ChatGPT answers, unedited

• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d focus less on a flashy agency and more on a partner that understands retail UX, mobile shopping behavior, local SEO, easy content updates, and long-term support. These Chicago-area agencies are worth putting on your shortlist:

Strong fits for a retail website redesign

Chicago Web Co.

Good fit if you sell products online or want a stronger ecommerce experience. They emphasize mobile-first Shopify builds, UX improvements, and conversion-focused redesigns, with examples involving retail brands. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

Consider them if you need:

• Shopify redesign or migration
• Better product discovery on phones
• Improved checkout flow
• A more polished brand presentation

Flamingo Agency

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-967-7044)

A smaller Chicago agency that may appeal to a family business wanting a more hands-on relationship. Their positioning focuses on small-business websites, WordPress, and digital marketing support.

Consider them if you need:

• A personal agency relationship
• A content-heavy storefront site
• Local SEO and ongoing updates

Chicago Web

Worth considering if your retail operation has more complexity: large catalogs, inventory connections, ERP/POS integrations, or B2B needs. They describe experience with ecommerce platforms and operational integrations. Chicago Web

Consider them if you need:

• Hundreds/thousands of products
• Inventory syncing
• More technical ecommerce infrastructure

Americaneagle.com

A larger agency option with broader capabilities across web development, ecommerce, integrations, and ongoing support.

Consider them if you need:

• A more complex rebuild
• Enterprise-level processes
• Custom integrations

SEO Design Chicago

A local agency that combines website work with SEO and digital marketing services.

Consider them if you need:

• More local search visibility
• Content strategy
• Marketing help after launch

What I’d ask every agency before hiring

For a retailer replacing an older site, I’d ask:

1. “Can you show 3 mobile ecommerce redesigns you personally built?”

Look at the actual phone experience, not just desktop screenshots.

2. “How will you improve speed?”

Ask about:

• image optimization
• Core Web Vitals
• minimizing unnecessary plugins/scripts
• mobile performance testing
• “How will you protect our Google rankings during the redesign?”

A good agency should discuss:

• URL redirects
• metadata preservation
• SEO audits before launch
• “Who updates the site after launch?”

Family-owned retailers often need staff to easily update:

• promotions
• inventory highlights
• store hours
• seasonal products
• “What platform do you recommend and why?”

Depending on your business:

• Shopify → often best for straightforward retail ecommerce
• WooCommerce/WordPress → flexible for content-heavy businesses
• Custom builds → usually only needed for unusual workflows

My shortlist to interview first

For a typical independent Chicago retailer, I’d probably start conversations with:

1. Chicago Web Co. — if ecommerce and mobile shopping are priorities
2. Flamingo Agency — if you want a smaller, hands-on partner
3. Chicago Web — if your catalog or systems are complicated

If you share what kind of retailer you are (apparel, furniture, specialty food, gifts, etc.), whether you sell online today, and your approximate budget range, I can narrow this down further.

• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Seven Seas Web Design - Chicago, IL 60630
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Lakeside Web Design - Chicago - 332 S Michigan Ave Ste 121 #5008, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Virgo Web Design - 5874 N Ridge Ave, Ste G, Chicago, IL 60660

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d focus on agencies that can handle three things together: mobile UX, ecommerce/retail, and performance—rather than a shop that mainly makes brochure sites.

Here’s a practical shortlist based on their current Chicago presence and published capabilities:

• Flamingo Agency — 3752 N Southport Ave. This is particularly interesting if you want a relatively hands-on Chicago studio. They specialize in custom WordPress sites and also offer WooCommerce, with an emphasis on mobile-friendly layouts and conversion-focused structure.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — 203 N LaSalle St. A stronger candidate if ecommerce is central to the business. Praella focuses heavily on Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI, migrations and ecommerce development.
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — 875 N Michigan Ave. Conveniently located in the Near North Side and positioned around conversion, SEO, performance and ongoing technical support. This could make sense if the redesign also needs a significant local-search component.
• 1Brand Design — Chicago-based studio with a long-running WordPress/web-design practice. Their offering emphasizes responsive, easy-to-use sites and ongoing support, making them worth considering if you want a conventional CMS that your staff can maintain.
• Chicago Web Co. — Particularly worth a look if you're on Shopify. They explicitly specialize in custom, mobile-first Shopify builds and have retail examples including Stan’s Donuts, where they redesigned the shopping experience and mobile UX. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co
• Orbit Media — A more established Chicago agency option. Its ecommerce practice emphasizes navigation, conversion, ecommerce integrations and making sites easy for internal teams to update. Orbit Media Studios

How I'd narrow it down

For your situation, I'd interview Flamingo, Chicago Web Co., and Praella first, assuming the site sells products online. They represent somewhat different approaches:

For speed, I would make performance a contractual deliverable rather than accepting "mobile-friendly" as the requirement. Ask each agency to show Core Web Vitals results from actual phones, explain their image/JavaScript strategy, and specify what happens to your existing Google rankings during the rebuild.

