Humboldt House

Home goods store · Humboldt Park

Humboldt House

Home goods store · Humboldt Park

1045 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Highlights

Discover Humboldt House, a vibrant showroom packed with colorful textiles, unique housewares, and vintage modern furniture, perfect for gifting or sprucing up your space.

1045 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 Get directions

humboldthouseco.com

@humboldthouse

@onthegrid

"Patterns, pooches, couches and couture fill this magically decorated vintage modern home shopping spot. Grab a seat under the warm glow of a neon logo while admiring the endlessly eclectic collection of pottery and succulents. When you're done wishing this place was your living room, head next door to Pierogi Street for some consolation dumplings." - Firebelly Design

On the Grid : Humboldt House

View Postcard for Humboldt House

@goop

"Owner Claire Tibbs puts a lot of love into staging the beautiful range of vintage modern furniture, ceramics, textiles, and jewelry as a series of vignettes, making this sprawling space that much easier to navigate. It also means you get a pretty convincing preview of what, say, a retro brass bar cart or Hans Olsen leather chair might look like in your own home. On a smaller scale, the selection of local-designed jewelry, home goods, and apothecary items is as easy on the eyes as it is on the wallet. "

The Chicago Guide

View Postcard for Humboldt House

@onthegrid

"Humboldt House, Humboldt Park. Patterns, pooches, couches and couture fill this magically decorated vintage modern home shopping spot. Grab a seat under the warm glow of a neon logo while admiring the endlessly eclectic collection of pottery and succulents. When you're done wishing this place was your living room, head next door to Pierogi Street for some consolation dumplings."

Chicago

View Postcard for Humboldt House

Joshua Gomez-Alvelo

Google

Went the other day and wow just wow i'm lost for words. The vibrant color scheme is making me want to buy everything. I've passed by 1045 N California Ave and never realized all this beautiful and colorful place was near me. Definitely check them out if giving a house warming gift or just getting something for your house. I'm still thinking about all the different colors well down Humboldt House. ❤️💜💛💙💚

Monica Leggett

Google

My favorite small business and I’m so glad it’s close to home! I come here if I’m in need of a gift or want something for my home. I love the pantry area in the backroom and love looking around at all of the cute things. They’re dog friendly and even have dog treats at the counter. I love that they’re feminist/pro lgbtq a really lovely inclusionary space. I will continue to shop here as long as it’s open :)

Lauren Huston

Google

One of my favorite places to shop in Chicago. the store is always stocked with super unique and cute items and the staff there is always so lovely. I never leave Humboldt House empty handed. They carry lots of great art, greeting cards, baggu, ceramics, housewares, etc.

Linda Stoklasa-Craig

Google

The best lil neighborhood shop. I could spend hours in there every time. My favorite things to stock up on when I go: candles, incense cones, tinned fish, chocolate, and greetings cards.

Kate Darmody

Google

Wonderful little shop that provides a colorful dopamine fix. Perfect for anyone seeking bright, kitschy and handmade gifts.

Chasity Beasley

Google

I usually enjoy my visit to Humboldt House. I’m normally greeted with a friendly employee and engaged with. Today the woman at the desk didn’t greet me when I walked in as she spoke with another women, nor did she seem friendly and engaging when the woman left. She took no effort to greet me, or to ask if I was looking for anything. I took the time to leave this review because I took the time to drive over here to shop. I don’t enjoy spending my money in places that lack customer service.

Jane Sitter

Google

We visited here on Sunday, March 6th and the shopkeeper was so joyful and made our experience great. We got some cute stickers and house accessories, this seems like a great place to get for a friend or yourself!

Erin Dobbins

Google

Stumbled upon this shop during a recent trip to Chicago, and found it absolutely delightful! Unique gifts (for self or others 😌) in a pleasant space with friendly staff. There were hundreds of items that caught my eye, but I did my best to only leave with three of them. Would absolutely consider ordering from their online shop as well, given what a great experience I had in person. Will be making this a regular stop during future visits to Chicago!

Shelby B.

