Getting to Know Mercy Beaucoup!

For the past seven years, Mercy Beaucoup! has offered shoppers top-of-the-line apparel at a reasonable price, while also offering young people from Mercy Home for Boys & Girls the chance to learn and succeed within a professional workspace. Mercy Home takes in children who have experienced traumas like abuse or neglect, and provides them with opportunities to grow and prosper. By working at Mercy Beaucoup!, these children are able to gain valuable experiences that will help them build independence as adults.

Lynn Spaeth, the manager of Mercy Beaucoup!, shared some of her experiences from the past seven years. “My favorite part about working here is building relationships with the children as well as the customers, who tend to shop here on a regular basis,” Spaeth said. Because new shipments of donated clothes come every week, Mercy Beaucoup! always offers a wide variety of clothes to customers.

“Our customers love coming back time and time again to see what is available,” Spaeth added. “I’m touched by the generosity of those who donate items to the boutique.” When asked about what makes Mercy Beaucoup! unique when compared to other boutiques in Chicago, she responded, “While we are a resale store, our products are not things that our donors decide to just throw away. It’s top pick stuff. I call it ‘designer quality at thrift prices.’ And it all goes to a unique cause.”

“While we are a resale store, our products are not things that our donors decide to just throw away. It’s top pick stuff. I call it ‘designer quality at thrift prices.’ And it all goes to a unique cause.”

Some of the items come from top designers such as Kate Spade, Donna Karan and Coach. The kindness and selflessness of both the donors and shoppers has shown Spaeth just how loving people can be and what makes Mercy Beaucoup! so special.

When they first began working, some of Spaeth’s employees struggled with forming a consistent work ethic and understanding the finer aspects of working in retail. But over time they all managed to go beyond the expectations set for them. Spaeth said that some of her best employees were the ones who struggled the most at first.

“They are happy to be working here,” Spaeth said. She further explained that, “the feeling of putting in hard work and receiving a paycheck is new and exciting for these kids, and it encourages them to become self-motivated and efficient at their job. They learn all the aspects of retail here, and my goal is to get them to go on and be successful, whether they decide to keep working in retail or if they choose to pursue something else entirely.”

Spaeth thanked all of her current customers and donors for making Mercy Beaucoup! possible, and encouraged anyone who has yet to visit the boutique to stop by. New donations are constantly coming in, so there is always the chance to find something special. Spaeth believes that, “None of this would be possible without our customers, and for those of you who haven’t visited us yet, come check us out. We are going to be your new favorite store.”

Mercy Beaucoup! is located at 1545 N. Wells Street in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood. It is open from Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you have any questions, you can contact Lynn by phone at (312) 202-6794.