The massive Merchandise Mart is so large that it has its very own zip code. It is the home of many trade shows, though a few showrooms are occasionally open to the public. The first and second floors do have a variety of shops and eateries. The south side faces the Chicago River, where several notable busts stand like Pez heads. read more

The Mart - Merchandise Mart - Shopping Centers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Honestly, I'm not even sure what was going on with this building. But this might've had something to do with the fact that Boyfriend and I decided to explore this place... on a Sunday afternoon. When there is no business going on. At all. We saw some really cool exhibits and sculptures made of canned food. And the building is huge (the sheer size of the list of occupants on the wall is staggering). But otherwise, I really don't have much of a clue what's inside this building (other than the little facts Boyfriend would share here and there). Still, it's a really neat piece of Chicago history and absolutely gorgeous when lit up at night during the Architecture Tour on the river. I'll have to come visit again on a business day so that I can get a better idea and understanding of what this place is. Based on other reviews though, it sounds like a gigantic mall/business-type building. read more

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The Mart has it all. Great spaces for offices. Amazing shopping for your next home remodeling project. Incredible food in the building to grab a snack or a meal. CTA train stop actually in the building. Super modern fittings inside a landmark. The Art on the Mart is super cool as well. Nice projector area with cool stair seating on the river side of the building. I always enjoy my time there. read more

My job regularly takes me to NeoCon at the 'mart. It's a fabulous display of wholesale wares for the business or home. The restaurants inside are efficient. The bathrooms are clean and comfortable. It is relatiely easy to navigage. read more

The Merchandise Mart is an amazing building downtown Chicago, and it's huge. There's so much history here. Apparently when it was built it was the largest building in the world with over 4 million square feet. It was built by Marshall Field & Co., one of Chicagos famous retail stores. It's so big it has its own zip code. In the front of the building you will find the Merchandise Mart Hall of Fame which are statues of famous icons: Frank Winfield Woolworth, Marshall Field, Aaron Montgomery Ward, and several others. The first floor of the Merchandise Mart houses the showrooms for many of Chicagos and the world's top designers. The Merchandise Mart also houses some of the largest conferences and fairs. There's so much to do and to love about this building. Whether you live in Chicago or are just visiting, you have to check it out. read more

This place is just bonkers, it's so big I don't even know where to begin. There is so much going on here and I only managed to explore a small fraction of it on my trip to Chicago. I enjoyed learning a little about this place and how it was at one point one of the largest retail buildings ever at one time! Pretty cool! The place is cavernous inside and there were elevators to all different places in the building. The interior art and decoration were super pretty and they've got a nice food court as well. There were a ton of businesses here and it seemed like just about everything was in some way shape or form represented. The architecture of the place is just fantastic though through and through. It has quite the facade facing the Chicago River and at night time during summer they play video on the side of it which was super cool! Absolutely worth a stop if you're visiting Chicago to marvel at some impressive architecture and beautiful workmanship! read more

Contrary to what the name says, this is actually a place where you get stuff for your house. Interior designers would have a field day, but for the average person it's just kinda ehhh... We walked through here to get to the subway...that's pretty much all I know. It's a neat looking building though. read more

What a great place to window shop and get ideas for the fantasy kitchen & bathrooms that I will never be able to afford. The food court seemed sort of mundane for such a high end design center. read more

Those who are passionate about style and perfection this location is a wonderful one! So the history of this building is also a special one and you can discover a lot of amazing and exciting things. It is worth seeing and analyzing all the changes that have been made, as I have done too! read more

Had to make it back to the "Mother Ship" of design. A must see for those who are interested or obsessed with interior design. Attended Neocon while a commercial designer. Luxe Home addition tot he first floor is wonderful, must admit the first floor was nice, but I craved MORE design so I ventured up to the "Trade Only" floors (as recommended by a fellow Yelper) The Dream Home design house was worth a stop. Open April 15 - December 9, 2011. You will find ten rooms designed by local designers. Tips: Get a map at the lobby. This will save you time because it is very easy to get lost. The place opens at 9:00 AM. Fuel up: Why not have a cafe latte and pastry at Au Bon Pain. Trade only section. The window shopping was incredible. You can see much of the showroom fro the hall. Only one showroom had threatening signs TRADE ONLY do not enter. Otherwise, I felt you could have walked in. There was hardly a soul in the 6 or so floors I visited. read more

