Fulton Market

Will the newly signed Equinox deal be the catalyst that elevates Fulton Market to a broader based retail area?

Over the last 10 years, Fulton Market has garnered national recognition as Chicago’s most interesting trade area. While known for its fantastic restaurants and wonderfully unique hotel experiences, Fulton Marked has been slow to establish a reputation as a great place to shop. Data gathered by Stone Real Estate Corp. explains why this perception exists. Of the 1.4M SF of ground level retail inventory existing in the market, 529,000 SF of it is comprised of Food & Beverage.

These restaurants are predominantly operated by such Chicago culinary powerhouses as Alinea Group, One Off Hospitality, Hogsalt, DineAmic, Day Off Hospitality Group, and now Gibson’s Restaurant Group. The dominating presence of the restaurants, however, has hindered the development of an emerging apparel co-tenancy in the neighborhood. To be clear, solid apparel retail names such as Lululemon, Madewell, Warby Parker, Uncommon James, Blue Mercury, Mejuri and Brooklinen have pioneered a burgeoning soft goods and apparel concentration that is slowly growing. However, other retailers have not followed suit.

Equinox will anchor the next evolution of the market; one that will embrace wellness of body and spirit as only a sophisticated operator like Equinox can provide. Then, Fulton Market will also be considered a place to work out, in addition to living, working, and dining there. Apparel retailers are attracted to the Equinox co-tenancy because their analytics show that the shopping behavior of the Equinox high income customer crosses over to some of the existing Fulton Market retailers. Many potential apparel retailers like the feel of the neighborhood, but are not quite sure that their targeted customers frequent Fulton Market to shop. With Equinox committed to the neighborhood, those retailers will now have the certainty that their targeted customers are in Fulton Market because of the broadening of the retail mix that Equinox provides.

The Bartucci family, known for over 40 years of fresh pasta-making on Chicago’s Northwest Side, is launching a fast-casual concept in Fulton Market. Pasta Via, opening this summer at 179 N. Morgan St., is a new venture from Gino Bartucci Jr., owner of West Loop’s Gino & Marty’s. The location will feature kiosks for build-your-own pasta bowls, grab-and-go items, and meals targeted to be under $15 and ready in under five minutes.

Designed for scalability, Bartucci plans to expand the concept to additional Chicago neighborhoods like Gold Coast and Lincoln Park, with interest already coming from Oak Brook and out-of-state prospects. Pasta Via’s mix of speed, affordability, and fresh product positions it well within urban retail real estate trends focused on quick-service, quality-driven dining.

Taqueria Chingón, the acclaimed Mexican restaurant from Oliver Poilevey and Marcos Ascencio, will reopen at 817 W. Fulton Market on May 1, bringing its trompo-fired tacos and innovative dishes to Chicago’s West Loop.

The new space offers 40 indoor seats, a sidewalk patio, and a basement kitchen ideal for catering without disrupting restaurant operations. Poilevey and Ascencio plan to keep their original menu intact, while leveraging floor-to-ceiling windows for creative late-night service.

Fulton Market has seen an influx of national taco chains, but Poilevey and Ascencio—both native Chicagoans—believe their authentic, chef-driven concept will stand out. This marks the restaurant’s revival after closing in Bucktown last November and follows their ongoing success with Mariscos San Pedro in Pilsen.

H&H Bagels will open its first Midwest location at 164 N. Peoria St. in May or June, according to real estate brokerage CBRE. The 1,653-square-foot shop will be situated at the base of The Row Fulton Market, a 300-unit luxury apartment tower developed by Related Midwest.

The expansion is part of H&H’s national growth strategy, with recent openings in Boca Raton, Fla., and Santa Monica, Calif. The brand, known for its classic New York-style bagels and pop culture references from “Seinfeld” and “Sex and the City”, has six more locations planned for 2025.

H&H joins a booming food and beverage scene in Fulton Market, where restaurants and bars accounted for over one-third of retail space in 2023, per a Stone Real Estate report. The area, originally a meatpacking district, has evolved into one of Chicago’s top dining destinations, home to Nobu, Girl & The Goat, and Au Cheval.

The shop will face local competition from Tilly Bagel Shop, a self-proclaimed “Chicago-style” bagel purveyor, which is set to open its second location at 204 N. Aberdeen St. in April. With 1,400 new apartments completed or under construction, the growing residential base is expected to further fuel demand for casual, high-quality dining options in Fulton Market.