This week’s stockist spotlight has carried Habitual for the last two and a half years and has been included in the History of Denim and named by Nylon Magazine as one of the top 50 stores in the world. Located in what used to be an original A&P grocery store in Highland Park, IL, a northern suburb of Chicago, E Street Denim Company has customers come from all over the country because of their large selection of denim. E Street Denim Company has been around for over 22 years and houses nearly 12,000 pairs of jeans! Among the 12,000, you’ll find some of Habitual’s favorites, including our Amalia in Licorice, Eve in Licorice, Angelina in French Moss, Amalia in Bayou and Alice Skinnys in Chianti. Here are a couple of photos of Habitual at E Street!

E Street Denim Co.
1876 First Street
Highland Park, IL 60035
P:847-433-8338
F: 847-433-8423

Store Hours
Monday-Friday 10am-6pm
Saturday 10am-5:30pm
Sunday 12pm-5pm

It was a throw on your sunnies and enjoy the blue skies type of a weekend in LA (sorry for those of you in other cities!), so we decided to explore another great part of LA’s East side, Highland Park and Eagle Rock. Seriously, this neck of the woods houses some of the most underrated parts of LA; here’s our guide to some of the top spots.

In anticipation of all the salty Super Bowl food, we had a salad at FOUR Café in Eagle Rock. They not only have amazing organic fare, but THE NICEST servers and staff we have ever met! Nothing is better than a great meal and great service from an eatery dedicated to green business practices.

After eating, we wandered over to POSSESSION VINTAGE for our vintage fix. Each of their unique pieces are handpicked and repaired of any imperfections. Their wonderfully curated product is found on York Blvd. in Highland Park, and they also set up shop at the Melrose Fairfax flea market every Sunday. Great spot to find a new pair of vintage shades here.

Just down York Blvd, we stopped by THE YORK, a fantastic neighborhood gastropub which draws all different types of folks and makes for superb people watching. This place is all about good company and tasty drinks, and we also hear they have a great happy hour and weekend brunch.

If you are looking a more fast-casual dining experience, don’t forget the OINKSTER. The Oinkster, also located in Eagle Rock, is the place to go for American classics. They have some of the best premium sandwiches, including house-cured pastrami, a slow roasted pork sandwich and juicy burgers. Our recommendation is to finish off a slow–roasted pork sandwich with a Hand scooped shake made with Fosselman’s ice cream. You won’t have to worry about breaking the bank here thanks to their $10-and-under menu.

Where should we explore next?

With the holidays upon us, it’s getting kind of late to do holiday shopping online. An inventory problem or Fedex snafu might spell disaster.  Instead, get out this weekend and support your local boutiques! If you can, find a walkable shopping neighborhood near you. That way you can burn off the cupcakes you ate at the company holiday party and avoid the parking nightmare at the mall. Here’s a shopping guide for one of our favorite areas of LA – Silverlake, Echo Park, and Highland Park:

CLOVER has a really friendly staff and a fun selection of gifts and coffee table books for all ages, along with women’s clothing and denim.

LAKE is a comfortable, approachable boutique with accessories, gifts, apothecary products and women’s clothing, generally made by small manufacturers. It’s right next to the Silver Lake Reservoir and perfect for a stroll.

After you’re finished at LAKE, head next door to LAMILL Coffee Boutique. The owners are obsessed with coffee, and serve only on the finest beans and the latest brewing techniques. The iced coffee is the best in the city. You can also enjoy a small but excellent menu of snacks and lunch items from chef Michael Cimarusti in a hip, modern dining area.

For the man in your life, swing by GLORY, a great store with a wide selection of jeans, motorcycle gear, vintage tees, and boots.  Some really cool women’s apparel, too.

If that’s too far, there are tons of other walking friendly shopping spots in LA, including Montana Ave. in Santa Monica, Larchmont Village, Abbot Kinney in Venice, 3^rd Street in West Hollywood, and Old Town Pasadena. What’s your favorite area?