms are papered in catalog images and retro ad campaigns, and leather ottomans bear the same W’s that adorn the classic pigskins. Shop for eco-friendly activewear, or pop in for athlete meet-and-greets. Devin says, “It’s a space for discovery, inspiration, and nostalgia in the city we call home.” 932 N. Rush St., Gold Coast, wilson.com
$68
Men’s Millennium sweatshirt in Tennis Ball Yellow
$88
Women’s Essex polo in Bright White
$219
Blade 98 18×20 V7 tennis racket
$78
Men’s Metro track pants in black
$58
Limitless skirt in Bright White
