FAQs

What is Neighborly?
Neighborly is a curated selection of independently made goods, alongside goods from more traditional suppliers who adhere to socially responsible policies. Hence, almost all of our products are "Neighborly" in that they don't harm their communities or environments as they are produced. We whittle our selection down to only the products that meet our criteria, are unique in style and design, and are affordable.

Neighborly has a small brick and mortar shop on the north side of Chicago in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. It is woman-owned and locally operated by Jenny Beorkrem, creator of the city neighborhood map company, Ork Posters, and was inspired by Jenny's experience of being an indie maker for many years, including connecting with customers at craft fairs and at Ork Posters' holiday pop-up shop that she ran for three years before opening Neighborly. ​

Why should I feel good about the products I purchase from Neighborly?
Independently made products are made with the love and attention to detail that more traditionally manufactured goods just don't offer. Small businesses are good for the world as a whole because they keep hyper-local economies healthy and often treat employees better than national or international companies. In a similar sentiment, locally made products help build local economies, provide better paying jobs for local residents, and add character and culture to communities.

We didn't create this shop just to show you pretty things - with the exchange of money, you send a signal of support to the people behind the purchase, the issues behind the purchase, and so much more.​ Read more here about the tenets Neighborly holds itself to.

Are all the products listed online available at your brick and mortar?
Yes! Except for an inventory mixup here or there, everything you see online is available at our shop. If you'd like to double check before you make the trip to our shop, please call or email, or place your order online and select free local pickup at checkout (it will be an option during checkout for any customers shipping to a local zip code). We will pull your order off the shelf for you and contact you when it's ready to be picked up, typically within a few hours of you ordering if it's during our business hours.

Do you have more products at your brick and mortar than what is included in your webshop?
Yes! We only have about 80% of our products listed online but all of them are along the lines (style, price point, genre) of what you see online. If there's something in particular that you're looking for, or that you'd seen in our shop before, please send us an email, we'd be happy to help!

Where does Neighborly find its products?
All products are selected one-by-one by both Neighborly's owner, Jenny. We shop a lot of the makers on the handmade marketplace, Etsy. We also attend many craft fairs, and review the roster lists online, like Renegade Craft Fair, Unique LA, West Coast Craft, Crafty Bastards, and more. We also pay close attention to design and indie-minded blogs and instagram feeds. Neighborly's owner Jenny is a graphic designer and also creates products in-house under the brands Ork Posters, Cleaning Chicago Soap, and eensy weensy baby goods.

How long will my order take to arrive?
Please reference our "Ordering & Shipping" page for more information about order processing and shipping or give us a call during shop hours to speak with us directly if you have questions or are in a hurry, 773-840-2456.

What does Neighborly do with my personal information?
Neighborly does not share your information with any third parties other than those necessary to process your order. For more information, please reference our Privacy Policy. Purchasing from neighborlyshop.com indicates agreement with our Terms & Conditions. Please review these before placing a purchase.

What do I do if my package arrives damaged?
Please follow the online tracking information for your order carefully. If your package does not arrive when it is estimated to be delivered, please contact us for further assistance. Neighborly is not responsible for an incorrect shipping address that is provided to us. If the package is returned due to an incorrect shipping address, the customer will be responsible for the cost of reshipping.

We take the greatest care when packaging your order for shipment, but from time to time, wild elephants may run over your package or it may fall into a black hole. Please contact us as soon as possible, but within 30 days with information about the damage (please include photos if possible) and your order number.

What is Neighborly's return policy?
Neighborly happily accepts returns within 30 days of the date the order was delivered. If any merchandise is defective, or does not otherwise meet your expectations, it may be returned for a refund or exchange within 30 days of the date of purchase. All exchanged or returned merchandise must be in original condition, and must be unwashed, unused, unaltered, and accompanied by the original sales receipt. Neighborly will not accept returns for goods that have been altered, mistreated or mishandled.

Neighborly's return policy is extended to 90 days for purchases placed between Nov. 1 - Dec. 24 to accommodate holiday shopping.

Please use your packing slip to notate the reason for your return, or to list which item(s) you are requesting in exchange. All returns should be shipped to
Neighborly
4710 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60625

Shipping costs for returns or exchanges are the responsibility of the customer unless due to an error on the part of Neighborly. We recommend using a carrier that utilizes tracking numbers, as we will not be responsible for lost packages.

Please allow 2-3 business days for your return to be processed. Refunds can only be made to the original form of payment, otherwise store credit is offered. Funds reimbursed to your credit card will take anywhere from 24-72 hours to post to your account. We will confirm this transaction through email by sending you a copy of your credited receipt. Neighborly also accepts in-store returns or exchanges of online purchases.

Can I place an order over the phone? 
We are happy to take your order over the phone, but at this time we do not have dedicated web store customer service. If we are assisting a customer in our brick and mortar store at the time you call, we may politely ask to call you back when we have a free moment. Our number is 773-840-2456.

I'm an artist or maker and would like to sell my products at Neighborly. How should I contact you?
We add new makers on a very limited basis. Please carefully review our style, genres of products, and price points of our shop before submitting your products to us to be sure your products align well. If you are using eco-friendly materials or processes, make your products by hand, or use ethical standards in manufacturing (safety, workers rights, fair pay), please include this information in your submission to us. Please note: We do not sell jewelry! If after careful review you feel your products may fit in at Neighborly, please send your submission to products [at] neighborlyshop [dot] com.

Who should I contact for a press inquiry?
How nice of you to think of us! Please contact knock [at] neighborlyshop [dot] com for any press inquiries, or call 773-840-2456. If you have a fast-approaching deadline, please reference it in the subject line. We will get back to you as soon as we can.

Do you offer gift notes or gift wrap?
Yes! We offer gift wrap for $3 for any online purchases, gift wrap can be added to your cart prior to checkout. We donate 50% of this fee to a local non-profit and use the additional funds to cover our gift wrap material costs and increased shipping costs caused by bulky gift boxes.

For no charge, we can also include a handwritten gift note with your order, or write it inside of a greeting card if you purchase one with your order. Simply include the note in the shopping cart prior to checkout, or send us an email after you've placed your order with your gift note. 

At our brick and mortar shop, we offer free gift wrap (outside of the holiday season) for purchases made at Neighborly. During the holiday season, we charge a gift wrap fee of $3 per gift with 50% of the fees donated to a local non-profit, and 50% to cover our gift wrap material costs. We do not wrap products from other stores.