The Alley, Taboo Tabou, Architectural Revolution Consolidating Into One Store

Lake View business owner Mark Thomas says there's a lot of reasons he's consolidating Taboo Tabou and Architectural Revolution into The Alley on Clark Street. 

Things haven't been the same since 1999, he says, with both national events (Enron, 9/11, the recession) and a changing local landscape contributing to business being down. Thomas, who is running for alderman in the 44th ward, spoke a lot about what Lake View was when he opened The Alley in 1986 and "what it has become," a place where he sees retail dwindling, the rise of restaurants and national chains and a proposed 12-story building at Clark and Belmont.

Although consolidating is a business move first, Thomas said he hopes it'll make The Alley feel like it did in the beginning. 

"I’m going back to where I was when I first came to Belmont and Clark," he said. "It’s going to be the most unusual store in the world again."

The Alley, an alternative clothing and accessories store, is located at 3228 N. Clark St. and is the largest of the stores. Thus, it'll take in Thomas' other stores, including lingerie/erotic toy boutique Taboo Tabou (854 W. Belmont) by Feb. 17 and jewelry/spiritual store Architectural Revolution (3226 N. Clark) by the end of January.

Thomas said Blue Havana, a cigar and tobacco shop on Belmont, will also move into The Alley after its lease is up in about six months. Each brand will have a dedicated section in The Alley and keep their names.

The stores are running big sales through Jan. 27 to help get rid of inventory before the consolidation. Call The Alley at 773-883-1800 or like the business on Facebook for updates and to learn about the sale. 

While Tomas has concerns about the business scene in Central Lake View, he said he hopes this move will help The Alley stores survive locally. 

"We're excited to be back how it all started," Thomas said. "We’re hoping to continue to be a part of Lake View, but we need the support of our customers."