Outlet mall review: The Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont. The following review was written by my predecessor in August 2014. I have nothing to add except:
- In addition to being to be able to get to this mall without a car (see below) from the same CTA stop you can also catch the FREE Rivers Casino shuttle. So if you’re heading out to the area you can make a day of it and visit both destinations for the cost of one roundtrip CTA fare.
- You may also want to pick up a Green Savings card from the Mall concierge. It’s $5 and good through April 2017. It’s free for AAA Members who show their membership card. See the list of current savings here.
- Stack the Green Savings Card savings with Shoppers Rewards. Sign up here and get $10 in instant savings plus other free savings offers.
- Sales tax in Rosemont is the same as in Chicago 10.25%.
Location
Fashion Outlets, 5220 Fashion Outlets Way, Rosemont, IL 60018, (847) 928-7500. Text questions to the concierge at (847) 957-4600.
Review
I’m not a big fan of outlet malls, because I’m not sure there are a lot of bargains to be had. Real outlets offer clearance and sample items at really good prices, and sometimes even random things like fabric remnants or promotional items. Outlet malls sometimes have a few of these real outlet stores, but many of the stores have items at prices that are the same as prices available at any store anywhere. Other stores have lower prices than at regular stores, but they are selling items that are not available in their regular stores – and that may be of lower quality.
The closest outlet mall to Chicago is the Fashion Outlets of Chicago, which is actually located in Rosemont. The stores range from Claire’s Boutique to Prada; most fall into the “not really an outlet store” category. There are a few good clearance stores, like Saks Off Fifth and Neiman Marcus Last Call, and a handful of real outlets. The Worth store, for example, is one of the few retail locations of the high-end women’s clothing brand; most Worth clothes are sold through consultants. When I was there, they were selling items for 80% off retail – great values.
Getting to/from the Mall
The Fashion Outlets of Chicago have a few good advantages. It’s indoors – a little more pleasant than visiting the Kenosha outlet mall in January. Another is that it is accessible by public transportation, which is nice whether or not you want a bargain. From the CTA Blue Line, you can pick up the Free Pace Rosemont Entertainment Circulator Bus 811 and go straight to the mall. If you drive, parking is free all day every day.
Another advantage is proximity to O’Hare. It’s a good place to kill time and get some errands done while waiting for a friend with a delayed flight; your friend can call when the flight lands, and then you can pick her up in no time. In fact, the mall is heavily promoted to international travelers who may have a long layover at O’Hare. Fliers can take the Go Airport Express between O’Hare and the mall, and they can arrange to have their purchases checked through to their final destination at the Guest Services desk. A good number of the shoppers seemed to be international visitors.
Finally, the Fashion Outlets of Chicago has a good food court, including the Maoz Vegetarian stand, and a wine bar on the second floor – if you need to sit while your friends from overseas stand in line to get into the Coach store.
