'It Is Amazing' Women's Clothing Store Opens Downtown

JOLIET, IL - The Barber Building is one of the downtown's oldest structures and it's had its share of doubters and skeptics since it was built in the 1880s. "When the late R.E. Barber decided in 1885 to build a former modern office building on Chicago Street, most business men declared that he had gone mad," an old newspaper article states. Fast forward to now. In late May, Joliet resident Diane Harris held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for her new women's clothing store inside the Barber Building's main floor. Her business is named It is Amazing.

It's Amazing, 76 N. Chicago St., is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Wednesday as well as Friday and Saturday. It's closed Thursday and Sunday. It's Amazing has a strong social media presence including a Facebook page and a website for online shoppers.

Why open up a women's clothing store in downtown Joliet? And why the Barber Building?

On Friday afternoon, Harris told Joliet Patch that the storefront is terrific, with 2,000 square feet of space. And she's enthused about the ongoing revitalization of the city's downtown. Her new clothing store is across the street from The Chicago Street Pub, which is always busy.

"That's a really hot spot," she remarked.

Harris worked for several years in life insurance, she said. "I always wanted my own clothing store because I'm an avid shopper."

Harris, who is an optimist, believes Joliet's best days are ahead, including downtown.

"I grew up around Joliet when Chicago Street was full of stores," she said. "I feel very good about Joliet in terms of revitalization and making Joliet a dynamic place" to open boutique shops.

Harris aims to capitalize on the Rialto Square Theater's continued resurgence since the theater is less than block away. She also believes the city's efforts to turn the Old Joliet Prison into an international tourism destination will be good for her store and the downtown as a whole.

"I think it all comes together for a great vacation package. I just believe it because we have a lot of nice history. I feel I got in there just in the nick of time."

Over past couple weeks, Joliet Patch has produced stories about the new Audiophil's Records store on Van Buren Street and Nick Morris's soon-to-be-opening DeWitt's Gourmet cookie store on Cass Street.

Within the past year, downtown has opened two new microbreweries, The Elder Brewing on Cass Street and MyGrain Brewing Company, which is now offering live blues music every Tuesday night, inside the historic Union Station.

"I do think more businesses would help. It will give the downtown a variety," Harris said.

Harris plans to expand her current offering in men's accessories in the coming weeks to include Polo shirts and "maybe khakis." She also intends to start carrying colognes and perfumes. Right now, the strength of her new business is women's "career clothing," she said.

So far, most of her customer base is similar to the Rialto Square Theatre's demographics, 45 to 65.

"I'm hoping to get more of the courthouse crowd, which is why I'm going to branch out into more (items) for men," she said.

Harris also wants to host seasonal fashion shows inside It is Amazing in the coming months. She plans to carry furs and diamonds in limited quantity and increase "my inventory for wedding attire," particularly "mother's of the bride dresses."

"I'm thinking of doing that pretty quickly because I know they are having an event at the Rialto," she said.

Images via John Ferak/Joliet Patch Editor