Brooks Brothers Closes at Northbrook Court

Menswear retailer shuts doors after 36 years.

  Brooks Brothers closed its Northbrook Court store Monday after 36 years at the location, according to a sign in front of the establishment and a letter sent to customers. The store opened its doors the same day as the mall in 1976. Neither the company nor Northbrook Court returned calls to Patch for comments. Customers like Lake Forest City Councilman George Pandaleon were disappointed to learn of the closing but plan to continue shopping at Brooks Brothers. “It will be slightly less convenient for me,” Pandaleon said. “My office is in Oak Brook and there is a store down the street. I’m downtown pretty often,” he added referring to two city locations.

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Last Chance: Donate Your Prom Dress to the Glass Slipper Project

Our new 'Last Chance' feature lets you know about important upcoming deadlines.

If you're in the midst of cleaning out your closets this spring, don't miss the chance to do some good while you're at it. Through Friday, March 30, the Glass Slipper Project will be collecting gently used formal dresses and accessories at Northbrook Court. The 13-year-old nonprofit distributes the dresses at "boutiques" free of charge to high school students around the Chicago area who otherwise couldn't afford to buy the clothes to go to prom.  To sweeten the deal, donors will receive a $20 gift card to be used at Northbrook Court and will also be entered into a drawing for a makeover and $200 mall gift card. Donations are accepted from noon to 4 p.m. weekdays on the lower level near Lord & Taylor. Know about an important deadline coming…

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Armed Guard Patrols Mall Store

C.D. Peacock employs guards with a hand gun during holiday shopping.

  C.D. Peacock’s Northbrook Court jewelry store chose to beef up its holiday security Friday and Saturday with an armed guard complete with a hand gun and a bullet proof vest. At the same time, uniformed Northbrook Court security guards carried no weapons and were not equipped with handcuffs. Tiffany’s had no noticeable security guard at all Saturday though the store was full of last minute holiday shoppers. The Peacock's guard refused to give his name to Patch or answer when queried Saturday. Store manager Sally Salcena refused to comment directing inquiries to Operations Vice President Sharon Thomson.  Thomson failed to return calls to Patch. It was later learned she is out of town this week. No one from Peacock management returned calls…

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Northbrook, in Pictures

PHOTOS: Chicago Bulls Come To Northbrook Court

Annual "Paint the Town" event draws thousands of enthusiastic fans.

The Chicago Bulls held their annual "Paint the Town" event at Northbrook Court Wednesday afternoon. Thousands of fans clogged the aisles of the mall waiting in line for autographs and trying to catch glimpses of the players from afar. Carlos Boozer, C.J. Watson, Joakim Noah, Richard Hamilton, Brian Scalabrine were all on hand to sign autographs. But the highlight of the day for many of the fans was the chance to see Derek Rose, who had just announced his signing of a 5-year, $94 million contract. Fans erupted in a roar as he appeared in the mall and sporadic chants of "MVP, MVP" were heard at times.

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Jennifer Fisher

11:45 am on Thursday, January 12, 2012

Hi Ava, feel free to shoot me an email at jenniferf@patch.com   more ›

Village President: “We’re In Good Shape, Economically”

President Frum tells business owners that sales taxes are up and retail vacancies are down during Northbrook Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

If businesses are the engine that moves Northbrook, that engine seems to be revving back to life.  Sales tax revenues this year came in higher than the village expected, while retail shopping center occupancy rates are also up by 30 percent, according to Village President Sandra Frum.  At a luncheon for members of Northbrook’s Chamber of Commerce, Frum said the economic outlook in the village is—for the most part—looking good.  “You guys truly are the engine that moves Northbrook,” she told the several dozen local business owners who gathered at the Sheraton Hotel. “I think we’re in very good shape, economically.” Compared to towns like Evanston, Skokie and Glenview, Northbrook has several hundred more businesses, Frum said. In fact, the …

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Black Friday Starts Thursday for Some

Toys R Us in Highland Park launches holiday shopping at 9 p.m. Thanksgiving Day while Deerfield and Northbrook Court stores open the doors at midnight.

