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About Us
Meet the Owners
AKIRA first opened in 2002 as a single Women's Clothing store in trendy Wicker Park/Bucktown and is equally owned by Erikka Wang, Jon Cotay, and Eric Hsueh. Over the years, AKIRA has expanded to over 10 stores with more on the way. AKIRA now offers a full-line of Women and Men's Clothing, Footwear, and Accessories.
Jon Cotay
"We don't waste time comparing ourselves to other companies, but we never stop trying to be the best we can be. We don't try to emulate big corporations or small boutiques. We just try to do what makes sense. We love having fun, meeting new people, helping others in any we can, and hopefully come up with some good ideas along the way. I meet new people everyday and not once have I met someone that I haven't found interesting."
Eric Hsueh
"Absolutely delight the few people that walk into your store. Hope that they come back and bring their friends. That's been our recipe from Day 1 (July 7, 2002), and over the years it has resulted in hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers. The greatest feeling in the world is having a customer come into your store, find something they like, and make a purchase. It's an amazing feeling and all I ever wanted to do was make my customers and employees as happy as possible."
Erikka Wang
"We're relentless, obsessive, fanatical, and just plain crazy. Jon and Eric will put me on a plane, send me to Italy and tell me not to come back until I find something new and exciting all the time. We go far and wide searching for fresh stuff. From the back alleys of Sao Paulo, Brazil to the runways of Milan, to the streets of London, all while mixing in stops to New York and L.A., it seems like we'll go 10,000 miles just to find something new and different that not everyone in Chicago is wearing. Is it worth it? Yes. Do I know what city I'm in? No."