Also ask for a content-management demo using your actual use case: "Show me how our employee would add a product, change store hours, update a promotion, and replace a homepage image." That's often more revealing than a portfolio.

If you tell me what kind of retailer you are, whether you sell online, your current platform (WordPress/Shopify/etc.), and roughly what you'd like to spend, I can narrow this to 3–4 agencies and compare their likely fit, pricing level, and relevant retail work.

• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Straight North - 200 N Green St Fl 3, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Comrade Digital Marketing Agency - 332 S Michigan Ave #900, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d look for an agency that can do more than make the site look modern: you’ll want strong mobile UX, fast load times, easy product/location updates, local SEO, and a simple CMS your team can actually manage.

A few Chicago-area agencies worth considering:

Boutique / small-business focused

• Flamingo Agency — A Chicago North Side studio that focuses on small-business websites, WordPress builds, SEO, and ongoing maintenance. This could be a good fit if you want a hands-on partner who understands neighborhood businesses.
• Windy City Web Solutions — A Chicago web design provider focused on custom WordPress sites, responsive design, and support/maintenance. A practical option if your priority is a site your staff can keep updated.
• Millennial Web Development — Chicago-based web development agency offering custom websites, UX-focused design, and e-commerce work. Worth a look if your retailer needs more than a basic brochure site.

Strong options if you sell products online

• The Chicago Web Co — Focuses on Shopify design/development, mobile-first storefronts, UX improvements, and post-launch growth work. A possible fit if the redesign includes online sales. The Chicago Web Co
• YourPortal — Chicago agency with web design, Shopify/WooCommerce services, and digital marketing capabilities. Could fit a retailer looking to connect the website with broader online growth.

More custom / performance-oriented builds

• Prismatics Digital — Builds custom-coded sites with emphasis on speed, UX, accessibility, and integrations. A fit if you want a highly tailored site rather than a standard theme. Prismatics Digital
• PIXALPHA STUDIO — Positions its work around custom-built, fast-loading, mobile-first websites for small businesses. Pixalpha Studio

What I’d ask each agency before hiring

For a retailer, I’d specifically ask:

1. Can you show 3 recent retail/e-commerce redesigns?
2. Will the site be designed mobile-first (not just “responsive” after desktop design)?
3. What platform do you recommend and why? (Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, custom CMS, etc.)
4. How will you improve speed? Ask about Core Web Vitals, image optimization, and hosting.
5. Can employees update hours, products, promotions, and photos without calling you?
6. Will you handle redirects and SEO preservation from the old site?

For a neighborhood retailer, I’d generally shortlist 2–4 agencies for calls rather than choosing purely from portfolios. The best match depends a lot on whether the new site is mainly for store visits, online sales, appointments, or a mix.

• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• 97 Switch - 1 E Wacker Dr #2550, Chicago, IL 60601, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize an agency that can combine a strong local/retail feel with mobile UX, speed, SEO, and easy day-to-day content management—rather than a big branding agency that over-engineers the project.

My shortlist

• Flamingo Agency — best local/small-business fit.

They’re actually on the North Side in Lakeview and focus on small businesses, WordPress redesigns, SEO, and making sites editable by owners. This would be my first conversation if your current site is primarily a marketing/catalog site rather than a complicated ecommerce operation.

• Praella - eCommerce Agency — best if ecommerce is central.

Their Chicago operation specializes in Shopify/Shopify Plus, including storefront redesigns, UX/UI, migrations and performance-oriented ecommerce work. If customers will browse products and purchase online, this is a particularly strong candidate.

• YourPortal — good middle-ground option.

They're in Lincoln Park and combine web design with digital marketing and optimization. I'd consider them if you want the redesign to improve both the customer experience and local search/customer acquisition.

• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — performance/conversion-oriented option.

Their positioning is explicitly around fast websites, SEO and conversion, so they're worth talking to if the old site isn't just unattractive but is also failing to turn visitors into store visits, calls, inquiries, or purchases.

• UX 4Sight — best UX specialist.

If your biggest concern is how customers navigate the site on their phones, this is the specialist I'd add to the pitch process. They emphasize UX research, usability testing, responsive design and UX audits rather than simply making a site look newer.

• ArtVersion® Creative Agency — best for a more substantial brand refresh.

They combine branding, visual design, UX and web development under one roof. I'd look here if the retailer's identity also needs modernizing, not just its website.

