By Dagny SalasThe Daily Northwestern
There are more than 7,600 miles between Evanston and Xi’an, China, but to get to the silk road, Northwestern students have to travel only as far as Chicago Avenue and Davis Street.
The Silk Road, 531 Davis St., a gift boutique specializing in “decorative necessities” such as jewelry, purses and scarves, with Asian and Indian influences, opened on Oct. 14 as a way for its owners, Gail Gilbert and Gavin Lendon, to travel to China and other Far Eastern locations to buy pieces for their shop.
“We hope to become a fixture, where women have to come here for a great piece of jewelry or a purse for themselves or for a gift,” Gilbert said.
The Silk Road is the couple’s second such venture in the city. Gilbert opened another store in north Evanston about five years ago.
“I sold it, and now I just decided to start up again because I missed it,” she said. “I enjoy buying for the store.”
A former interior designer, Gilbert said she chooses pieces on instinct.
“I buy what I like and feel good about selling,” Gilbert said. “I don’t second-guess about what people will want. I love stuff – jewelry, purses, silk scarves. This allows me to buy it to sell it to other people who can enjoy it.”
Since opening, the store has gotten little business from NU students, Gilbert said.
“We opened with a whisper,” she said. “We didn’t do anything to promote the store. It’s been more word of mouth. I’m surprised more NU students haven’t come, (although) a lot came during parents’ weekend.”
But Gilbert said her store isn’t specifically targeting NU students.
“I didn’t open in downtown Evanston for the college kids, but it’s a booming area, business-wise,” Gilbert said. “People are building condos, (and) there’s an influx of more and more people in the area.
“It’s also nice for downtown Evanston to have another new shop that isn’t a Pier 1 or Ann Taylor Loft or isn’t another mall store,” she said.
Evanston resident Anne Mirapaul walked into the store Tuesday afternoon and said she was attracted by the exotic items.
“I travel all over the world and I’m always looking for souvenirs from trips, and these types of things I can’t usually bring back in my suitcase,” Mirapaul said. “They have a nice assortment of things that are different from what I’ve seen in other store windows in Evanston, so colorful and eclectic.”
Despite the lack of recent business from NU students, the Silk Road might still appeal to the diverse NU community, said Weinberg freshman Lily Ryzhkova.
“Since there is a large Asian population and a lot of Asian groups here, I think it’s conducive to the whole international student environment,” Ryzhkova said.
Gilbert said she wants the Silk Road to have a permanent home in Evanston.
“I hope the store is an enhancement to the shopping here,” Gilbert said. “We have a three-year lease, and we hope to stay here all three years.”
Reach Dagny Salas at [email protected].
