About a year after the official launch of 1154 LILL CHICAGO at the street fair, Jennifer Velarde moves the growing business from her home at 1154 W. Lill Street to a larger space with the look of a storefront in the same Chicago neighborhood of Lincoln Park. Home handbag parties turn into Open House events and private appointments, held at the new “showroom” space at 1870 N. Halsted in Chicago.

The first full-time LILL employee is hired to help cut all the orders that are now rushing in, while Robin Newberry and other friends continue to help out with sales, parties and promotion. A website is launched at www.1154lill.com to allow for sales from afar, as word-of-mouth about this design-your-own-handbag shop spreads thru loyal customers. Jen receives her first bit of press in a Country Home Magazine article.