Downtown Crystal Lake’s Clothes Gallery to close after nearly 5 decades in business

After nearly 50 years as a downtown Crystal Lake staple, the Clothes Gallery boutique will permanently close next month.

The outside of the Clothes Gallery is pictured on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver )

The Clothes Gallery was founded in 1978. Sherree Rothstein and her husband, Michael, bought the business and the building at 51 N. Williams St. in 1995. Now, she and Michael made the “tough decision” to close the doors and start their retirement a year after celebrating the business’s 30th anniversary.

Rothstein, 72, said it isn’t a sad goodbye and that she is ready to enjoy her retirement years by traveling.

“I am ready for this,” she said.

The shop will close permanently after the Downtown Crystal Lake Summer Sidewalk Sales, which end July 18. In the meantime, Clothes Gallery will have deep discounts on all of its inventory.

But, the storefront won’t stay vacant for long. Lake Geneva-based Edie Boutique is already lined up to take its place. Similar to the Clothes Gallery, Edie Boutique sells unique clothing, jewelry and handbags. The boutique has eight locations and three locations of its Marigold Gift Shop.

“For us to leave here, it was really important for us to have the right tenant come in,” Rothstein said. “... It was just perfect.”

Rothstein first announced the closure the evening of March 31. The next day was one of the busiest days she said she’s ever seen. Usually always bogged down with the daily grind of running a business, she said she “never realized how important” it was to the community.

“The tears and the hugs and the love that came through that door was amazing,” she said. “And that is something I will never forget. It made 31 years worthwhile.”

Sherree Rothstein, the owner of The Clothes Gallery, inside the Crystal Lake clothing shop is photographed at the store on Monday, April 7, 2025, when the business was celebrating its 30th anniversary under the current owners. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver )

Once the store closes, the Rothsteins plan to go on vacation and then move to Colorado near one of their sons. With another son still in Illinois, they plan to visit frequently.

The Rothsteins faced big challenges over the decades, including the recession in 2008 and lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rothstein said she made it through the pandemic by doing Facebook live sales.

After every setback, the store was able to rebuild by adapting to changing trends and consumer needs while remaining true to the shop’s aesthetic of blending classics with modern twists.

“I’m leaving with a very full heart, for sure,” she said. “I’m a lucky girl.”