Yelp

Cutest lil gift shop ever! I could've spent all day in here. The employees are so friendly and helpful too. Usually these types of gift shops can be overpriced but I was pleasantly surprised at the prices. I thought they were a good value. I bought a ton of last minute cards and gifts her :)

Joneice B.

Yelp

Very cute store with plenty of one-of-a-kind items. Great place to buy gifts for someone special. Come here if looking for candles, plant holders, handmade cards, LGBTQ+ items, incense, perfume, jewelry and lots of pet items. Previous came here and grabbed bronze dipped lighter for a friend and colored tapered candles. Also fell in love with hair accessories.

Betsy S.

Yelp

What a fun store. It has so many interesting pieces, casual items and accent pieces too. Interesting it is a feminist home goods, gift and jewelry shop. It has such cute items. I looked at their candles, cards, perfume, jewelry, cups and more! There's always something here to buy but you don't necessarily need it. Want and need are two different things - so enjoy and look around! The staff is very friendly and very helpful. It is located in Humboldt Park and there are many other shops of interest on the street.

Gina F.

Yelp

I had such a great experience perusing the wares at Humboldt House. To be clear, you don't NEED anything here. You'll definitely WANT more than you're prepared to spend, though! This is a great place to pick up something unique and fun for yourself or a friend. From hot chocolate to sex toys, they cram a lot of variety into their modest shop. There are a few things in a lower price range, but most items were on the spendy side. Luckily they had a 20% off sale which helped ease the pain! I walked with earrings, barrettes, cocoa, and a puzzle. The staff was really nice, and even packaged my small finds in boxes. Jokes on them... it's all for me!

Karen N.

Yelp

Another great experience at Humboldt House and I was not disappointed. Waa able to find a few gifts.

Nicole O.

Yelp

The store is lovely with a variety of goods that you just want to buy. The unique cards, candles/holders, jewelry, etc. would make great gifts. I bought a eucalyptus candle and loved the assortment of colors for the candles. The taper candles I got burn kinda quickly, but they look amazing. The eucalyptus candle smells fantastic and is aesthetically pleasing. It is also just down the street from Spinning J, so you can come to the area and stay for a bit. Prices are higher, but thee are so many options. I will definitely recommend Humboldt House for shoppers galore!

Ashley A.

Yelp

A cute store that has very niche items. If I could afford it I'd literally get everything. Great place to go when you are buying a birthday present or treating yourself to something local!

Shreena P.

Yelp

This store is absolutely adorable and you can get lost in purchasing thoughtful little items and gifts. It is a bit of a hidden gem - and i would never have noticed it on my own. There is a lot of street parking available right outside. When you walk in they have a small station with rules about masks and have a sanitizer to use. I was greeting by a store employee who helped me find a few Christmas gifts to purchase for family and friends. They seem to have a variety of sustainable and unique goodies all over the store. They also have a lovely collection of tea pots, spices, reusable and sustainable kitchen sponges and items. They have a little something for everyone including jewelry, coasters, bags/backpacks, candles, household items and unusual pottery designs. Check out was easy - they gave us cute bags for the different gifts wrapped the items in black paper.

Stacey C.

Yelp

The curation in this shop is top notch. It's a hodgepodge of a general store with home goods, jewelry, candles, cards and lots of other fun items. Whenever I walk in, my mood is instantly better because of how cozy and charming the store is. The staff is always warm and welcoming. I love coming here to pick out housewarming gifts for friends. They also showcase goods made by local artists which is a huge plus as I love supporting local and it makes for unique gifts. Definitely come check it out if you're in the neighborhood!

Blair A.

Yelp

Humboldt House has so many cute and unique items and many of them are hand made. They have an array of different candles,planters, and jewelry. I was able to find a number of different Christmas gifts. I will definitely be coming back!

Marlene S.

Yelp

I finally made it out after wanting to go for a while. It's a cute little shop with a lot of gems. There's a variety of items that make great gifts or addition to home. Some things were a bit pricy and I was disappointed that some of the items I wanted were sold out and that a sale was over. There was only 1 person on staff and while she was very nice, wasn't too knowledgeable about sales/ items etc.

Mandy C.

