Beta Boutique
2016 W. Concord Pl.
773-276-0905 In the nearly two years that Janice Moskoff has been putting on her popular Beta Boutique sample sales, the former retail consultant has been a nomad, hopping between locations. But she says it was always her intention to settle down, and last week she did. Bargain seekers can now regularly search the merch–which ranges from 40 to 90 percent off retail–in the heart of convenient Bucktown. The industrial-pop interior, complete with an immobilized conveyor belt that’s been put to use as a display table, is as polished as any in the neighborhood, and the jury-rigged communal dressing areas of the sample sales have been replaced by three comfy private changing rooms. But best of all, there’s none of that “eeew-who-would-buy-this” stuff–Moskoff’s distilled her experience with what colors and styles don’t sell into a 16-page guide for herself and her buyers. At her opening-night party I spied a V-neck sleeveless baby-doll dress in purple and black by In the Now for $184 (reduced from $407), a taupe silk Calvin Klein skirt for $58 (from $135), and a black winter coat with a crocheted flower on the lapel by Ambre Babzoe for $182 (from $361). I also really liked some dressy-casual pieces by A. Cheng, including a fitted tweed jacket ($118 from $268) and a blue wrap dress ($138 from $278), and people who appreciate denim more than I do will appreciate Stitch’s jeans priced at $60 a pair (from $242). Beta gets new shipments every week but is open only Thursday through Sunday and by appointment.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photo/Mireva Acierto.