Talk about a great surprise I stumbled upon in Chicago! The T-Shirt Deli has been alive and kicking for the past five years. They were set up at Lollapalooza this past weekend with some festival-special shirts from their Wicker Park store. Of course, I had to check out the store itself.

Set up like a deli, the store is THE example in how to present your goods, from small-ish crafters to brick-and-mortar DIY gals. The premise is simple: think of your design/saying, pick out what you’d like it printed on and watch the “butcher” go to work.

I can’t think of the last time I saw such an amazing presentation.

And my personal favorite…

The presentation at the T-Shirt Deli doesn’t stop with the store decorations. Your order is wrapped up like a side of beef, complete with stickers, doggie bag and even a bag of chips 😉

What did I end up getting? A Lish Magic bag, of course.

Make sure to check out their web site (they ship!) or the store the next time you’re in Chicago. And more importantly, crafters, take note. The T-Shirt Deli TOTALLY GETS IT when it comes to standing out from other boutiques and shops in an area known for its trendiness. Who knows, perhaps looking at some of their ideas might help you your booth stand out from all the others at the next fair you set up at.

More pictures over on Flickr.