Yelp

This place is swanky, trendy, zen, and not friendly on your wallet. Splurging on trinkets and clothes, this boutique is "handcrafted" and "organic". Wishful thinking, anyone? My favorite item was a dainty turquoise cuff for $63. Very intricate jewelry. Waved to the staff member, but she was busy with inventory. She did not seem interested in us. This was the only downside. I would love to puroooze here again. Lovely Eye catching items! Great for gift giving!

Giena L.

Yelp

Such a cute store full of homegoods, vintage goods, crystals, jewelry, ceramics and other knickknacks. It's a little on the spendy side, but there are some one of kind, quirky pieces that are reasonable and/or worth the price. Definitely some other items that make for good conversation as well.

Summer L.

Yelp

Perfect place to find gifts for any friend, and super friendly employees! Humboldt Park is lucky to have this great shop on the best block in the city.

Karen G.

Yelp

The vintage glasses were interesting and some of them were reasonably priced. I enjoyed seeing the mid century furniture- it seemed to be in good shape. And was fun to recall when stereoes lived on the wall, not in your pocket. The store can be difficult to move around in with narrow aisles. This was made all the more difficult by some sort of hipster dog photo shoot happening in the store while I was there. I know that sounds odd but no other description fits the goings on. I think because of bearded skinny jean photo nuts, we were not acknowledged by the staff at all during our 15 minute visit.

Sarah B.

Yelp

I'll start by saying I LOVE humboldt house. everyone is so kind and helpful. The atmosphere is amazing. All of their products are clearly chosen with love and care. However, I am extremely disappointed that they continue to sell white sage and sage products. White sage is endangered and not a "cleansing" tool that non-indigenous americans should be using. No matter how "sustainable" the white sage is said to be, on stolen native land non-natives should not be using or selling/profiting from white sage. This is cultural appropriation and harming indigenous communities as it plays into the demand for white sage from white people who use it to "purify". Clearly, humboldt house needs to do some research on the impacts of white businesses selling and encouraging the use of white sage.

Angela P.

Yelp

Add this to your list of things to love in this neighborhood. The interior of the store is bright, airy, and welcoming. My eyes were immediately drawn to the jewelry, but with most pieces in the $70-100 range, I couldn't justify the cost. There was a darling gold necklace with little geometric shapes haunting my dreams though... My friends and I smelled the candles like synchronized swimmers - I don't think a single one was left untouched. All of the scents were fresh and natural, like bergamot, lavender, and basil. I flipped through some greeting cards and regret not buying the panda one for my friend. There's some cute and clever stuff to be found here. The rugs are beautiful too. And don't forget to pick up one of the vases that says "fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck." This is a pretty store to work out your window shopping skills, but everything is quite pricey.

Caroline B.

Yelp

When I lived in DC, I used to date a guy who was obsessed with midcentury modern and was close friends with a guy who owned two stores specializing in MCM, so I learned a thing or two from their bro sessions. I know Claire sells the good stuff for a lot cheaper than other midcentury modern shops. The same names in great condition, just a different neighborhood. People who compare HH's furniture to what's in a Brown Elephant don't know what they're talking about. I got a Poul Hundevad storage unit (teak, made in Denmark) and a patchwork P.S. Heggen desk (teak, made in Norway, dude designed wastebaskets that now cost a fortune) on sale and delivered later that day at a reasonable price. Claire rules.

Emily B.

Yelp

I live in the area and every time I go to Humboldt House the staff members are incredibly kind and welcoming! Their inventory is also constantly changing, which makes it such a gold mine for home decor, fun gifts, candles, wall art, and so many other fun items! I can never walk by this shop without stopping inside. It is expensive but I love using my money here and not at a place like Amazon or Target.

Aimee M.

