This continues to be a gem of a store in Evanston, and the diversity of very unique and cool fashion and jewelry is a rare find, this is a one in the world place with such a special collection of items all curated by the lovely and gracious and talented owner,Sheila who has been working on her craft for bringing great gifts for the people in my life,(especially the ladies ( wink, nudge nudge!) I'm still Sean Logan and I support this review and I give you full confidence that if you visit the Mexican Shop, you will be happy and you will make others happy! Yes, the Mexican shop is the partial collider of JOY in Evanston, go forth and take in this eclectic atmosphere and eclectic style of clothing and jewelry curated from around our country and from other countries that the owner and her husband have developed travel connections with over fifty years! read more

Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Great at making recommendations. I love all the jewelry they have, there's so many beautiful pieces. Everything in there is quite unique. I go back every season to see what's new. read more

Always a great find! Love the uniqueness of everything. Been shopping here for years I still have some items that is lasting a lifetime.

I worked at the original Mexican shop in the early-mid 70s - a little hole in the wall on Orrington. And as others have said, Rick, the owner, would make trips to Mexico and bring back a van full of stuff, hence its name. He later opened a store on Dempster, but not at the current location. The Orrington store and the Dempster store were open for a short time together and then he closed the one on Orrington. I'm not exactly sure when he moved the Dempster store to across the street. I haven't lived in Evanston for decades. The old Dempster store had old wooden floors and was pretty funky, as was original on Orrington. I still have some jewelry I got there, as well as a beautiful hand painted camel bladder lamp. One year at Christmas Rick wanted to give me some quaaludes as a Christmas present and when I told him I didn't do that he was very surprised and told me to pick anything out in the store that I wanted. LOL! The store is TOTALLY different now than it was back then - I for one, feel sad about that. But most things change with time. Still, very nice things there now. I'm glad it's still around! read more

I loved this place and they girls that work there are so nice. I went in and spent over $200 on jewelry and unfortunately everything tarnished, the rings make my fingers green and the necklaces turned my neck green :( I'm so sad because everything's so pretty but not worth it when nothing's stainless steel like i thought read more

Much of the clothing no longer from / or made in Mexico, but made in China. Terrible fabric.

I honestly don't understand how they have such low reviews, and honestly I don't care. My experience was fantastic and I enjoyed every minute being in this store. I felt very attuned with my culture and loved all the different arrays of Mexican tchotchkes everywhere. It was glorious. They have SO many items that you can really lose track and time in this store. I found two pairs of earrings that were handmade from Mexico. Simply gorgeous. I must of spent over 45 min- 1 hour in this store and there was so much I still missed even after circling the store at least a dozen times. The ambiance is simply amazing. The vibe is something different. I absolutely love their blend of 90s vibes along with ancient souvenirs the owner and her late husband collected over the years. Maria their sales rep is an absolute gem and delight and even recommended some near by restaurants as well! read more

I've been shopping here for over 50 years! When I come home to Chicago for a visit, I don't hold back. They consistently have the best jewelry for the most reasonable prices I've ever seen and I've built my entire wardrobe of jewelry shopping here. I have fabulous earrings made from gold, silver acrylic, wood,, the most interesting materials. They have great purses and handbags, at the most reasonable prices. It's so much fun to shop the Mexican shop. I look forward to it and, really, I don't waste my money shopping any other place. I'd rather spend it with them because they have a buyer with the most unique eye and they find the most fun items I've ever seen. I don't know what I'm gonna do if the Mexican Shop ever goes away. I've shopped there my whole life and it's irreplaceable. read more

Walked in and was hit by a strong body odor smell that lingered through the entire store. I was already hesitant to go somewhere called "The Mexican Shop," but I thought, maybe, just maybe, it was owned by Latinos? Lol yeah right. No self-respecting Latino would name their shop something like that. The owner is white and the fact that they would name their shop this is beyond offensive and warrants no one visiting it in the first place. Add to the fact that the employees were rude and the clothing and jewelry is pure junk/looks like it's all sourced from Amazon... like really? Do yourself a service and go support actual Mexicans, Latinos, local artists and actual artisans... not this stuff peddled by white ladies looking to make a dollar because you find "ethnic and exotic" things cute. read more

Great jewelry! Fun clothes! Cute little gifts! Great staff! Wish it was open all year!

