A Los Angeles athleisure label built for the fashion-focused girl on the go has planted its flag in Chicago. Set, the brand founded in 2018 by Lindsey Carter, opened its first Midwest store on Friday at 946 W. Randolph St. in the West Loop, marking the company's third brick-and-mortar location overall.
The 1,138-square-foot shop is Set's third physical store, following its first at a Los Angeles location in 2022 and a second in New York the same year, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The brand has been fully self-funded with credit card debt and big hopes and dreams, per Gina Sheldon, and the company has performed well as a direct-to-consumer operation while now planning to become more omnichannel, the outlet reports.
A Lake House Vibe Inside a West Loop Storefront
Set designed the new West Loop location to feel like a Midwest lake house, the report notes, with a lived-in living room greeting shoppers near the entrance. The dressing room goes further still, outfitted with a couch, complimentary drinks, a TV and a hook-and-ring toss game for customers who want to linger.
The store also leans hard into local pride, featuring references to Chicago sports teams throughout the space. The brand aims to make the shop feel distinctly like its Chicago customer, and it's selling Chicago-specific sweatshirts, sweatpants and hats alongside limited-edition Chicago-themed merchandise that, per the same account, is available at the West Loop store only.
Opening Day Freebies and a Popcorn Partnership
To mark the launch, Set hosted an opening celebration featuring a hat and patch bar, and the first 100 customers were set to walk away with custom Lands' End tote bags filled with Garrett Popcorn. The brand describes itself as community-driven and says it has experienced explosive growth since its founding, aimed squarely at Gen Z and millennial shoppers.
Why Fulton Market Keeps Drawing Retailers
Set's arrival adds to a wave of retail activity in the broader West Loop, which includes the Fulton Market corridor. Fulton Market ranked as the second most frequented Chicago retail corridor in 2025, trailing only Michigan Avenue, and it posted the highest yearly foot-traffic increase among the city's top seven corridors, up 4.1% year over year, according to the same Sun-Times report.
Other brands have taken notice. Reformation expanded its Chicago presence with a Fulton Market store this year, a move the Chicago Sun-Times reported replaced a former Allbirds location, while Crain's Chicago Business had earlier reported the brand was targeting Fulton Market and Lakeview for expansion. Time Out Chicago similarly noted Reformation's plans for new locations at Fulton Market and the Southport Corridor. Rick Owens has also announced plans to open a flagship store in Fulton Market this year.
Despite that momentum, the West Loop still trails other neighborhoods when it comes to new retail licensing. The Loop ranked first and New City second in issued limited business licenses between 2020 and 2025, with the West Loop coming in third, per the Sun-Times report.
What It Takes to Open a Storefront in Chicago
Retail stores selling general merchandise in the city are required to hold a limited business license, according to the City of Chicago's business licensing rules, which also specify that license holders must limit their activities to those identified on the license. A separate city fee notice lists the cost of a limited business license at $500 for a two-year term, according to the City of Chicago.
