Secret Shopper

Wolfbait & B-girls

by Rafaela Valderama [27 January 2011]

One very cold winter evening, I left work to meet up with a friend for a night out where we were going to watch our friend’s band play at a bar on Milwaukee. Since we we're meeting at the Logan Square Blue Line stop, I decided to finally stop into a boutique that I have always wanted to go into, but never had the time to visit. Wolfbait & B-girls is on the Logan Square side of the roundabout that connects Logan, Milwaukee and Kedzie. Every time I would pass the store, I kept telling myself that I needed to make a point to stop there. However, with life, it rarely happens that you can plan such moments when you do not live nearby. This night would be different since I would finally be able to walk into the boutique rather than just pass it in a rush to get somewhere else, and I can happily say it was well worth it.

As I walked in, I said hello to one of the owners of the boutique, Shirley Kienitz. She was arranging some of the jewelry pieces in preparation for the weekend and the customers she anticipated. At first glance, I was amazed at how much the boutique reminded me of a workshop in New York, where I imagined seamstresses and designers were hard at work to create the new looks for the upcoming season. Even with my imagination taking over, you could tell it was a fun place to shop. There were different items throughout the store, not just clothing or accessories, but a whole slew of things to look at and contemplate purchasing. It also appeared as if everything in the store was made right there and then, only few feet away from the worktable. (In some cases, that would prove to be true.)

I walked all around the store, noting the jewelry when you first walk in – and the counter that had sewing machines and fabric lain out as if something was ready and waiting to be created. Then I continued past the fitting room, the wall of hats, the clothing, the paper items (with a Blue Line Forest Park “L” sign above them as props to Chicago), the baby clothes, the T-shirts, more clothing, more accessories and more jewelry. This store really did have it all.

While looking around, I asked Shirley where they come up with all the stuff to sell in the store. It turns out, they are not the only people who make merch for the store, but they actually carry items on consignment from over 200 local designers and craftisans (such as Squasht by Les, Shaunessy Lynn Garden Apartment, Siren Betty, Megan Lee, Mata Tradersor, Broadstreet, Spinal Fusion, Veronica Riley Martens, Nice Lena, Recession Busters, E.L.K., Madame Platypus, Art Gecko, Excavated Memories, Malia Bags, Jill K. Bags) and local companies where the profits go to charities. She said that they wanted to “provide a place where people can buy things that are handmade and created locally.” Shirley explained that people can come in or contact them about selling the items they make either by showing pictures or bringing the items in to be looked over. If they have a good collection or several connected pieces and they are handmade, the store is happy to sell them.

I asked Shirley what inspired her and her and co-owner Jenny Stadler to create a place that will house such locally made wares. She said it started when she was working on her clothing line and trying to sell the garments she made. She would attend craft fairs and rent a space/booth to sell her work, but it was hard because people did not want to try on garments in a public area, and a booth didn’t allow much space for a dressing room or privacy. Jenny was also in the same place with trying to sell her garments. Since Shirley and Jenny were looking into renting a studio to create their clothing lines – Bruiser (Shirley) and Brazen Judy (Jenny) – as well as needed to find a place that would carry their garments, they came up with the brilliant idea that they could do both at the same time, thus, creating Wolfbait and B-Girls.

As if the long awaited experience at Wolfbait wasn’t eye-opening enough, on my way out, a lady came in with some items she was looking to sell in the store. Shirley was just as friendly with the lady as she was when I first walked in. It seems that the lady has sold some items in the store previously, and they were catching up on how everything has been. As I was leaving, I felt satisfied with my trip to the boutique: Not only did I finally get to see what kind of place it is, but I also found a boutique that I could see myself coming back to. It gave me a spark that perhaps one day, I, too, can sell some of my creations in Shirley and Jenny's store and become one of the many talented artists that they host.

Visit Wolfbait & B-girls at 3131 W. Logan Boulevard in Chicago.