I first went to the Mexican Shop in the very late 70's, early 80's. Those were the days of punk rock and neon, I'd go there for chunky and wild plastic jewelry, nothing ethnic about it. I've been going back from time to time over the last 40+ years for nostalgia's sake as well as some kitschy goodness. It is still fun to browse and I almost always find something to, if not love, at least like a lot. The store is brimming from wall to wall, ceiling to floor, with merchandise. They still have the kind of earrings I used to go in for but their jewelry spans design and price (I don't think there is anything that would break the bank). They have a middling amount of clothing from tops-bottoms, socks-outerwear, including hats and scarves- most everything is relatively inexpensive, albeit not really for the budget conscious. They have buttons, patches, greeting cards, gift items, etc. During this ongoing pandemic you are required to be masked, use the provided hand sanitizer, then glove up with their provided gloves. While employees are also masked, curiously, they are not gloved. BTW, they are currently selling adorable masks from $12-$18 (I think those are the correct prices). Speaking of curious things, though they do carry lots of items that have an "ethnic" aesthetic, I don't really believe their merchandise is what I consider to be found in exotic foreign places. Excuse me if I'm sounding snarky but I'm just wondering about the name of the store and the name's implication. read more

Mexican Shop - Jewelry Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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The location, the customer service and price point for the beautiful items makes it worth coming to time and time again. I think they name it the Mexican Shop because they travel to Mexico once a year to purchase items for their store. The have a beautiful variety of items and I have shopped here for at least 20 years. Just interesting little "thingys", purses, clothes, jewelry, glasses, all sorts of stuff. I have never been disappointed. I recommend this to all of my family/friends. It's quite frankly, Lovely. read more

Just wow! I have yet to find another store that offers such an amazing selection! A visit at the Mexican Shop never disappoints! I jokingly have said many times that a solid 90% of what is in the store matches my style! And chatting with the owner is always such a wonderful and warm addition to the whole experience! I am also pretty sure that every single one of my friends knows how much I love this place cause most of the jewelry and clothes I own for which I get complimented a lot have been purchased there! Even after having moved to Greece, visiting the Mexican Shop twice during a trip to Chicago a couple of weeks ago was a high priority! Totally and full heartedly recommend! read more

I went in here with my service dog and was immediately told they do not allow dogs. My service animal had a vest on and I informed them that she is a service dog. The worker left it alone and I continued through the store for maybe a minute before the owner decided to come up to me and say I have to leave because of my service dog. I informed her again that she is a service dog and the owner said she has allergies and an emotional issue with pet ownership so she does not allow service animals in and she bragged about how she has been kicking out people with service animals for over 40 years. This is a disgusting case of discrimination and violating my federally protected rights which she was more than okay with. This business is breaking the law to discriminate against anyone the owner pleases. No business should be able to get away with this and as she bragged about and based off of other reviews this is not a one time issue either. There have been many instances she has done this with a clear disregard for people's rights and is being willful in her discrimination as attempts have been made to educate her on the matter yet she still refuses to reconsider her illegal actions. read more

Great products, bad service. Super cute clothes and jewelry. However, I have bought many clothes here and each time I leave, I am tempted to never come back. Employees treat us like we are going to steal. The clothes often have lots of straps so I asked my friend to help me put something on. We were immediately yelled at when she was halfway in the stall. The employees are not friendly, approachable or helpful, and make me extremely uncomfortable while shopping. read more

This place is great because its really a landmark. I love the small shop, and the unique things in there. Its been around fOeva...and its always been full of really cool and unique things. You need to stop in and check it. Heavily oriented towards women, nothing wrong with that, so know that going. The wig section is interesting, not sure how that fits in but clearly they know their buyers better than I! read more

Horrible place with horrible owner. As a disabled person with a service animal I was denied access. The sales person told me no pets were allowed. I explained that the 6 lb dog staped to my chest is a service animal. She reiterated it was store policy and got the owner. I told the owner the situation and showed her my dogs photo registration card. She replied that she doesn't believe in animal ownership and that my entering her store with my service animal violated her rights. Read the many negative reviews about the (older woman) owner and how the store has changed. read more

