Move over, ALO & Lululemon! L.A. brand Set opens first Midwest store in Chicago’s West Loop

Los Angeles athleisure brand Set opened its first Midwest store at 946 W. Randolph St. in Chicago’s West Loop, giving the company its third brick-and-mortar location overall, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Founded in 2018 by Lindsey Carter, Set is built for the fashion-focused “girl on the go” and has grown as a direct-to-consumer brand among Gen Z and millennial shoppers, the report confirmed.

The 1,138-square-foot shop follows earlier openings in Los Angeles in 2022, and New York later that year, the Sun-Times reported. Set chief of staff Gina Sheldon said the company was “fully self-funded, just with a lot of credit card debt and big hopes and dreams,” per the report, and added that the move reflects the brand’s shift toward an omnichannel strategy.

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A Chicago store with local touches

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Set designed the store to feel like a Midwest lake house, with a lived-in living room near the entrance and a dressing room that includes a couch, complimentary drinks, a TV and a hook-and-ring toss game. The store also features Chicago sports references and sells Chicago-specific sweatshirts, sweatpants, and hats, along with limited-edition Chicago-themed items available only at the West Loop location, perHoodline’s report.

According to Hoodline, Set hosted an opening celebration with a hat and patch bar, where customers also received custom Lands’ End tote bags filled with Garrett Popcorn, adding a local touch to the launch event.

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Why the West Loop matters

Sheldon said Chicago fit the brand because it reflects where Set’s customers live, work, and go out. She also confirmed that the company wanted the shop to feel customer-centered and “distinctly like our Chicago customer,” rather than simply another brand outpost.

The opening comes as the broader West Loop and Fulton Market area continue to draw retailers. Fulton Market ranked as the city’s second most-frequented retail corridor in 2025 and posted the highest year-over-year foot-traffic increase among Chicago’s top seven retail corridors, up 4.1%, according to the Sun-Times. The West Loop ranked third in issued limited business licenses from 2020 through 2025, behind the Loop and New City.