If you’re a secret agent in need of a new trench coat or disguise moustache, where do you shop? If you’re in the Chicago area, you now have your answer: The Boring Store is open for business (read this great in-depth review from The Methods Reporter). This is the newest retail front for 826 National, the not-for-profit organization “dedicated to helping students, ages 6-18, with expository and creative writing,” founded be the author and McSweeney’s creator Dave Eggers. This quirky store where visitors can satisfy all their covert shopping needs, joins the Pirate Store in San Francisco, the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company in Seattle, the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., and the Echo Park Time Travel Mart and Monsters Union Local (both coming soon), as another wholly original retail experience.

From the hilariously coy merchandise labels at The Boring Store, including this one for the Grappling Hook: “The product within this box is not comprised of a thirty-three foot nylon rope and collapsible hook for grappling. This cannot be used to scale palace walls and infiltrate foreign embassies or to climb higher in the ranks of international espionage.”, to the platform with a built-in fan to test your new cape at the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co., the level of detail and thoughtfulness that has gone into each of these retail experiences is unparalleled, We often sing the praises of successful storytelling to our retail clients, but these stores have taken it to an inspiringly rich new level.

While individual visitors to these stores may only appreciate bits and pieces of the overall experience, the sum of the community’s collective appreciation is profound. Some visitors will appreciate the humorous fine-print on each package, while others will be thrilled by the playful interaction with the staff and imaginative environment. Others will be inspired by the philanthropic mission behind the stores. As we mentioned here, each piece of the experience gives the community food for thought, and a reason to continue the conversation beyond the walls of the retailer.