Cutest accessories!!! I cannot recommend this place enough for bits and bobs, but especially jewelry. Some of my favorite pieces are from this place. The only drawback is that the service can be hit or miss. The salesgirls are very nice, but the few times that I've run into the owner, she hasn't been as warm and welcoming. Still worth stopping by, everyone has off days‍ read more

This place is the best. They've been at this location for decades. Everything in their store is unique and well curated and affordable. From jewelry to those little black Chinese slippers to woven basket purses. I've been buying from this store for years and hope to continue for years more. I can always count on finding something truly unique and fun at The Mexican Shop. read more

Holiday shopping alert-hostess gifts and stocking stuffers... I love the Mexican Shop. I can't tell you how many times I've passed by and wanted to stop in. Yesterday was that day, and I'm so glad I did. I was looking for a gift for my assistant. Though I had something in mind, I didn't see it there, but...I did see just about everything else that I wanted for myself. It's a good thing my parking meter had just a small amount left, or else I would have stayed for a very long time. When I walked in, it kind of reminded me of one of my favorite Chicago shops on Armitage--Art Effect (without the high price tag). You can expect to see a wonderfully curated collection of women's clothing, jewelry, and accessories. Note: If you're looking for something for the guys, they have a display of super fun socks. As far as wintery finds, they have an entire wall dedicated to scarves and hats from around the world, and I also spotted some super duper thick loosely knitted finger gloves and hats too. Another shout out to socks--they carry the Worlds Softest Socks brand socks. Yes, they are the softest socks I have ever taken note of. The clothing racks caught my eye, and though there are only a few racks, I saw something that called out to me on every single one. Fun skirts, dresses, and some great coats. The winter selection seemed a bit picked over (unless I missed some racks), but I am giving a huge shout out to the knits and light weight natural fiber clothing I discovered. For that alone, I will be back when the weather calls for lighter threads. On the more humorous side of things, they have some great hostess and fun gift finds. Yes I have boys, and I couldn't keep my eyes off of the fart fact journal. No, I didn't even open it, but I was tempted. If you're itching to go back for it after reading this review, you'll find it at the jewelry calendar in a box sized for playing cards. Bags, totes, wallets, and sunglasses oh my. Looking to support a great local shop? Stop in here, and don't forget to pick up some hand forged artisan bread across the street at Hewn. read more

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I use to live by this shop and remember walking by it every time and wanting to go in and check it out. I eventually did and had a great experience! I went back last Saturday and the place was as fun, friendly and cozy as I remember. Their merchandise range from jewelry, apparel to home decor to toys to kitchen goods. You will always find something unique and fun in this shop. Their prices are very reasonable too! The staff are very friendly, will go above and beyond to answer al the questions you have. I do wish they would have more fine jewelry (solid 14k, 18k gold), I remember they use to , but I didn't see any when I was there last weekend. And they close their shop for a few months during the winter to restock and reopen in April, just in case you are planning on visiting during that time. read more

I come here every year for unique holiday gifts. It is also my college-age daughter's favorite destination shop. I have always been treated graciously and received excellent customer service. Customer for 15+ years. read more

Loved this store and all the items there and came here throughout my childhood. I was so excited to be back in today to shop and was going to purchase multiple items but really had to go to the washroom. I asked if they had a washroom and they said no. So I said "really?" as I was confused since everywhere has to have one. They then said "well, not for customer use." So they lied and I stood there in shock because they lied straight to my face about a bathroom existing it was also an emergency and then they said "it's not working, it's out of order." How am I supposed to believe that after they lied the first time? I will no longer be a customer of this business, I feel so bummed. There should be exceptions - I wouldn't even care if they waited outside the washroom if they were worried about me being in the back or something. Not a way to treat customers. read more

Went today and it was JAM PACKED! Lots of great stuff though I didn't spend as much moola as I usually do. I think I just couldn't move around to see as many things because of the amount of people in there. It's not always that packed but they had just opened the week before since they reopened from their annual "spring cleaning" & restocking months when they close. I got a ton of great unique jewelry, some summer dresses and shrugs, a few housewares items, and great customer service. Love it, love it, love it. Still the best ever. read more

I just discovered this place about a year ago and i have to say, I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!! The Mexican Shop has a varied selection of clothes and accessories from all over the world. Very anthropologie-esque without the anthropologie prices. If you're looking for unique outfits and accessories the Mexican shop is a great place in a cute shopping district. Please note that during the winter months, the shop is closed (for restocking). Which is the only downside. But other than that this is a wonderful store and worth visiting! read more

