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Photos: Jared Hatch
Winter might be over in Chicago, but that doesn't mean that Columbia Sportswear is lessening their momentum. This morning, with the help of the city's mayor and a marching band, their new 10,000+ square-foot flagship store on Michigan Avenue opened, and the city turned out to line up around the block for freebies and a chance to peek at the Canadian Olympic team's Columbia uniforms on display.
Taking over a prime location that used to be a giant Victoria's Secret, the Columbia shop is now perfectly situated across the street from one of its big rivals: North Face, and today they held a tent-off as each store erected sample camps to fight over customers. But in the end, Columbia won with the excitement of the opening, the DJs on each floor, the lure of possibly winning $500 shopping sprees, and an interior made of sustainable materials?all inspired by Chicago.
And why did Columbia choose Chicago for this massive store? It's simple: because The Windy City earns its nickname well, and you can pretty much don a Columbia coat some 9 months out of the year.
· Columbia Sportswear [Official Site]