Yelp

After a couple of visits, I totally have Humboldt House on my radar for future gifts. Other than the bigger home decor options like rugs and furniture and wall art, HH is also a great place to find locally made products by local artisans. The jewelry and ceramics I had my eye are very simple yet have a nice clean aesthetic to them. The soap stones look like large jewels and would make a really lovely presentation on any bathroom counter. The candles--now those are my favorites. I had never heard of Tatine until I saw them on HH's instagram feed and now are a new fave of mine. The scents are really clean and their names are quite cute and irresistible "Love that Burns" "Swarm of Bees", etc. My eye caught a selection of cute cards/stationery. I make my own cards so it has to be a really creative/eclectic design for me to even consider purchasing it, and the cards here are also also one of a kind. The owner Claire is super sweet and has done a great job putting together a store full of lovely finds and hand crafted objects. I love this little corridor of California Avenue. HH is a great stop.

Julie A.

Yelp

Adorable! They have really great, well-priced items here. Its a great location - as before mentioned by Adams & Sons. Very nice people, cool stuff, totally worth checking out!

Julie O.

Yelp

Eh. There's nothing original in here. You can maybe find a gift. Staff is nice. But there are better places to go.

Laura C.

Yelp

Wow, wow, wow! What a great lil' neighborhood shop! Items priced from just $5.00 (Laura Berger cards - so cute!) to super swanky Turkish Kilim rugs - there's definitely a little somethin' somethin' for everyone. I have my eye on a couple of awesome mid century pieces as well as jewelry/wall hangings. Did I mention a majority of the goods are made by local artisans? Pretty nifty if ya ask me! HH is forever dynamic and forever cute. Do yourself a favor and visit ASAP.

Coyote D.

Yelp

Definitely my favorite home goods store, and a welcome addition to the blossoming California/Augusta retail enclave. There's a dearth of truly excellent shopping in Chicago, I wish we had more places like this. The space itself is very cozy and has a pleasant "domestic" feel to it, despite being on the ground floor of a recently constructed building. In addition to really unique vintage furniture, they stock a ton of locally-made jewelry, candles, soaps, etc...if there's something or someone in my household that smells good, you have Humboldt House to thank. Claire (the owner) and Chelsea are always very helpful, and have great taste; sometimes I have trouble making these crucial shopping decisions, and these two have never steered me wrong. I just moved into a larger apartment recently, and can't wait to pick up some decor (maybe some textiles?) for the new space. Humboldt House is an inspiration, and will surely influence my decorating decisions in the future.

Marie B.

Yelp

I was excited to hear about this place and I checked out the website. My husband and I went over on a Wednesday in the early afternoon - we made a trip to the neighborhood specifically to see the place. Unfortunately, the place was closed and the door was locked, even though the sign clearly stated that the shop should have been open at that time. At least we got to check out the two other antique stores in the same area... The two stars are for the website. I guess we won't be purchasing anything, though.

Alee H.

Yelp

What an awesome design and home goods spot- a great addition to the neighborhood, and it's right next to the best gardening shop and nursery ever, Adam & Son. You can fill your space with that many more beautiful and affordable treats at once :) Claire and her dog are just lovely- I really appreciate that the ambiance and the items are so chic and upscale, while the prices are extremely reasonable- most other home design places with similar-looking things are easily triple the price. When I mentioned to Claire I had recently broken a new picture frame, she gave me a picture frame, some books and some other items she was planning to recycle- really sweet and generous of her. I definitely plan on coming back and adding some of her beautiful designs to my home.

Olivia M.

Yelp

I found this place last year while riding my bike and knew I had to visit. I am always on the hunt for mid century modern furniture and have collected quite a bit because of this store. The owner (Hi Claire!) is super friendly, welcoming, knowledgeable, and is full of great ideas. The shop is always so well put together and there's a constant influx of new items every time I go in! It's also next to a great pierogi shop and is pet friendly.

Richard B.

Yelp

So many great things to see in this quaint little shop in Humboldt Park! Perfectly curated and lots of attention to detail. Maybe one of a kind items to be had.

Kat K.

Yelp

First of all, this owner has style. I discovered Humboldt House when searching for some mid century modern pieces for my home on Craigslist. I loved the items she had for sale on the site, so I decided to check it out myself one day and drive to her store. All I can say is "Wow!" When I entered the store, I was immediately attracted to the furniture, accessories, and overall ambience. I bought some artwork, and eventually went back to buy more pieces of art and furniture. Because I gravitated to the owner, Claire's, style so much, I asked her to come help me do the same in my Oak Park adobe. She has a natural talent for design and her energy and passion for what she does is contagious. I will be a regular at her store, and I love that because of the personal attention and creative ideas she has given me, my own house is incredibly swanky!

