By Marcy Carmack
Lance Lawson and Jim Wetzel aren’t just opening a second location of their beloved Chicago concept store SPACE 519—they’re creating a destination.
In August, their signature blend of modern retail and elevated café culture arrived at Plaza del Lago, bringing with it the cozy elegance and sharp edit that’s made their Gold Coast flagship a fan favorite. Think of it as a mini Bergdorf Goodman—if Bergdorf’s had a light and airy vibe; and Midwestern hospitality.
The new outpost will feel familiar to longtime fans: globally sourced fashion, curated beauty, and inspired home finds are all part of the mix. But this time, Lawson and Wetzel are adding something new: The Lago Room—a 40-seat, European-style café during the day, and later, for an intimate cocktail or glass of wine with a lake breeze. As always, there will be plenty of style—on the plate and off.
They’re also bringing North Shore shoppers a taste of their downtown food hits: The Lunchroom, a beloved brunch-and-lunch staple, and The Lunchbox, their grab-and-go concept, both of which will carry signature dishes like the Green and White Salad and the Bangkok Bowl, along with Baja Fish Tacos and flaky pastries that feel like Paris, via California.
Inside the new SPACE 519, racks will gleam with refined cool: Jil Sander, Khaite and Thom Browne. Shelves will be perfumed with S.D. & Durga and other select apothecary brands. And for the home? Coffee table books from TASCHEN, objets from L’Objet and Fornasetti, and just the right thing for that impossible-to-shop-for friend.
If the original store is a love letter to curated living, this North Shore version reads as its elegant summer sequel. “We’ve always had our eye on the North Shore,” says Lawson. “And when we saw what was happening at Plaza del Lago—it just clicked. It’s this beautiful blend of historic charm and modern reinvention. That’s really what SPACE 519 is about, too.”
The move isn’t just a retail expansion—it’s a statement. In an era of algorithms and overnight shipping, SPACE 519 remains committed to the lost art of in-person shopping. The kind where the staff knows your name, your taste, and maybe even what you need before you do.
The duo’s signature approach—warm, welcoming, and effortlessly stylish—continues to build community. From supporting the Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens to collaborations with the Woman’s Board of Rush’s Cooks Tour, SPACE 519 is always in conversation with the cultural life around it.
And because no story about style is complete without a few personal touches, Lawson and Wetzel share their own style in quick takes—sharp, insightful, and very much in sync with SPACE 519’s DNA.
The Style Brief —Marcy Carmack’s capsule take on style
• First sign of style: Shopping and entertaining with his mother for as long as he can remember (Lance); “The White Period” a full year in high school with an all-white wardrobe (Jim)
• Style pet peeve: The “Slobification of America” — overly casual dressing which always places comfort first (L + J)
• Day look: A traditional mix—heavy on men’s classics, sometimes tartan, always with that je ne sais quoi (Lance); A gray or navy head to toe Thom Browne ensemble which always makes him feel his best (Jim)
• Evening look: Day seamlessly slips into night for both (L + J)
• Favorite city: London—lots of Indian food and old school men’s shopping (Lance); Milan— a fashion and design mecca filled with impossibly stylish women (Jim)
• Closet you’d raid: Ralph Lauren (Lance) and Tom Ford (Jim)—leaders of the pack
• What always makes the cut when buying for SPACE 519 : A pleated skirt, a sharply tailored jacket, and a sumptuous handbag.
“Everything is cooler by the lake,” the duo promises. With SPACE 519’s arrival, they might just be right.
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Marcy Carmack is a celebrity and personal stylist whose career has taken her from New York to the West Coast and back to the Midwest. She began in New York, working with top design houses in public relations, fashion show production, and visual merchandising. In San Francisco, she launched her eponymous styling business, dressing many of the city’s most influential figures, including the First Lady of California.
Now based in Chicago, Marcy continues her styling work while serving as a contributing fashion editor for Classic Chicago magazine. She also co-hosts the online show Fashion Coffee Hour with Stanley Smith and recently collaborated with Reiki master Elizabeth Cutler on Modern Luxury’s Dynamic Women issue with “Beauty from the Inside Out.”
For more information, please visit: marcycarmackstyle.com
