A Mysterious New Boutique Is Coming to Clark Street: The Midnight Treasury Brings Luxury, Candlelight, and a Touch of the Unexpected to Andersonville
By Socialhood News · Andersonville ·
Andersonville's Clark Street corridor has a new arrival on the way — and it's being kept deliberately, deliciously under wraps. The Midnight Treasury, a new boutique concept from the husband-and-husband team behind The Scent Queens Candle Company, is opening at 5517 N. Clark St., right in the heart of the neighborhood near the intersection of W. Gregory Street, across from Jewel-Osco and next door to Los Arcos Mexican restaurant.
The brains behind The Midnight Treasury are co-owners Curtis Bumgarner and Andrew Cookson, who launched The Scent Queens Candle Company in 2022 at 3728 W. Montrose Avenue. That original shop became a Chicago destination for luxury scented candles — all made with renewable materials and zero animal-derived ingredients — and it also offered candle-making classes for the community. The Andersonville venture is being described by the owners themselves as a "rebrand" for the community, though they've been careful not to reveal too much. Their Montrose Avenue flagship will remain open alongside the new Clark Street location.
What little Bumgarner has shared points to something atmospheric and immersive. Like The Scent Queens, the new boutique will incorporate a space for reading while candles burn low — a concept that fits naturally into Andersonville's long tradition of cozy, community-minded retail. The address at 5517 N. Clark St. puts The Midnight Treasury within easy walking distance of neighborhood anchors like Eli Tea Bar, just a couple of storefronts away — making it a natural addition to one of the city's most walkable and independent-retail-rich corridors.
The timing couldn't be better for a new boutique looking to make its mark. Andersonville's Arts Weekend — one of the neighborhood's most celebrated annual events — is slated for September 25–27, drawing artists, shoppers, and curious visitors from across the city to the Clark Street district. That's followed by the Fall Wine Walk on September 17 and two more Vintage Markets on September 13 and 27. For a brand-new shop hoping to build buzz fast, landing on Clark Street just as the neighborhood enters its most event-packed stretch of the year is a savvy move.
Andersonville has proven to be fertile ground for independent, concept-driven retail. The Midnight Treasury joins a stretch of Clark Street that has seen sustained momentum in 2026, with neighbors keeping a close eye on what each new storefront brings to the mix. Whether The Midnight Treasury leans into its candlelit, literary atmosphere or surprises the neighborhood with something wholly unexpected, the anticipation alone is a very Andersonville kind of energy.
Keep an eye on 5517 N. Clark St. — and follow The Scent Queens on social media for updates on The Midnight Treasury's opening. For a full calendar of upcoming neighborhood events, including Arts Weekend and the Fall Wine Walk, visit andersonville.org.
Sources:
1. https://whatnow.com/chicago/retail/the-scent-queens-candle-co-rebranding-opening-new-andersonville-shop/
2. https://andersonville.org/events/
3. https://news.wttw.com/2026-chicago-festival-guide-summer-fall-events