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By Michael Pleasants At times, shopping means getting an your friend's SUV in order to bring home a big piece of furniture that will anchor a room. Other times, the retail experience results in nothing more than a small shopping bag containing a cute little picture frame that will be the most perfect gift. What follows are BOI's recommendations of retailers that deal with items big, small, and in-between. BIG: Located on the city's westside
in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood, Uber Modern is
a furniture store that specializes in vintage mid-century modern
pieces from the mid-to-late 1950s up until the 1970s. For you
pop culture types that would mean f KINDA BIG: Room Service, located in Andersonville, is an urban home furnishings boutique specializing in vintage mid-century modern furnishings, decorative objects, art and garden elements for the home. Refined, adventuresome and ever changing, the store's eclectic mix and unique blend of "old & new" and "high and low" will appeal to those who have a relaxed, down-to-earth attitude and who are independent, creative thinking consumers BIG & SMALL: Chiásso has gone through several different iterations
during its long history with previous locations in the Loop,
Water Tower Place, and other Michigan Avenue addresses. However,
it SMALL:
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UberModern 2256
W Grand Ave | www.ubermodern.com 
urniture
spanning from Leave It To Beaver to The Brady Bunch.
Big-name designs from Paul McCobb sit alongside no-name pieces
that are still deservedly high-quality, and styles extend globally
from suburban pop to Danish modern to Hollywood regency. A sculptural
ceiling treatment of the Uber Modern showroom features
space aged floating circles in white, orange and silver, giving
the space a fun and quirky Austin Powers-like vibe. There's plenty
of lucite, chrome and art glass pieces, plus furniture ranging
from "cash & carry" entry level affordable to museum-quality
items that might require you to cash in a few stocks & bonds.
Room Service 5438
N. Clark St. | 773.878.5438 | www.roomservice-chicago.com 
Chiásso 2112 N. Clybourn Ave. | 773.244.4100 | www.chiasso.com
remains one of the
most fun and unique gift shops in the city and is currently thriving
with a single store amidst the hustle and bustle of the Clybourn
Corridor. Always a fantastic source for stylish gift items such
as clocks, picture frames, kitchen accessories, and bed &
bath items, Chiásso also features much bigger sleek and
modern household furnishings, including sofas, tables, office
furniture, rugs, and other types of textiles. If you can't find
anything worthwhile at Chiasso well that's actually impossible.
I can almost guarantee that you'll find something of interest
to you and/or the person you're shopping for. (oops, I ended
my sentecen with a preposition). 
Equinox, with stores in Lakeview and
Andersonville, is a popular boutique/gift shop selling anything
from home decor to unique gift cards. A great place to get a
last minute gift - a book, some jewelry, a small houseware item,
maybe even a stuffed animal- for a wedding, birthday, or house-warming,
Equinox really comes alive during the holiday season. Not only
are the stores decorated with lots of cheer, they have some incredible
one-of-a-kind and limited edition Christmas items that keep loyal
customers coming back year after year.