{"id":5928,"date":"2022-08-19T08:55:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-19T12:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/espacestudio.ca\/intimate-irving-park-event-space-him-her-vintage-expands-boutique-will-host-markets-pop-ups-and-more\/"},"modified":"2022-08-19T08:55:00","modified_gmt":"2022-08-19T12:55:00","slug":"intimate-irving-park-event-space-him-her-vintage-expands-boutique-will-host-markets-pop-ups-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/espacestudio.ca\/en\/intimate-irving-park-event-space-him-her-vintage-expands-boutique-will-host-markets-pop-ups-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Intimate Irving Park Event Space Him + Her Vintage Expands Boutique, Will Host Markets, Pop-Ups And More"},"content":{"rendered":"

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IRVING PARK \u2014 The owners of a boutique venue that specializes in small events and sells items from local artisans have taken over the space next door. <\/p>\n

Married couple Myriam\u00a0and Manny Morales opened Him + Her Vintage<\/a>, 3434 W. Irving Park Road, last summer as a micro venue for things like dinners and tea parties for 20-40 people.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The recent expansion into 3432 W. Irving Park Road will provide more space to offer pop-up markets and consignment opportunities for local creators, Myriam Morales said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, we have 12 artists who will showcase their businesses here and rent a space within our vintage shop to sell,\u201d Myriam Morales said. \u201cEverybody comes with their own community, and it\u2019s very cool to see just how different artists can be, even if they\u2019re within the same field. Everything is very unique.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: <\/strong> Colin Boyle\/Block Club Chicago<\/span>
Him + Her Vintage, 3434 W. Irving Park Rd., on Aug. 9, 2022.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Myriam Morales grew up in Irving Park, where her mother and aunt ran a wedding shop specializing in decor, dresses and alternations. Organizing events is in her blood, she joked.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m Puerto Rican and my husband\u2019s Puerto Rican and Mexican. Hosting family gatherings is just something that we know,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd I remember being in my mom\u2019s shop and seeing her do that, thinking that one day I\u2019m going to get a cash register and be a businesswoman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Myriam Morales previously worked as a wedding planner, but, during the pandemic, she pivoted to helping people sheltering at home plan more \u201cintimate\u201d evenings and date nights, she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019d order their food and we\u2019d come and set up a beautiful table, chairs and candlelight,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was just this fancy affair for two, but in their backyard. We even did a micro wedding, transforming someone\u2019s living room and dining room into a full-blown ceremony space.\u201d<\/p>\n

After coordinating a few of these smaller events, the couple decided to try their hand at opening their own boutique venue to scale up their work. Their Irving Park Road space isn\u2019t far from where Myriam Morales\u2019 mother\u2019s wedding shop was, she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s kind of full circle,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: <\/strong> Colin Boyle\/Block Club Chicago<\/span>
Myriam Morales poses with a bouquet at Him + Her Vintage, 3434 W. Irving Park Rd., on Aug. 9, 2022.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 450-square-foot storefront initially felt \u201clike a box,\u201d Myriam Morales said. While building out its interior, the couple got creative by repurposing antique and vintage furniture and decor they\u2019ve collected, she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very nostalgic, and repurposing is very important to us,\u201d she said. \u201cI know thrifting is cool now, but we were doing it before it was cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

Myriam Morales also took inspiration from West Town\u2019s massive Salvage One showroom and venue by having all the Him + Her decor and furniture also be for sale, she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m obsessed with that place. That was very much an inspiration for us because we\u2019ve been there and love it. We realized we can have Him + Her be a home for all of our collectables and provide an experience for people,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: <\/strong> Colin Boyle\/Block Club Chicago<\/span>
Manny and Myriam Morales pose for a photo at Him + Her Vintage, 3434 W. Irving Park Rd., on Aug. 9, 2022.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The couple had their eye on the space next door when they opened. But they decided to start with the smaller store to slowly grow their business, Myriam Morales said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But it was time to take the leap to buy the larger space, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still an intimate space, but now we can host about double the number of people we could next door. It also allows us to rent our first home to artisans so they can host workshops,\u201d Myriam Morales said. \u201cWe\u2019re really trying to build a community, meet artists and new people while also beautifying our block.\u201d<\/p>\n

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