Edward Don Outlet Closing!?

I am saddened to announce the closing of my favorite local kitchen supply store. Edward Don Outlet on Elston will close it's doors mid-May. Currently, most items are 50% off! I was there Thursday and the selection had not been picked over too much. However, I suspect that will change by this weekend.
On a related note, does anyone have suggestions for a similar store in the area?

First Chef's Catalog and now Ed Don! I just called over there and it's cash only. Any ideas where to go next?

chicagogrrl wrote:First Chef's Catalog and now Ed Don! I just called over there and it's cash only. Any ideas where to go next?

I was there today. Most everything (except appliances, silpat and a couple of other categories) was 60% off.

They accept credit cards as well -- I paid with AMEX -- Cash & Charge only (no checks).

They still had a pretty big selection. I finally got a microplane ~ $4.00 after discount.

Johnny,

If you mean upscale/retail, no shortage of places there, Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table to name two. Discount, though I never found the prices at Don all that fantastic, are Gold Brothers, Herzog and Northwestern Cutlery. There's also a used restaurant equipment supply house in the 1000 block of Lake Street, though the name slips my mind at the moment.

The hardware store in Chinatown (2334 S Wentworth) has great selection of woks and other Chinese cooking and C & R equipment specializes in custom made high btu wok burners and restaurants installations.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

Enjoy,
Gary

Gold Brothers
1140 W. Madison St.
Chicago, IL
312-666-1520

Herzog Store Fixture Co.
1034 W. Madison St.
Chicago, IL
312-666-2600

Northwestern Cutlery
http://northwesterncutlery.com
810 W Lake St
Chicago, IL 60607
312- 421-3666

Sunlight Kitchen Hardware (Woks etc.)
2334 S Wentworth Ave
Chicago, IL 60616
312-225-8388

C & R Equipment
3601 South Halsted St.
Chicago, Il 60609
773-523-0315
Http://www.wokmaker.com
Custom made high btu burners, woks, Chinese lettering

G Wiv wrote:Johnny,

If you mean upscale/retail, no shortage of places there, Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table to name two. Discount, though I never found the prices at Don all that fantastic, are Gold Brothers, Herzog and Northwestern Cutlery. There's also a used restaurant equipment supply house in the 1000 block of Lake Street, though the name slips my mind at the moment.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

Enjoy,
Gary

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm generally not a fan of Sur La Table and/or Williams-Sonoma - except to window shop. Then, I usually buy the same thing cheaper online. Although, Mrs. Johnny receives a culinary industry discount at any Sur La Table - whichs makes the prices a little more reasonable.

I *thought* something was amiss when I was in there a couple weeks ago. I figured there was just a sale or something.

Maybe I'll pick up a Wustof chef's knife for a friend's bday.

Bummer

tem wrote:
Maybe I'll pick up a Wustof chef's knife for a friend's bday.

Bummer

Better hurry, I think they are currently 30 - 40% off but, as of yesterday, things were going fast. Most items are now 60% off.
We picked up a Le Creuset Dutch Oven for about $50.00.

oooohhh....i better get there today. I have some cake decorating requests i need to fill in a couple weeks!

Anyone ever try Gordon Food Service? They are more in to bulk foods, condiments, to go boxes, catering items but do carry some chef grade tools. Don't know wherethere is on in the city, we visit the one off of Ogden Avenue near Copley Hospital in Aurora. Are all the Don stores closing? Isn't there one in Wheaton or Carol Stream?

G Wiv wrote: Discount, though I never found the prices at Don all that fantastic

Me neither - I went to Don Edwards once many years ago. That said, the prices now - at 60% off are great. I spent far far more money (on two days) that I have at the moment - on things I didn't even know I needed or wanted, even some of which I already have - $4 on microplane graters, $7 on magnetic knife holders, $8 on a pate loaf pan/mold (with removable sides), $7 for a large ceramic bean pot, less for a pasta drying rack, $12 for a programable probe thermometer etc. etc. etc. 65% off for BBQ stuff though there's not that much - mostly brushes - but $5 for two thick cedar planks seemed a good deal. The 'Asian' stuff is 70% off - though you won't find any more of the Japanese porcelain bowls ($2)
The knives (Wustof Classic and GPII lines) are 30% off - also a good deal now.

I think they are taking cash and charge cards, no checks till May 1st, after which it is cash only.

Do check your bill - some items may ring up at a marginally different price than marked.

They close at 6pm on weekdays.

There is a lot of cake decorating stuff - though for Wilton things see this option

It strikes me that someone could do fairly well buying up the le creuset, wusthof, etc with the 40% or X% discount and then reselling it on ebay.