Mexican Shop - Socks I bought - Jewelry Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

If you are a woman, you will most likely will dig the Mexican shop. If you are a man, stay in the double parked car and listen quietly to the radio. I have been in on two separate occasions, and I have found nothing of any interest, and quickly walked out for a breath of fresh air and to clear the dizziness from my head that was setting in from staring at all the trinkets, earrings, necklaces and other random crap in the store. But my mother, mother in law, wife and sister all make repeat trips back here, and usually leave with some odd little thing. They are always happy after a visit to the Mexican store, and i believe already planning their next trip back. So to reiterate, if you are a dude, stay outside, if you are a woman, go enjoy, just accept that if you are with a male (i can't speak for gay men), we would rather listen to NPR in the car, clean our finger nails, hock loogies on the sidewalk, or roam the street looking for a quick place to get a bite. read more

Deceptively named store; not much is particularly Mexican, but there is a mother lode of great stuff, particularly unique jewelry and clothing but also gifty items as well. I could have looked at jewelry all day. They also carried silver charms (I have a charm bracelet and am always on the look-out). Something annoying: if you don't want people trying on sweaters etc. without being in a dressing room, maybe don't have a huuuuge mirror in the middle of the store. Thinking it was going to be more convenient to toss on a cardigan at the mirror (since I wasn't trying anything else), I did so, only to have the sales girl tell me (afterwards) to get a dressing room. She was nice about it, but my instinct is, if there is a wall-sized mirror, you presumably are expecting people to use it for something. Well, whatever. Anyway, it will still be a cool place to remember for future visits to Evanston. read more

Like many of the reviewers, I find the Mexican Shop an interesting place to browse. But my browsing and buying days are over. In October, I walked in with my daughter who had purchased two masks at the MS. Masks were about $15 each and one of them was totally useless as it had no shape and nothing to hold it on the nose. It was a silky rectangular piece of cloth. I approached the person at the counter and told her that I understood that this mask could not be resold, but that it was totally useless. I asked if we could get a store credit. My daughter loves to shop there! A flat NO was all we got. So I went home and wrote a letter rather than sharing my reaction on Yelp. I enclosed the mask with my letter. Here is what I wrote: The mask is adorable, but not functional. While I totally understand that you cannot resell a face mask, I think some sort of credit would have been an appropriate gesture on your part. The mask is totally flat and when put on, it does not cover the nose and the gap on the side is not acceptable as a protective device. Decorative, but not protective. There is not much we can do with it except throw it away. Actually, I am enclosing it so you can throw it away for us. I never heard back from The Mexican Shop. read more

Mexican Shop is a very unusual place that fits perfectly in Evanston with its mixed bag of ethnicities. There's not much Mexican here, but they have unique items crammed in every corner of the small space. I particularly like their jewelry. Last winter my daughter and I went and found Christmas gifts for several people on our list. Everything from phone cases to hair clips to hats and scarves to soap. They have some clothes for women, too, although I've found mostly in small sizes. I've been shopping here for 20+ years, so I know the best times to go. At holiday time it can get packed, and it can be hard to get a clerk's attention. Another downside is that they close for several weeks in the winter so the owner can shop and bring back more items. But that's what makes them special; the inventory is always changing. read more

I love this place for unusual ethnic clothes, bags, jewelry and accessories. The owners have great, eclectic taste, and it's reflected in the items they select for their store. Everything I buy here rakes in the compliments when I wear it - some of my favorite clothes are from TMS. It's one of those places that you almost dread going into, because you could blow wads of money here, the stuff is all so cool! If they served champagne, I'd never leave. ;-) read more