Marcee W.

Yelp

Nice eclectic mix of jewelry from local artisans and vintage goods. Owner is a sweetheart and very knowledgeable about her merchandise and the local vintage scene.

Sarah B.

Yelp

Humboldt House is such a wonderful addition to California Avenue. The products, big and small, or unique and beautifully presented. One of my favorite things about HH is all the goods created by local makers and artisans. Humboldt House is a great place to shop for yourself or others.

Wendi P.

Yelp

What a gem! Beautiful vintage furniture, gorgeous textiles, thoughtfully selected housewares and treasures, all at extremely reasonable prices. Owner Claire is warm and friendly and shopdog Archie is just the cutest. Don't miss this lovely little shop if you're near Humboldt Park!

Kelly A.

Yelp

I love this place with my whole heart and soul. Let's be real, it's not easy finding a place that has reasonably priced furniture with style that makes you swoon. I love the variety of wares offered here. Every time I come in, there is something new I fall in love with. We are so lucky to have this place in Humboldt Park. Also, as a side note, Claire (the owner) is amazing and super helpful. Just lovely all the way around.

@onthegrid

On the Grid : Humboldt House

View Postcard for Humboldt House

@goop

The Chicago Guide

View Postcard for Humboldt House

@onthegrid

Chicago

View Postcard for Humboldt House

Joshua Gomez-Alvelo

Google

Monica Leggett

Google

Lauren Huston

Google

Linda Stoklasa-Craig

Google

The best lil neighborhood shop. I could spend hours in there every time. My favorite things to stock up on when I go: candles, incense cones, tinned fish, chocolate, and greetings cards.

Kate Darmody

Google

Wonderful little shop that provides a colorful dopamine fix. Perfect for anyone seeking bright, kitschy and handmade gifts.

Chasity Beasley

Google

Jane Sitter

Google

Erin Dobbins

Google

Shelby B.

Yelp

Joneice B.

Yelp

Betsy S.

Yelp

Gina F.

Yelp

Karen N.

Yelp

Another great experience at Humboldt House and I was not disappointed. Waa able to find a few gifts.

Nicole O.

Yelp

Ashley A.

Yelp

A cute store that has very niche items. If I could afford it I'd literally get everything. Great place to go when you are buying a birthday present or treating yourself to something local!

Shreena P.

Yelp

Stacey C.

Yelp

Blair A.

Yelp

Marlene S.

Yelp

Mandy C.

Yelp

Giena L.

Yelp

Summer L.

Yelp

Perfect place to find gifts for any friend, and super friendly employees! Humboldt Park is lucky to have this great shop on the best block in the city.

Karen G.

Yelp

Sarah B.

Yelp

Angela P.

Yelp

Caroline B.

Yelp

Emily B.

Yelp

Aimee M.

Yelp

Julie A.

Yelp

Adorable! They have really great, well-priced items here. Its a great location - as before mentioned by Adams & Sons. Very nice people, cool stuff, totally worth checking out!

Julie O.

Yelp

Eh. There's nothing original in here. You can maybe find a gift. Staff is nice. But there are better places to go.

Laura C.

Yelp

Coyote D.

Yelp

Marie B.

Yelp

Alee H.

Yelp

Olivia M.

Yelp

Richard B.

Yelp

So many great things to see in this quaint little shop in Humboldt Park! Perfectly curated and lots of attention to detail. Maybe one of a kind items to be had.

Kat K.

Yelp

Marcee W.

Yelp

Nice eclectic mix of jewelry from local artisans and vintage goods. Owner is a sweetheart and very knowledgeable about her merchandise and the local vintage scene.

Sarah B.

Yelp

Wendi P.

Yelp

Kelly A.

Yelp

Humboldt House

Humboldt House

Photos

Highlights

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