Maybe I'll swing by tomorrow..

sazerac wrote:

G Wiv wrote: Discount, though I never found the prices at Don all that fantastic

Me neither

The secret to Don was hitting one of their frequent sales. They often advertised in the Lerner papers and would have specific sales at least once a month. They would have weeks with huge discounts on a specific category (knives, gadgets, bakeware, etc.). I bought a lot of stuff there over the years that I couldn't find cheaper anywhere else.

Of course, this is useless info now. I'll miss the Don Outlet.

Best,
Michael

sazerac wrote:They close at 6pm on weekdays.

FYI .... they close at 5:30. 5 on Saturday/Sunday.

I just got back. Most of the really good stuff was gone. I picked up a 2.5qt Chasseur dutch oven for $43, a Wustof GPII 8" chef's knife for $66, a nice ceramic Mason Cash baking dish for $12, 3 Microplanes, a 17" aluminum pizza tray and a 17" anodized pizza baking tray (the kind w/ the edges upturned) -- figured I'd see how it did for $8.

Baking supplies going fast.

Sign on front door today indicates closed on Sunday.

Most categories were pretty picked over early this afternoon. Their cashiers have been pretty inefficient for as many years as we have shopped there. Add that performance to the larger number of people shopping and be prepared for a long wait to check out.

Krasny is still on Clybourn for some of the same types of merchandise. I have no idea how long they will stay although I believe that they own the building across from Lathrop homes. That was cheap real estate when they moved from North Avenue near Humboldt Park years ago, which was well before that neighborhood hit bottom.

Krasny and Company
2829 N. Clybourn

LikestoEatout wrote:Anyone ever try Gordon Food Service? They are more in to bulk foods, condiments, to go boxes, catering items but do carry some chef grade tools.

When I was working in the business, I was spending $30-40k per week with Gordon Food Service. They are a well run, extremely efficient business of which their Marketplace stores is a very small portion of their business (though very helpful to their wholesale customers).

I would not hesitate to buy basic kitchen equipment at GFS. However, if I wanted TOP-QUALITY chef knives, I think that I would pass as their knife selection was pretty weak the times that I have been there. In addition, the stores probably carry less than 10-15% of the SKUs of a normal kitchen supply house. On the other hand, it is darned convenient, especially if you have a wholesale account with them.

LTH,

Most things at Don are now 70% off, though the store is pretty well picked over and I left empty handed. I was hoping to score a French Mandolin, they had the nice stainless steel type last time I was there, but no such luck.

Enjoy,
Gary

Better hurry - I think their current inventory consists of a pack of cheesecloth, a large carton of styrofoam takeout containers and a shrimp de-veining tool.

They do still have a ton of food colorings in stock, and at 70% off they're about $0.45 each. These are teh same food colorings that are sold at Northwestern Cutlery, and the colors are very good. At least they had a ton over the weekend. They're behind the registers.

We also picked up the vacuvin pineapple slicer/corer for $3.50, and a zester for $0.50. A couple ramekins for creme brulee for $1 each, that type of thing.

LTH,

I was driving past Edward Don a couple of day ago and thought I'd pop in and see if they still had the mortar and pestle I spotted on my last visit. Not just any mortar and pestle, but a gigantic Andre the Giant of a mortar and pestle.

Last I saw it was 50% off, but at $71 still over my 'I don't need it, but it's really cool and I want it' impulse buy limit. There was one on the shelve, not marked, when I asked the price they went into a huddle and, after checking with both the manager and computer, came up with $24.

I am now the proud owner of a ginormous, but very cool, mortar and pestle.

Mortar and Pestle with 12oz can of soda for perspective.


I think tomorrow, Saturday, is the last day of the sale before Don Outlet is shuttered for good.

Enjoy,
Gary

Gary since you are the last I see that was there.. what's left? TIA!

mby385 wrote:Gary since you are the last I see that was there.. what's left? TIA!

MBY,

Not much as of Thursday, though it's moot as they are, to my knowledge, closed for good after today. (Saturday)

Enjoy,
Gary

Yes, it's officially closed. I stopped in on Saturday - waited in line for an hour w/ three carts! The people working there were so cheery and helpful for how crazy it was. When I was there all of the customers were pretty understanding and patient too, but I guess there were some meanies there earlier. I picked up a bus/serving cart (very handy for art supplies), lots of lucite containers, pastry/cake boxes and a weird mailbox type thing that I'm going to use as a shelf in my living room. Also found other small odd & ends - everything was 80% off at that point.