So very disappointed with our first shopping experience at The Mexican Shop. Had hoped to find a fun new place to shop so we planned this excursion as the start of a midday break of shopping and lunch The woman staffing the dressing rooms appeared irritated with something from the moment that we arrived. Sour face both times when we each asked to use a dressing room. Not a smile or a "sure" in response...just stood up with a blank stare, took two steps, flipped the sign on the dressing room and pushed it up and out of the way. Oh, okay. Bad vibe right away I finished trying on an item and checked on my friend. She had several more items than I had but nothing was clicking. When I saw a unstructured gauzy jacket hanging on the wall immediately outside her dressing room, I said "this looks like you". Since my friend was wearing a tank and pants, it would slide right on. In the next two seconds, she put one sleeve into it while standing directly in front of her dressing room and the staff member appeared behind us and snapped, "please step into the dressing room." Okay... Then the rudest thing happened. I decided to buy three items. Two of them had been taken to the counter by another staff member who was eager to snatch them from me. Okay again. As I stood there, waiting for a staff member to ring me up, I noticed that they had little novelty items in small boxes on the counter. Some mints in tins caught my eye, I picked up a box and smiled at the joke on it, and put it back immediately. The staff member ringing me up returned and asked for my credit card so I reached my empty hand into my purse for it. Within seconds, another staff member swoops over, jabs her arm in front of me, and tips the box with the mint tins toward her so she can see into it. I guess that she was disappointed to see that I had not stolen any of them as she let the box drop loudly and let out a disgusted sigh. Sure...I am going to buy $100 worth of stuff and steal a $1 tin of mints. And she could barely hide her disgust that she had not "caught" me as she stomped away So if you want to be scowled at, snapped at and treated like a thief, this is your place. I have driven by this place for several years, thinking that I looked cute and welcoming. Cute...yes. Welcoming...absolutely not. I will keep driving next time read more

I absolutely love this amazing shop!!! It has the most unique items!!! I have to get back to it! From fabulous silver jewelry to unique handbags, art, clothing, and just a potpourri of fabulousness!!! I love this store!!!! Perfect for birthdays, too!!!!! read more

We've been going here for years and would always come out with some really special pieces of clothing or jewelry. Well, I went recently over the holidays and the inventory has completely changed. The jewelry, which used to be the highlight, is very tacky and un-special. I'm curious to know what happened to whomever used to do the buying, because this place needs help! read more

love this shop for quick gift shopping! I've bought a few earrings from this store and they're awesome!

Do you like unique, yet tasteful earrings and accessories? Then take a trip to The Mexican Shop. The selection is truly stupendous. They also have cute knick knacks like paper weights. A great place to go to find things you didn't know you wanted. Or to find cool gifts. I don't care for the clothes. Worth a stop if you want to add some sparkle or sass to your look or another's. read more

Yes, this is a delightful shop with a great assortment and love their accessories! Personally, I've found the service here to be spotty. Today, they were so catty, they were nattering about this other girl they saw last night and how the top she was wearing made her boobs look soooo big.... And I think they disturbed when I interrupted their 'meowfest' to inquire about actually trying on a couple of skirts. Nattering like that tends to make you wonder what happens after you leave - but since I don't really care it's fine. But it could make other customers never go back. Fun place to shop, just don't expect great service, imho. read more

Don't give gifts from here! They have a strict two week return policy... even for store credit. The recipient of your gift won't know that, nor will they know the place has spotty hours. After two drives to Evanston, I finally found them open and they wouldn't let me return or exchange. Bad customer service! read more

Smelly Clothes? No Thanks! I LIKE this shop, but seriously? They smoke in the back room and every time i walk in it's all i can smell (with a little waft of BO... eew). In this day and age you would think they would get how bad that makes them look. They have very cute stuff and it's reasonably priced, but COME ON! If you must smoke, do it outside and For The Love; light some candles!. read more

The Mexican Store is my favorite place to stop in & see the goods. I have bought great outfits (at great prices), lunchboxes, socks, hats, scarves, bags & jewelry. & elecronic cases for kids. I send my kids in if they need to buy a present for me because they can't go wrong. & the wrapping is classic. Wish mex shop didn't close for 4 months-year. read more

Oh man, cute stuff overload, cannot compute! Oh my goodness, tons of jewelry, scarves, belts, some clothing, knick-knacks like seashells, butterflies incased in acrylic, purses....I could wander around here for hours, no doubt about it. The prices seemed about average for the type of shop it is, maybe a wee bit higher then what the items are worth but hey, gotta make a profit, right? I have to say, they need to change their advertisements though, they're so boring-I would never, ever had bothered to come here if my friend hadn't pulled over and practically kicked me out of the car with orders to go shop...I assumed from the boring ad that it was all granny, knick-knack crap! read more