ML - Michigan Avenue

2014 - Issue 3 - May/June

Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON LITTLE; ILLUSTRATION BY SARA FRANKLIN continued from page 114 auction marketplace, and in 2011 Coyle & Herr opened its doors 20 min- utes from the downtown hustle. Of the shop's tucked-away location in the Bridgeport Art Center, a former Spiegel warehouse about a mile from U.S. Cellular Field, Herr says, "It's given us a lot of room to learn what we're doing, see how deliveries work, and really get to know the business." Coyle considers the warehouse a "great incubator," where she can apply the destination marketing she focused on while a public servant for the city of Chicago. "We know people probably [don't walk] down the street and all of a sudden decide they're going to come to Coyle & Herr," she says of the residential area. "We're used to looking at things that maybe are not getting enough attention, and driving people's perspec- tive—trying to be inclusive and accessible, too." Coyle handles the business's marketing strateg y but says Herr (whom she refers to as M.B.) has the "magic" eye of a curator. "[It's amazing] how she can look at something and put it together. Everything is seen by M.B., so lot s of st uf f doesn't ma ke it in t he door because it doesn't ref lect what we want." What they want, explains Herr, is an edited selection of décor that constantly surprises, such as a Murano glass chan- delier that Coyle herself fell in love with but still sold ("It's easier to let go of than you think it might be based on how much you love it," she says), or vintage furniture from Johnson Publishing Company. "You just don't know what you're going to find," Herr adds. "Our consignors all have a really interesting story, and it's fun to get to know them—it makes their pieces interesting." With its soaring ceilings and 15 -foot windows, Coyle & Herr is undeniably massive, but the ever- cha ng ing v ig nettes ma ke t he sunlit space seem coz y. A wooden Ba ker d resser faces a pa ir of quilted pink f lora l sofas, w it h each piece pr iced to accommodate any refinishing work that might need to be done. ("The fabric is unusual," says Coyle of t he sofa s, "so t hese would be g reat ca ndidates for getting re-covered; it's actually really pretty if you like that combination of colors.") Indeed, the duo particularly values sharing resources with those working on design projects, which frequently begin at Coyle & Herr. "You can really stack up a lot of impact just off one piece," says Herr, who often refers buyers to upholsterers to give a well- framed item of furniture a fresh look. "Sustainability in the truest form is our interpretation of it: You're reusing a piece, putting it back out in the ma rket , g iv ing it a not her life, a nd you've rea lly helped t he economic engine at the same time." Those with a specific decorating agenda might head straight to one of Coyle & Herr's sections devoted to seating, lighting, books, or dining, where a 1970s butter-yellow and gray table from Johnson Publishing Company sits prominently. "M.B. was hyperventilating when she called me," Coyle says of Herr's visit to the Johnson offices, where she handled the consign- ment of various items with Linda Johnson Rice, the company's chairman. "Spectacular," says Herr. "It was a religious experience." Bridgeport Art Center, 1200 W. 35th St., Unit 1D, 773-575-9880; coyleandherr.com MA RIGHT: Mary Beth Herr and Dot Coyle. BOTTOM: Areas devoted to dining or lighting make searching the huge showroom more manageable. "You're reusing a piece to give it another life." MARY BETH HERR 116 MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM HIDDEN CHICAGO 114-116_MA_SS_HiddenChicago_May/June_14.indd 116 4/14/14 1:49 PM

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