Pleasant Shopping.

When my husband and I decided to explore the “Fashion Outlets of Chicago” over the weekend we did what all men our age do, we headed straight for the food court so we could use the washroom. If you’re a middle aged guy, you’ll know that it’s important to know where the washrooms are in relatively short order upon coming in from the cold.

The grass in the photo above does not represent the washroom.

But the other thing you see in the photo above is a row of beer taps, and that’s because the “Fashion Outlets of Chicago” has a “pour ‘n go” beer and wine arrangement in the middle of the food court. That’s right, for X number of dollars you get a ‘pub card’ and you can pour yourself a beer and take it with you all over the mall. Looking for a way to deal with the crowds? Take the edge off with a good porter.

Not to discriminate, this location also offers wine along the same arrangement, so those with a wine bent can enjoy the same state of inebriation while spending money in the wide assortment of outlet stores throughout the location.

I was a little surprised by this but I happy to see the service was quite popular on a Saturday evening. Looking back, I’m surprised I didn’t have a beer while walking the mall but I was keenly aware of my calorie consumption of the day and wanted to save anything I had banked for later in the evening.

I don’t know that I’ve been to a mall that had beer and wine available in this fashion, most of the places I’ve been to have bars where you can enjoy a drink in between stores but you have to keep it in the confines of the bar itself, you can’t go walking about the mall with it. I like this concept though and I actually might go back to “Fashion Outlets of Chicago” to give this a try.

Cheers!