The Eddie Bauer storefront at 110 W. Jefferson Ave. sat empty until Saturday, June 6, when Vuori, the California-based athletic apparel brand, opened its doors to downtown Naperville shoppers.
Vuori is the most prominent name in a cluster of businesses that have opened or announced openings across multiple downtown corridors this summer. The wave spans Jefferson Avenue, Washington Street, Main Street and Aurora Avenue, filling vacancies left by national chains and smaller retailers alike.
Vuori on Jefferson Avenue
Founded in 2015 by Joe Kudla, Vuori carries men's and women's athleisure apparel and operates more than 100 locations globally. The company was valued at $5.5 billion at the end of 2024. The Naperville store joins existing Illinois locations in Chicago, Skokie, Oak Brook and a Rosemont outlet. It also joins a crowded athleisure block downtown that already includes Lululemon, Alo Yoga, FP Movement, Athleta and Nike Naperville.
The competition is real. Reuters reported in early June that Lululemon cut its annual revenue forecast amid pressure from brands like Vuori and Alo Yoga expanding their U.S. retail footprint.
Washington Street
The Belmont American Steakhouse opened in early June at 35 S. Washington St., replacing Catch 35. Owner Will Cullen's Empire Restaurant Group, which also runs Fiammé, Empire Burgers + Brew and The George, built a menu ranging from $20 to $190, including a 42-ounce tomahawk steak and Parker House rolls served with a beef tallow butter candle that melts into a dipping sauce.
"We're not trying to reinvent the steakhouse, we're trying to just perfect the experience," Cullen told the Naperville Sun.
Main Street
SEE Eyewear, a family-owned company co-founded by brothers Randal and Richard Golden in Michigan in 1998, plans to open in September at 214 S. Main St., the former Benefit Cosmetics space. Frames run $199 to $499, and the store will offer eye exams and contact lens services. It will be SEE's fifth Chicago-area location.
Brandy Melville, the California-inspired clothing brand, is also set to open its first suburban Chicago store at 50 S. Main St. later this summer, according to NBC Chicago. The brand's only current Illinois location is in Chicago's Gold Coast.
Jefferson Avenue: Lola's Handcrafted Churros
Lola's Handcrafted Churros will open its third location in July at 8 W. Jefferson Ave., taking over the former Kerwell CBD store space. Owner Mayra Serna, 38, immigrated to the U.S. at age 14 and grew up in nearby Wheaton. Her new shop will sit right next door to Naper Nuts & Sweets, the same store she visited as a teenager. Her most popular item is the churro sundae at $11.50.
Aurora Avenue
Escapology, an escape room franchise, opened around June 13 at 2603 Aurora Ave. near the Block 59 development. Franchise owner Samuel Stockton started with six themed rooms, including licensed Scooby-Doo and Batman experiences, and plans to expand to 12 rooms within a year. Weekday tickets are $34; weekends are $39.
Six new businesses across four corridors in a single summer. Lola's Handcrafted Churros opens in July at 8 W. Jefferson Ave., and Brandy Melville and SEE Eyewear are expected to follow on Main Street later in the season.
