Frankie's on the Park

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If not for the inevitable stream of high schoolers that'll be snaking in and out of this snazzy new glass-fronted building on Clark Street after it opens Aug. 14, you might not realize at first glance that it's actually a store catering to the teen and pre-teen crowd. That's because they're doing so in a so-chic storefront that you could easily mistake for any for-grown-ups boutique, with a stunning all-glass facade, sparkling white terrazo floors and racks of big-name designers stocked in sizes all the way up to women's large.

Catering to teens with sophisticated, fashion-forward taste (and parents willing to finance their wardrobes), the store stocks everyday and special occasion-wear for girls and guys ages 8-18. But even if you don't have a curfew, you might just want to stop in here. Lisa Rolfe-Burtik, who named the store after her daughter Frankie, a 13-year-old  fashionista sporting braces and gladiator sandals, speaks for her staff of women when she says, "Let's put it this way: We plan to do a lot of shopping here, too."

When we took a pre-opening peek at the store on Aug. 11, we spotted a ton of totally adult pieces that we wouldn't think twice about wearing, like a ruffle-edged racer-back tank by L.A. Made ($35), a silky navy-and-red leaf-print tie-neck halter dress by Molly NY ($152) and a thick-knit cream sweater jacket by 526 America ($158). We loved the fitted T-shirts by K.art Apparel featuring scribbled artwork (think refrigerator art-style penguins and giraffes), and proceeds from each shirt ($51) go to buy art supplies for the young artist who penned the design.

If you've got nieces or nephews that you love to spoil, good luck resisting the pastel shirts and ties for little guys, or Hollyworld's mini-versions of celeb frocks, such as the pleated red Valentino number Miley Cyrus wore to the Oscars. Kids (or you, let's not judge here) can even design your own shirt or shorts at the second-floor graffiti bar using letters or graphic decals. (No dirty words, though -- take your non-G-rated designs to T-Shirt Deli.)

Moral of the story? Yes, Frankie's is for teens. But if you're already nearby shopping Panache or Akira, you certainly won't get the evil eye if you duck in here.

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Lincoln Park stores, Chicago stores, Apparel and accessory stores