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The Metropolis-worthy logo is honestly about all it needed to win me over, but there's so much more in store at The Merchandise Mart. This building is insanely big, with a big personality to match. I only saw a couple of areas in my day there, but there's basically always something to be looking at. As someone who puts a lot of HGTV on in the background while I work, I really enjoyed looking at all the home furnishings and textiles that are miles out of my budget. There's a large food court that goes beyond your typical Starbucks/McDonald's airport offerings, and the L drops off at the building - perfect for those freezing winter days or sweaty summer ones. I think the building has done a good job of keeping the amazing Art Deco look while updating it with modern amenities - I wish more buildings had such charm and detail. MM isn't a place I'd necessarily make a special trip to just for fun, but if you find yourself in the area it's most definitely worth a look and an easy spot to grab some grub if you're looking for something quick and fairly inexpensive. read more

I really wish there was a place like this in the Bay Area. All of your design needs in one place. It's amazing how large this place is, and all dedicated to interior design too. There are showrooms everywhere. All decorated and staged beautifully. Don't be surprised if everything will cost you an arm and a leg. This building IS located in the heart of Chicago. It is nice to walk around and get inspiration as to what my future home should/will look like. read more

Merchandise Mart decorated for the holiday season is amazingly beautiful. There's a gorgeous tree in the main lobby on the first floor and the large displays hanging from the ceiling and lights. There are great food court options on the first and second floor with the addition of Pret A Manger on the second floor. Just walking and looking at the interior design displays make for a great time. With a CTA station built in, USPS post office, and fed ex in the building, it's a great place to work when you don't want to venture in the Chicago cold weather. They also feature exhibits in the main hall every so often, free to the public. read more

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I accepted a new role/position with a different product team which works out of Merchandise Mart... I was there to collect my laptop today and they gave me a really nice tour of my office space and food court in Mart... i was totally blown away by how awesome my new work location is and the fab food places in the Mart... Not to forget the location is really cool - in the heart of the city and in between all the hustle and bustle - just how i like it ~~~ Mart is definitely an architecture marvel and an iconic building of Chicago! I still need to explore all the awesome shopping in Mart~~ probably i'll in my lunch breaks~~ this will def be a stress buster to code in middle of all the shopping lol read more

The place is huge, offering very reasonable food. The thing is out of many, only one or two options are available. We wanted to go to other shops, but many of them were closed, or were crowded. We were stuck with pizza, which was okay too. The place is pretty and historic, which made the experience a little better. read more

The Merch Mart is the hottest building in Chicago, I love this place. So much rich history here. Over the last 5 - 10 years, the Mart has gone through major transformation. It's very remarkable to see the constant changes, every month there is something new. I'd personally consider it the Epicenter of Chicago Tech with companies like Yelp, Braintree, Motorola, and tech incubator 1871. The vibrant atmosphere is staffed with a diverse group of people, mainly 20 - 30 somethings in age. It's an amazing place to explore during lunch. Next time you're in River North (Or really the loop at that matter), grab a sandwich from The Artisan Cellar (Or the 25 other fast casual restaurants on the first and second floors), head to the South side of the building and sit outside in the newly renovated patio / outdoor area. I will say, if the Kennedys still owned the building, they would be appalled and embarrassed of the bathroom situation on the 12th floor. read more

I love shopping at The Mart. Beautiful furnishings, fabrics, tile, lighting and on and on and on. Now it is better since it is open to the public ~ didn't use to be. It is always better to visit with someone who knows where specific showrooms are located, because it is easy to get lost and/or get on the wrong elevator. I think the ground floor is the absolute worst. However, at least on the first floor, one can access the public restrooms. On the other floors I have visited, you need to punch a code into the door to use the facilities. The 7th floor is home to the One of a Kind show every year, which is absolutely amazing. Love the building, love to visit ~ hate to get down to it and soooooooooooooooo hate the parking situation. Downtown Chicago public parking is way too expensive so , at least for me, it limits the number of times I will visit the mart. However, if you are looking for something unique, find someone who can lead you around. read more

