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About the Chapter

The Chicago Great Lakes Chapter of the Retail Design Institute unites the vibrant community of retail design professionals across Chicago and the surrounding Great Lakes region — including Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan. We bring together retailers and brands, designers and architects, suppliers and vendors to connect, collaborate, and inspire one another. Through engaging events and shared experiences, we explore the evolving world of retail design while strengthening the relationships that power our industry.

Our chapter meets every other month, offering opportunities to learn, share, and grow together. We always welcome new ideas for events, topics, and collaborations that foster creativity and community.

Our gatherings are intentionally designed for meaningful exchange — not for hard or soft selling, or overt product promotion. This is a space to share ideas, learn from peers, and build a trusted network of creative professionals who support and elevate one another.

Together, we’re shaping the future of retail design across the Great Lakes region and beyond.

Retail Design Institute

Chicago | Great Lakes

Chicago | Great Lakes Chapter

Chapter Location: Chicago, IL, USA

Region Served: Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Northern Indiana

Chapter Leadership

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

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January 8, 2026

Retail Trivia Night

Momentum Textiles, The Mart, Suite 210

6:00pm - 9:00pm CST

$28.50 for All Attendees

Team Collaboration Meeting

March 2026

Student Design Challenge

Pencil this in on your calendar.

Event details will be coming in the following months.

$50.00 for All Attendees

Proceeds from this event are gifted as scholarships to winning teams

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May 14, 2026

Save the Date: Details to Follow

Pencil this date into your calendar.

We're planning for an event in the Western suburbs. 

FREE for Members

$28.50 for Non-Members

Bar at Night

July 9, 2026

Industry Open Invite: Casual Meet-Up

City location to be announced soon!

6:00pm - ? CST

All industry colleagues are welcome!

This event is attendee-funded (i.e. you pay your own way)

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February 8, 2026

Industry Open Invite: Casual Meet-Up

Suburban location to be announced soon!

6:00pm - ? CST

All Industry colleagues are welcome!

This event is attendee-funded (i.e. you pay your own way)

Image by Neal Kharawala

April 9, 2026

Open Industry Invite: Casual Meet-Up

City location to be announced soon!

6:00pm - ? CST

All industry colleagues are welcome!

This event is attendee-funded (i.e. you pay your own way)

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June 9, 2026

NeoCon/DesignDays Design Unwind

Location details to follow

4:00pm - 7:00pm CST​

FREE for Members

$32.50 for Non-Members

Chapter News

Contact Us for Chapter Sponsorship Opportunities!

International Sponsors + Partners of the Institute

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Founded in 1961, the Retail Design Institute is the retail industry’s creative professionals' collaborative community. The Retail Design Institute is a registered 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organization.

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Retail Design Institute c/o Dash Nagel

8570 Stirling Rd, Ste. 102-227, Hollywood, FL 33024

(954) 551-9234 | info@retaildesigninstitute.org

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