Merrell

Absolutely fantastic! I really love how the wonderful staff is always trying to help me with getting the correct shoe size for my kids! The quality of the shoes are terrific! The deals can he incredible at the store! I really appreciate their superior customer service skills!

I have owned 5 pairs of Merrell shoes and love them all. I will never own a different brand. Great customer service! Love them.

Same format as other Merrill’s. Long and thin. Sale racks in the back of the store, but discounts throughout.
Merrills are great shoes, and these outlets make me happy. I just love finding a deal at them.
Sadly this location was so tightly crammed that it was hard to get around and try things on.
I’d encourage you to visit, but get there first thing when they open so you have room to try things on and see what’s on the shelves.

I was a man (err…woman) on a mission.
Come hell or high water, I was not leaving this mall without shoes last Saturday. Not just any shoes mind you. Good shoes. Solid shoes. Comfortable shoes. and yes, I am a woman – I require CUTE shoes.
Why the sudden mission to find cute sandals with a dual purpose of *gasp* walking?
DISNEY!
It all began a weeks ago when we booked our Disney vacation. The boyfriend quickly informed me that I needed some shoes that I could walk in. (Believe it or not, he didn’t want to deal with a whiny-​feet-​in-​pain-​29-​year-​old-​girlfriend).
So shoes I would find.
Except that shoes are hard to find. Especially on a budget. And when looking for CUTE shoes that you can wear with shorts and skirts and dresses. So I looked online. And discovered Merrell’s. Wow! Lots of great reviews of Merrell Shoes… They must be sweet.
But I don’t like to buy them without trying them on. Especially if I’m going to drop upwards of $ 100 on a single pair of kicks. So I Googled.
WOAH! Store at the outlet mall! Yes.
Armed with my unexpected joy, I made my way in there almost immediately.
I was greeted by the very friendly staff, and the GM helped me with my shoe hunt. In a matter of many minutes, I found dream shoes (and had a coupon on already lower-​than-​ever prices) and tried them on. Love. Love. Love. Except… they weren’t quite my size.
Now here’s where the store becomes immeasurably rockstar: The GM, who had been tirelessly helping me find the perfect pair of shoes, proceeded to explain that he could contact some other stores where he knew managers to see if they had any in my size. After 3 unsuccessful calls, I decided that I was going to buy them online. For $ 30 more.
GM of Joy didn’t want to see that happen. He sent out an e-​mail to all of the GMs in the country, looking for my shoes. I wandered the mall for a bit and returned 20 minutes later… to a success. He negotiated with the GM at a store in North Carolina to ensure I got my coupon discount as well and we made the sale over the phone.
3 days later: SHOES arrived on my doorstep.

This is one of the more relaxed stores at the outlet. Relaxed as in you don’t see the darker side of humanity that you would find in the parking lot or the line at Coach. «Did that bitch just do the chat & cut?»
I like Merrells, and this outlet location is convenient because I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Merrell store. Sure, there are plenty of places that sell Merrells, but it’s not the same. And living in Chicago, you get spoiled to the point that you expect any company to have a store or location in the city. This one’s a little bit of a hike, but you’ll appreciate the infinitely greater variety of styles and sizes that a basic shoe retailer won’t offer.
They’re not very expensive shoes to begin with, but there are still some good deals to be found here. And if you’re doing a full day at the outlet, God help you, but consider coming here a little later to enjoy a crowd-​less atmosphere, because people need a break from people.