1 Greer

Wall calendar with pastel-hued, hand-ripped pages

1013 W. Webster Ave., Lincoln Park
Perfect for:The design-forward strategist
The goods:Luxe, material-conscious planners from Japanese and American brands. “I look for things that are unique for a reason — not just for the sake of being unique,” says owner Chandra Greer. For example, the Replug calendar that highlights the daily phases of the moon in embossed gold is an objet d’art you’ll want to show off instead of stashing in your carryall.
Our pick:Wall calendar with pastel-hued, hand-ripped pages by the South Carolina studio 42 Pressed (right, $58)

2 Field Notes

401 N. Racine Ave., West Town
Perfect for:The prudent planner
The goods:Durable weekly cahiers inspired by no-nonsense memo pads used by early-20th-century farmers. Born in Chicago, Field Notes champions unassuming beauty, homespun charm, and the Futura typeface. Each book is undated — fill in the months and numbers yourself — so a bunch of blank pages won’t taunt you if you skip a couple of weeks.
Our pick:Spiral-bound planner with lines for daily notes ($15)

3 Kinokuniya

100 E. Algonquin Rd., Arlington Heights
Perfect for:The inspired paperphile
The goods:Timetables by Japanese cult brands that encourage both scheduling and scrapbooking. Located in Mitsuwa Marketplace, this bookstore is your go-to destination for Midori designs, which range from minimal (calendars with ample margins) to kawaii (cute pocket diaries with illustrations of lolling cats).
Our pick:Art Print Japan’s monthly planner, covered with photos of shiba inus ($21)

4 All She Wrote

825 W. Armitage Ave., Lincoln Park
Perfect for:The glam go-getter
The goods:Embellished yet sophisticated agenda books. Owner Jennifer Turney stocks trendy brands like Rifle Paper Co. and 1Canoe2 that favor classic touches — think gold foil accents, calligraphy, and lots of floral patterns.
Our pick:Sugar Paper’s pale pink, flax-cover planner with extra pages for goal setting ($34)