Shiekh Shoes is now open near downtown Chicago. The shoe store opened in March in the University Village and is working to make a name for themselves in the community. Shiekh Shoes is a store that carries urban contemporary footwear and apparel for men, women, and kids. Shiekh is named after the owner and originated in Ontario, Calif. With about 200 stores in the U.S., Shiekh is now starting to take over in the Midwest. University Village’s Shiekh Shoes carries some of the top brands such as Nike, Converse, Adidas, Creative Recreation, and their own brand, Shiekh.
A special thing about Shiekh shoes is that they also carry local brands and artists in their stores, so the University Village location also carries local brands such as: Zoo High, Fashion Geek, Empire, and Trunk Fit. “It’s (Shiekh Shoes) tailored to the cities that they’re in,” says Shona, manager of the University Village location. Shiekh wants to promote local artists and the community. Shiekh is able to be a “safe haven,” as Shona calls it, to artists by allowing them to sell and distribute their work in the store. Sheikh also throws events for the community.
Being in University Village is great for a store like Shiekh.
“There’s such diversity here. Not just because UIC is here, but because it’s so close to downtown and that’s pretty much the center of the city,” says Shona.
Another special thing about the store is that their prices are pretty low. “We try to have more of a boutique feel to our store without the boutique prices,” says Shona.
You can check out Sheikh Shoes at 1313 S. Halsted St. and you can reach them at: (312) 243-0147.
