As the first month of the new year draws to a close, Naperville’s business scene is shaping up to be as bustling as ever, with Abercrombie & Fitch opening this week, two new eateries planning to fill out downtown real estate and the recent local return of Habitat for Humanity’s home improvement shop.
Abercrombie & Fitch to open Friday
Fashion retailer Abercrombie & Fitch is opening in downtown Naperville Friday at 103 Washington St., according to Katie Wood, executive director of the Downtown Naperville Alliance.
This marks Abercrombie’s first location in Naperville, per the retailer’s website. Elsewhere across the Chicago area, Abercrombie has stores in Aurora, Schaumburg, Oakbrook and Chicago’s Wicker Park community.
For its Naperville debut, Abercrombie is taking over the building formerly occupied by Ulta Beauty, which closed in March 2024 due to an expired lease.
Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore returns to Naperville area
Habitat for Humanity has officially opened its new ReStore location in Naperville’s Fox River Commons shopping center at Ogden Avenue and Route 59. The shop’s grand opening celebration was Jan. 11, said Douglas Reaves, director of retail for DuPage and Chicago South Suburbs Habitat for Humanity. The shop held a soft opening in November, Reaves said.
Habitat’s launch at Fox River Commons is a relocation of the former shop it had just a mile away at Aurora’s Fox Valley Mall. Habitat’s Fox Valley Mall ReStore closed in December 2023, Reaves said.
“It took a year to find the right location … but we’re beyond excited to be in Naperville and to be in Fox River Commons,” Reaves said. “It’s been busy ever since we opened so we couldn’t be happier.”
ReStore locations sell affordable building materials, new and used furniture, appliances and household items to raise money for Habitat. According to Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity, there are 10 ReStore locations operating across the Chicago area.
Businesses bound for downtown
Abercrombie isn’t the only new store joining downtown Naperville’s brick-and-mortar business scene this year.
Le Macaron will be opening at 23 W. Jefferson in the first half this year, Wood said.
The shop, which sells not only a wide selection of macarons but also cakes, eclairs, madeline cookies, gelato, coffee and candy, will be taking over space that used to house a Coldstone Creamery.
Also soon coming to downtown is Avocado Theory, which will be opening at 22 E. Chicago Ave. in May, Wood said. It is going into the same center that Insomnia Cookies moved into last summer.
Avocado Theory opened its first location in Tinley Park in 2021. True to its name, the restaurant’s menu includes all things avocado, from avocado pumpkin spice cheesecake and avocado deviled eggs to avocado samosas and guacamole.
Wine bar to host LA fire fundraiser
Next week, SixtyFour Wine Bar & Kitchen at 123 Water St. is holding a fundraiser for the victims and first responders of the wildfires that have ravagaed the Los Angeles-area this month.
On Feb. 4, SixtyFour will donate 50% of all food revenues made between 5 and 9 p.m. to the food charity World Central Kitchen.
“We are so pleased to be able to support the World Central Kitchen with their efforts to provide hot meals to the victims and first responders of the LA fires,” SixtyFour owners Loren and Amy Beadle said in a news release.