Although it's near in size to The Pentagon and takes up four city blocks, it need not be overwhelming if you how to navigate about once inside. It can be a bit of a mystery if you're not in the design world, so here's the deal on this Chicago landmark: The first floor houses Luxehome --- a truly unique shopping experience for anyone looking to remodel their (kitchen or bath primarily, but they have other building products like super high-end stone flooring, windows, etc.). Anyway, for me it's really more of a source of inspiration, as I am pretty far away in life from owning a $100K kitchen! Anyway, it makes me feel like I'm walking the pages of Elle Dcor our House Beautiful, and hey, one can dream. These showrooms are all open to the public (even Saturdays) and vary from traditional, to modern in design. My favorites are Waterworks and Christopher Peacock Cabinetry --- If your taste is more modern/contemporary check out Poggenpohl and Poliform/Varenna... So the remaining upper floors --- 4-12 mainly house to-the-trade-only showrooms, HOWEVER, they certainly don't make you show some sort of ID stating that you are, in fact a designer, so feel free to browse (just don't tell them I sent you)! The Holly Hunt (sleek, contemporary) and Grange (more traditional) showrooms are amazing --- just pick up a directory to find out what floor they're on. The bigger secret is that some showrooms will work with you (sans designer) so just ask around to get a feel for which ones might help you out. Last but not least: The biggest consumer trade shows they have are the twice annual Sample Sales (now called Treasure Hunt) each fall and spring --- go early! The One of a Kind Show happens each December and you can find all kinds of holiday gifts from art to ceramics, jewelry, metal-work, crafts and clothing to unique food products ~ bring a friend and wear comfy shoes! read more

In simple terms: I like this place. The energy found inside the Merchandise Mart is contagious. This huge (and box-y) building is filled from top to bottom with offices for companies like Yelp (ahem) and newer tech start ups. One of personal favorite features is the window shopping on the lower level. Planning to remodel your kitchen AND have money out the wazoo? This is the place you'll find that one of a kind arabesque terra cotta you've been searching for. Beyond the home furnishings/infrastructure, you'll find a handful of eateries in the two lower levels (over the past year they've improved and updated the options). The Merchandise Mart can be a beast to navigate. I often find myself entering from one end of the building and exiting on the other and having no clue where I am from start to finish. Last but not least, if you're visiting for business, I recommend considering the Holiday Inn Express which is attached via skywalk to the Merchandise Mart. read more

***I cannot speak much about the inside of Merchandise Mart; there is a food court with a Garrett Popcorn as well as an assortment of vendors showcasing great interior styling for your home or condo; what is most impressive about Merchandise Mart is the size though; it is a massive building that definitely catches your eye whenever you are near it*** I am not sure what the parking situation is in this area, but I imagine parking here is expensive given Merchandise Mart's location right in Downtown Chicago as well as the fact that it is right on the river. read more

The "Mart" is where stores go to shop. The bottom two floors are open to the public with floors 4 on up being for "the trade" only. But if you can gather up the courage anyone can walk the floors and show rooms. Steer clear of the " trade only" posted sjowrrooms and simply ask ;"is it OK if I look around"? In 30 years I have never been told no. Be nice and try not to gasp when you find a sofa with a $22000 price tag. (Yes that is five digits) read more

The Mart is historic. It used to be the largest commercial building in the world. I don't know if it's still the largest, but it's certainly huge, and the first time you step foot into the building you will be overwhelmed. Learning to navigate the space is tricky at first. There are specific elevators for specific floors and for specific offices. And, let me tell you, there are a lot of offices in this building. Aside from being a major design center, it's also become quite the technology hub lately. You'll find new start ups in the incubator space at 1871 and Yelp recently opened its Chicago headquarters. Many years ago I used to be involved in interior design and spent countless hours shopping for fabrics and furnishings. I would get lost and feel so completely isolated from the rest of the world at times. The halls were empty and quiet. Today the building is highly populated and bustling with shops and restaurants, and you can even pass through to the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza. I'm not sure if they still do this, but you could actually sign up for a guided tour. Yep, it's that big! They have several quick lunchtime restaurants. You'll find beauty shops (hair and nails), a convenience shop for things like aspirin and magazines, Starbucks, Garrett Popcorn, a food court, work out facility, a post office and an entrance to the CTA. There's so much more I'm not thinking of, but the beauty of this place is that there are enough amenities for a person to come to work and stay as long as needed. If you head to Potbelly's, the table tops have old photos of the Mart from long ago. Today it's a more upgraded version of a magical time from the past. Shine your shoes, take a cooking class, purchase fabrics and home tiles, send a letter to a friend. It's all here. read more

I formerly worked at a company that used to have their offices here. I loved it here b/c you never really had to leave the building. They have a lot of dining options (food court - incl. Lai Lai's and Arby's), Au Bon Pain and, now, Potbelly's. The ubiquitous Starbucks, along with Dunkin Donuts, and Mrs. Field's cookies. They have a post office and a handful of retail stores on the first 2 floors. The el stop is right there for the Brown line - convenient. Only downside is during the NeoCon trade show in June, when thousands of interior designers descend on the Mart and completely clog the elevators. **gratuitous celeb encounter: I once shared an elevator with William Kennedy Smith, who used to have an office here. I gave him the stank eye the whole time. read more

