Aug. 29--Chicago's Magnificent Mile just got a little less magnificent.
Upscale Italian clothing and accessories maker Armani on Tuesday closed its store on the north end of Michigan Avenue, the city's highest-profile shopping street. The Giorgio Armani boutique is moving to East Oak Street into space currently occupied by its Emporio concept.
The Armani store, which opened in 2000, was at the base of the Park Hyatt on Michigan Avenue, between Rush Street and the Chicago Water Tower.
The new Giorgio Armani boutique opens Saturday. The Oak Street location will no longer be an Emporio Armani, an Armani spokesperson said.
Armani declined to give a reason for the Michigan Avenue closure and the change of the Oak Street concept.
In the United States, Armani Group's "exclusive distribution network" consists of 201 stores, including 18 Giorgio Armani stores and 15 Emporio Armani stores. Emporio Armani is a less expensive chain catering to younger consumers.
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