Clothes Gallery in Crystal Lake celebrates 30 years: ‘A legacy for downtown’

The owners of the staple downtown Crystal Lake retail store The Clothes Gallery are celebrating 30 years of business this week with a celebration party on Saturday, April 12.

The shop at 51 N. Williams St. is hosting a weeklong 30th anniversary celebration until Sunday, with a party on Saturday with exclusive offers, daily raffle prizes, food and giveaways.

The Clothes Gallery’s history goes back beyond 30 years, as it was founded in 1978. Sherree Rothstein and her husband Michael bought the business and the building in 1995. Selling clothing as well as jewelry and accessories, Rothstein decided to keep the name because it is a “mainstay” in Crystal Lake’s downtown.

“We took over a store with no stock, no merchandise—just an empty space and a vision,” Rothstein said in a news release. “I started from scratch but believed in what could be created here. My goal was always to offer more than just clothing; I wanted to build relationships with our customers and offer them an experience they couldn’t find anywhere else.”

The Rothsteins faced big challenges over the decades, including the recession in 2008 and lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rothstein said she made it through the pandemic by doing Facebook live sales.

“I don’t even want to talk dollars. We had to rebuild,” she said. “We kind of went back, like, five years in business and then had to rebuild and remake all that money again.”

After every setback, they were able to rebuild by adapting to changing trends and consumer needs while remaining true to the shop’s esthetic of blending classics with modern twists. Another future hurdle for the business could be the double-digit tariffs President Donald Trump has proposed, Rothstein said.

“We’ve had to adjust and evolve over the years,” Rothstein said in the news release. “But through it all, I’ve never lost sight of what makes Clothes Gallery special: the people who shop here. We’ve seen generations of women come through our doors, and we’re proud to be part of their lives.”

Rothstein attributes the boutique’s success to its loyal customers who have become like family over the years, she said.

“It’s amazing to see moms bringing in their daughters, or even grandmothers bringing in their granddaughters,” Rothstein said in the release. “They trust us to help them find something special, and over the years, we’ve built so many wonderful relationships with them.”

When Rothstein first purchased the boutique in 1995, she had a 10-year plan. Now 30 years later, she hopes to pass on The Clothes Gallery in the future to someone to keep it going.

“It’s a legacy for downtown,” she said.