I've been lucky enough to work in this building for 10 years, and have seen it go through major changes (weird candy store, H2O Plus, and Crabtree and Evelyn...I MISS YOU)... At the end of the day, however, I still feel eternally blessed to be able to walk into this gorgeous building everyday and see all the beautiful design showrooms and all the myriad types of people wandering around. Plus, a workplace with a hotel attached, its own post office, fedex office, my bank branch, a Dunkin Donuts, AND a Starbucks, and I never even have to have an ounce of Chicago weather muss my tresses?? Yes, please. read more

Number of times I've visited: 2. Number of times I've gotten VERY lost: 2 (to the point of getting stuck on the sixth floor, in the dark, not being able to get up or down to other floors....) On the upside, this is a great building to be hopelessly lost in. I feel just like Alice in an unwritten Lewis Carrol adventure. It is a silly place. read more

The Merchandise Mart is a huge famous building in River North. The Merchandise Mart houses all kinds of events and shops. Some will know this location because of 1871 and others will come for the retail space. This is a large beautiful building that is impossible to miss just north of the river. read more

Absolutely wonderful furnishings and choices, but holy sh*tballs, is this place expensive. I get that it's for designers and all, but are there THIS many people with crazy amounts of disposable income? The building and some of the old interior decorative elements are worth a look, regardless of anything else going on in the building. read more

The Merchandise Mart is filled with shops, restaurants, offices and more. My experience has been more of a breeze through and I'm not THAT impressed. It's kind of a maze with very little signage. The building is also very old and needs repairs. I enjoy the beautiful historic parts of the building but I wouldn't go out of my way for a visit. Convenient for lunch in a rush but that's about it. read more

This place is humongous!!! If you don't work here, it's hard to grasp how big it is as the offices are private but just from visiting, I was overwhelmed with the variety of food options in here. Not only is there a giant cafeteria/food court but there numerous nooks for people to hang out and lounge around in between work breaks/lunch. There are countless showrooms for home furnishings and it's super cool to check out. read more

When I first began working in the Mart in 2002, it had plenty of retail stores... Crabtree & Evelyn, H2o+, Petite Sophisticate, Limited Express, and a Coconuts. I hear just a bit before my time there was a Coach store and Carson's, too. Little by little, the Mart forced the stores out by not re-newing their leases. And then it all became LuxeHome. Food, coffee, the Brown Line, and postage stamps all can be had here. I really like having a post office on the first floor, for all my mailing needs. Elevators are easy if you just pay attention to the flippin' banks (there are lighted signs posted on BOTH sides, you newbies). Befriend the security if you're a regular, they're great for anything from letting you park for an extended time to scoring you free concert tickets from either of the 2 radio stations. read more

Who doesn't like big buildings? The more I have to look at, the better off everyone is. I need something to occupy me. I like the really colorful bench that sits right outside by the brown/purple line. Someone, please steal it for me. Also, I'm sure the Q101 dj's are impressed at my impersonation of the annoying fan as I spy on them when I pass by their station. What they don't know is that's just my best Leslie impersonation. read more

The myth is that the Kennedy family fortune came from bootlegging during Prohibition, but they really built their fortune from buying this property - the annual total rent very quickly reached the original purchase price. It's a fascinating place to visit, I came this time just to quickly visit a friend who works here. There are a few shops here with wares I could afford, but not many. That doesn't mean it's not interesting, for the most part the showrooms are for high end interior design and related businesses, but there's also a comfortable little Argo Tea shop I like here. There's usually some interesting exhibit and displays, I like to wander about and wonder what it would be like to have an unlimited budget and impeccable taste. read more

The Merchandise Mart bathroom and kitchen showrooms are a wonderful asset to Chicago and full of the most spectacularly diverse product offerings in the city or suburbs... for the 2% of the population who could possibly afford to buy anything. Walking through with my sister, who was semi serious about redecorating her bathroom, we took the opportunity to check this place out for ideas and possibly even a purchase. Well, it did not take long for her to wake from that dream. It was kind of funny to see the reaction she had when asking the price of a few products. It was almost as bad as the reaction of "white people" at the reading of the OJ verdict. I figure the glass and chrome doors we passed to enter one showroom would probably equal the cost of the entire remodel, labor included. Good for those who can afford it... we can still always dream. read more

