The sidewalk was jammed with people in front of the new H&M store on Michigan Avenue just after noon last Friday. Some had waited since 10:15 in a line that snaked around the block to get into the Swedish chain’s newest store on opening day. The downtown location will serve as the midwest flagship of H&M, known for stocking trendy clothes at impossibly low prices.
“Are they celebrating this store?” a woman in a sari asked, gesturing toward the sign wavers. A couple of union guys standing in front of the store cupped their hands around their mouths and yelled something unintelligible. A few feet away, enthusiastic H&M employees in artfully cut-up black company T-shirts that said CHICAGO 060 formed two lines, creating a clapping, dancing gauntlet for shoppers on their way in.
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By way of evidence UNITE cites testimony from workers at the New Jersey center.
I did.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photo/Cara Jepsen.
