An army of options

Whether you’re looking for designer threads and shoes, Army surplus or the vintage treasure, Belmont Army provides some serious one-stop shopping

By Crissa Stephens

The four-story steel-front building on Belmont between the Brown Line and Clark isn’t just a store, it’s an entire Saturday afternoon.

With four floors and a merchandise selection ranging from shiny Kenneth Coles to gas masks, shopping at Belmont Army is more like an event than an errand. The store can best be described as your basic run-of-the-mill spot for Army surplus plus vintage clothing plus trendy apparel plus skate shop plus sneaker store. True to form (and by form I mean complete randomness), Belmont Army lacks a storefront sign, meaning you might go by it a few times before mistaking it for an exclusive New York nightclub and then realizing it’s actually a four-story smorgasbord of urban goodness.

Because of the selection, the clientele is wide and varied. It’s one of the few stores in town where a security guard, a punk rocker, a loop professional, a skater, a hippie and your average Lakeview resident looking for something new to wear on the weekend can converge for shopping bliss.

Since it carries so many items that can’t be found anywhere else, many shoppers have a specific product in mind when they come, which can be helpful for navigating the loads of retail they find. The prices are in keeping with the selection. While there are some expensive items, bargain hunters will find that if they’re willing to search a bit, the perfect deal is bound to emerge. If this is you, you will also want to be aware of the fact that two hours in Belmont Army passes like five minutes anywhere else.

The first floor reads like a sparse, industrial version of Urban Outfitters, with men’s and women’s brands like Paul Frank, Ben Sherman, BB Dakota and Element. The third floor is Army surplus gear and vintage clothing. Highlights of the collection include a selection of hats to outfit every member of The Village People and the standard army issue canvas messenger bags with cool faded logos. While the vintage clothing section has some promising pieces, it also has one too many stains for the discerning customer’s taste. The fourth floor currently feels like a hipster’s DSW, but in less than a month, it will be transformed into a skate shop complete with flat screens and skating videos. Remember that awesome pair of Pumas, circa 2001, that you wanted but never got? Good news! They’re up there, and you can finally afford them. Until it converts, everything is 50 percent off, so a trip in February will be well worth it if you’ve been scouring the racks for that elusive pair of Adidas running shoes, Durango construction boots or sequined ballet flats.

The staff will tell you that the crown jewel of the store is its second floor shoe shop. With a display of Converse in every color of the rainbow to greet you happily when you walk in, you’ll likely agree. If a classic Chuck Taylor doesn’t do it for you, chances are the large selection of men’s and women’s casual and dress shoes will. Sneakerheads flock to the store to grab the latest pair of limited edition Nikes or Reebok pumps, while cowboys (and girls) stop in for a funky pair of Sendra boots. If you’re a sneaker lover, you didn’t read this here, but they’ve been stocking the ultra-excusive Nike SB Gibsons in their back room for a month ready for the long-awaited release date.

The store’s history is as eclectic as its shoe selection. It’s been in its current location for about a month, reopening in Lakeview after the CTA bought the old Belmont location out two years ago. During that time, it temporarily moved to Wicker Park, where it was quite at home as a simple Army surplus store with an offbeat, unassuming feel. Ask the employees, and the purists will tell you that they miss the old store’s aversion to the mainstream mixed with a hint of rebellion.

As a side note, the good-natured staff will probably share this information while playing happily with small children, feeding the turtle who makes his home at the cash register or politely answering all your questions.

If you’re the type whose iPod plays Nina Simone right after Of Montreal and Bob Dylan while you sit on your Swiss-designed plastic chair looking at your Matisse print and the rustic table you found in a back alley, a trip to Belmont Army will have you singing “So much retail, so little time!”

If you’re the type whose meat and potatoes never touch, you may instead find it to be a four-story identity crisis with more personalities than Sybil. Either way, anyone with a high level of tolerance for ambiguity and skinny jeans will be sure to find what is needed and more — namely a pair of five-inch black platform boots with steel details and spikes.

Belmont Army is located at 844 W. Belmont, near the Belmont-Clark intersection.

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