Black Friday officially begins at midnight in Deerfield and Northbrook, when some stores open their doors, but the official start is at 9 p.m. in Highland Park for those who want to go directly from turkey to shopping. Toys R Us opens its doors in Highland Park at 9 p.m., giving local shoppers a head start on places like Best Buy in Deerfield and Target in Highland Park, which open at midnight. Macy’s, along with Abercrombie & Fitch in Northbrook Court, open at midnight as well, according to mall Marketing Manager Stacy Kolios. Shoppers at Macy’s, Abercrombie & Fitch and Abercrombie Kids will have four hours to finish their shopping before Victoria’s Secret lets customers in at 4 a.m. An hour later, Lord & Taylor begins its Black Friday, …

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Management Company Refinances Northbrook Court

Chicago-based General Growth Properties takes out new loan on Northbrook mall, along with four others nationwide.

General Growth Properties, owner of Northbrook Court, announced Monday that it has refinanced its loan on the Lake Cook Road shopping mall. According to a release from the company, General Growth Properties (GGP) has refinanced loans worth $966 million on four shopping malls nationwide, entering into four new fixed-rate mortgages with a weighted average interest rate of 4.63%, down from the prior loans’ average rate of 5.66%. The new loan on Northbrook Court is $131 million, has an interest rate of 4.25% and is due in 2021, according to the release. GGP also refinanced loans on malls in Natick, MA; Riverside, CA; and Sugar Land, TX. The company owns and manages 166 large shopping malls in 43 states, according to its website. In October …

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Northbrook's Small Businesses Are Optimistic As Village Vacancy Rate Drops

Despite the overall stagnant economy, Northbrook's smaller retailers are not all stuck in the dumps.

What does it take to shepherd a small business through today’s tough economy? Several local mainstays seem to have the answer in Northbrook, where bike purchases are up and sales of books at the indie bookshop are steady two years after the official end of the Great Recession. Depending on the product, the state of locally owned retailers ranges from outright boom to decline. And in several cases, business is surprisingly good given the gloom-and-doom stories afflicting specific industries. Take the Book Bin in downtown Northbrook. The venerable independent bookstore run by Janis and Lex Irvine threw a successful 40th-anniversary bash on Sept. 22. Crowds mobbed the cramped aisles to snag 40-percent-off books. Because the Book Bin has built…

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Jennifer Fisher

9:49 am on Tuesday, October 4, 2011

I agree, the Book Bin is a great local bookstore. 40 years is an impressive tally.   more ›

PATCH PASSPORT: Northbrook Offers Pro Bike Racing, Top-Tier Shopping And Monastic Stillness

Patch is your guide as you become a tourist in Chicagoland.

Its great reputation for good schools and parks is just a fraction of what makes the village of Northbrook such a unique place for visitors and residents alike. It has one-of-a-kind venues like the Ed Rudolph Velodrome and Techny Towers monastery.  Read more Patch Passports to the Chicagoland Area.  ATTRACTIONS Techny Towers Here's something you don't see every day. Established by the Society of the Divine Word organization more than 25 years ago, Techny Towers is a unique, spiritual destination for everyone. Located at 2001 Waukegan Road, the conference and retreat center offers space for meetings, workshops, fundraisers and other events for educational, cultural or civic organizations. The location also offers 50 guest rooms with private…

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Police: Suspected Shoplifter Bites Mall Worker

A woman suspected of stealing fought back against a loss prevention officer.

A woman suspected of shoplifting at Northbrook Court allegedly bit the loss prevention officer who was trying to stop her from leaving the store.  Inna Voskovsky, 42, of Buffalo Grove, was arrested Tuesday, May 17, after she allegedly tried to take $297.50 worth of merchandise from Macy’s without paying for it, according to police. When a loss prevention officer attempted to prevent her from leaving the store, Voskovsky allegedly pushed the officer up against a tree, knocked off her glasses and bit her left hand, police reported. Voskovsky was charged with felony retail theft and battery and placed in jail without bond before a court hearing set for May 25.   Editor's Note: The item above comes from Northbrook Police Department reports. In…

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