Bourdage Pearls offers an exquisite selection of the beloved jewels.

Next week (July 16), local shop owners will gather for the one-day Independent Retailers’ Conference; but all month long indie boutiques throughout the entire city are devoting themselves to the global Shop Local campaign. We’re embracing the movement by highlighting our favorite small businesses in Chicago: 

The Spice House
In business for more than 50 years, the family-owned Spice House imports spices from all over the world, and grinds and blends them by hand in the shop to ensure the best flavors (and a constant and delicious aroma throughout the store). For summer we love the Back of the Yards Garlic Pepper Butcher’s Rub, a Chicago blend that’s perfect for grilling. 1512 N. Wells St., 312-274-0378

Bourdage Pearls
Since opening her eponymous shop in the early 1990s, then-tax-consultant Sherri Bourdage has established herself as one of the city’s leading freshwater pearl purveyors. Offering pearls in all sizes, colors, and custom-designed arrangements, Bourdage provides accessories for Chicago’s chicest women. 4303 N. Ravenswood Ave. #215, 773-244-1126

Enjoy, An Urban General Store
Opened in 2005, Enjoy is owner Rebecca Wood’s brick-and-mortar vision of an updated general store—a chic, savvy version of its more rural counterparts. The perfect place for house-warming or hostess gifts, Enjoy also has a section devoted to Chicago products called Chicago Natives; it features items from Chicago-themed neckties to guidebooks and children’s stories that take place in the Windy City. 4723 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-334-8626

Penelope’s
This year marks a decade in business for Wicker Park’s stylishly independent boutique, Penelope’s. Classic yet contemporary, the store’s men’s and women’s selections come mostly from up-and-coming designers, making each item infinitely unique. The store also has a selection of gift and home items. 1913 W. Division St., 773-395-2351