Huge! Awesome place to explore with so many different collections! I loved the interior detail inside and the quantity if furniture boutiques inside! Restaurants were pretty good too! read more

A very large historical building that mostly serves as office space (1871 operates out of here, and soon Motorola) and design showrooms and a few retail operations. Throughout the year, various art or design shows will set up shop inside as well. For everyone else in the area, it serves as CTA station for the Brown and Purple lines and a hub for affordable and quick food and coffee. Food-wise, you have fast food options like McDonald's and Arby's. You have salad options in Au Bon Pain and Foodworks. You have Habanero Grill and Tokyo Lunch Box, Billy Goat, the Italian place and the Mediterranean place. For sandwiches, you have Potbelly's and Au Bon Pain. Drink-wise, you have Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, Jamba Juice and if you go up to 1871 office floor, the Intelligentsia coffee bar. There's also a Nick's Fishmarket that I imagine people take clients to. There's also a hub of ATMs on the second floor, and a small post office on the southeast end of the building. Protip: For those that are fond of public washrooms, there are number of public washrooms on the first and second floor. read more

We're HGTV junkies, pretty much, which makes the Merchandise Mart a must-see. It was also next door to the hotel, so a decent option for an inexpensive breakfast on a Friday morning. If you like design, even a little, this is a really fun place to window shop. To be honest, I don't know how much anything cost because we didn't actually go in any of the stores. As with most high-end design, there were some items that were laughable. Who would want a sofa with a 6-inch high back? Not sure. I'm guessing it's for guests you don't like or otherwise don't want to stay. Throw pillows are definitely IN though. A few of the stores were eclectic to the extreme. One has only black and white furniture. One sells only tassels. I told my kids I'd buy them each a tassel, but when we went back, they were closed. I'm not sure the store would have appreciated a bunch of tourist bumpkins buying one tassel each anyway. We'll never know. One tip if you go; all the elevators don't go to all the floors. If there is a "down" escalator, we couldn't find it to get from the second to first floor. Also, even though there are signs that say "After 6 PM and Weekends" this doesn't mean you can visit the stores on a Saturday. They are closed. I never did figure out what those signs meant. read more

EYE CANDY!! I would love to walk in with my architect or interior designer one day. We didn't get past the first floor but the stores that we stopped at were amazing. We pretty much stared in admiration at all the beautiful interior design options that the stores have to offer. Lots of unique items to build a perfect home! They also have some little stores you can shop at without dropping thousands. It's no joke, this building really does have it's own zip code (60654) and that's how the architect intended it. He wanted it to be "a city within a city". I like that this art deco building is right on the river, it displays the awesome architecture that Chicago has. I can't wait to visit again. read more

The Merchandise Mart is so big it has its own ZIP CODE and once upon a time the Kennedy's owned this building - so why not visit this landmark? LuxeHome lives here and offers showrooms with the widest selection of kitchen, bath, tile, lighting, cabinetry, and countertops. The Design Center also lives here and offers 130 showrooms marking it the world's first and largest design center. How cool is that? Phenomenal speciality home furnishing companies such as Kohler and Porcelanosa. Great place for home inspirations and/or activities (i.e. Chopping block), free Wifi, Starbucks and Argo Tea Cafe onsite! read more

If I had beaucoup bucks to spend on home furnishings and decor, I would absolutely spend a lot of my life buying copious things at The Merchandise Mart. And then I'd probably have to live in the Merch Mart because I'd never be able to find my way out. I swear I look for David Bowie when I'm here as this place feels straight up labyrinth. That's the thing, the Merch is enormous. Cavernous, really. And it's stunning - the architecture itself is beautiful and provides a gorgeous backdrop for all of those seemingly pricey home design companies. But beyond the home stuffs, you'll find plenty of office spaces (I love 1871 for co-working), a decent variety of shops and a nice selection of quick eateries. It's a great place to work the day away. As for a few gripes: it's so big it's way too easy to get lost, the number of public restrooms is abysmal, and parking nearby is astronomical (few places even validate a portion of your garage ticket). But, it's a Chicago institution and a beautiful one at that. read more

Huge building with plenty to see and do inside. If your here for a show there is no reason to leave the building during the day. The Kennedy bought this building in the 30's for $1million (Dr. Evil Finger here). They sold it in the 90's for $350million pretty good investment. Just thought I would drop that fact on you read the other reviews if you want some pertinent info read more