Two smaller alternatives worth a look

PIXALPHA STUDIO specifically advertises custom, fast-loading, mobile-first sites for Chicago small businesses, with the founders personally handling projects. Pixalpha Studio

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly interesting if you're moving toward Shopify: it emphasizes mobile-first Shopify builds, UX/CRO, and has Chicago retail examples including Stan's Donuts. Its portfolio also shows work involving full redesigns, mobile navigation, ecommerce flows and performance improvements. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

What I'd ask them for

For your situation, I'd put these requirements in the RFP:

1. Mobile-first redesign, not merely a responsive desktop site.
2. Core Web Vitals/performance targets and a commitment to testing on real mobile devices.
3. Simple navigation for store locations, hours, products/categories, promotions and contact information.
4. Strong local SEO without sacrificing usability.
5. Easy staff editing—ideally without needing the agency for every photo, promotion or store-hours change.
6. Analytics configured before launch so you can measure mobile engagement, directions/calls, online purchases and other retailer-specific conversions.
7. A proper migration/redirect plan so the redesign doesn't wipe out existing Google rankings.

If it were my project, I'd interview Flamingo, Praella, and The Chicago Web Co. first, then add UX 4Sight if the existing site's information architecture is particularly messy.

If you tell me roughly what you sell, whether you need ecommerce, your current platform (WordPress/Shopify/etc.), and your approximate budget, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their likely fit, strengths, and expected project scope.

• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States

Yes. For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize agencies that can balance a polished redesign with mobile UX, speed, easy content management, and retail/e-commerce experience—rather than a large branding shop that may overcomplicate the project.

My shortlist

• Flamingo Agency — Best small-business fit. They’re in Lakeview and focus on custom WordPress sites for small businesses, including mobile-friendly, conversion-oriented design and ongoing maintenance. This feels like a particularly natural fit if your current site is WordPress and you want a hands-on local partner. Winthrop Designs
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best if e-commerce is central. They specialize in Shopify/Shopify Plus, including UX/UI, redesigns and e-commerce development. If the new site needs to sell products online rather than simply showcase the store, I'd put them near the top.
• Solid Digital — Best for a more strategic redesign. They have strong UX/UI and website-rebuild capabilities, although their work leans more toward larger/B2B organizations. I'd consider them if you're looking for substantial information architecture, content strategy and a more sophisticated digital presence.
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — Best performance/SEO-oriented option. They're at 875 N Michigan Ave and position their work around conversion, SEO, speed and ongoing technical support. That could be useful if the redesign needs to bring in more local search traffic as well as look better.
• The Chicago Web Co. — Worth a serious look for retail Shopify. Their work is explicitly mobile-first and performance-focused, and their portfolio includes Chicago retailers such as Stan's Donuts as well as substantial Shopify redesigns. They emphasize UX, conversion optimization and post-launch support. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co
• BlueLine Web Studio — Best if raw site speed is a major priority. They describe their builds as hand-coded, fast-loading and free of site-builder bloat, with responsive e-commerce and accessibility considerations. BlueLine Web Studio

What I'd do in your situation

I'd get proposals from Flamingo, The Chicago Web Co., and BlueLine first.

They represent three useful approaches:

If you're selling products online, I'd swap BlueLine for Praella in that initial three-agency shootout.

One thing I'd explicitly put in the RFP: “mobile-first redesign, Core Web Vitals/performance targets, accessibility, preserved SEO rankings, analytics, easy staff editing, and a clear migration plan from the existing site.” That prevents the project from becoming merely a prettier version of the old site.

If you tell me what the retailer sells and whether the current site is WordPress, Shopify, or something else, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and give you a rough expected budget/timeline for each.

• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize a boutique or mid-sized agency that can combine mobile UX, performance, local SEO, and an easy-to-manage CMS/e-commerce backend—rather than a large agency built for enterprise projects.

My shortlist:

• YourPortal — Best overall fit if you sell online. They’re in Lincoln Park and specifically work with Shopify and WooCommerce, including migrations, custom design/development, audits, integrations, and ongoing support. That makes them particularly interesting if the old site is also your storefront. The Chicago Web Co
• Flamingo Agency — Best boutique/local option. They’re on Southport in Lakeview and focus on small businesses, with web design, positioning/content, SEO, and ongoing support. I’d consider them if you want a relatively hands-on relationship rather than a big production team.
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency — Best if local search matters heavily. Their Chicago office is in Bucktown, and they work across WordPress, Shopify, and Squarespace while combining web development with SEO and analytics. That could be valuable if customers discover the store through searches such as “near me” or neighborhood-specific queries.
• UX 4Sight — Best UX specialist. They’re a Chicago UX/UI and research firm offering usability testing, user research, wireframing, responsive design, and UX audits. I’d put them on the list if the biggest problem with the old site is how customers navigate it, not merely how it looks.
• 1Brand Design — Good practical WordPress option. They emphasize fast performance, clear calls-to-action, conversion-focused UX, and ongoing WordPress maintenance, which sounds appropriate for a family retailer that wants something modern without creating a complicated system to manage.
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency — Best if the redesign also needs a brand refresh. They combine strategy, UX research, visual design, branding, and development under one roof. I’d consider them if the current site feels dated because the brand presentation itself needs to evolve.

Who I'd interview first

I'd probably get proposals from YourPortal, Flamingo, and UX 4Sight.

For your particular situation, I'd give the agencies this brief:

“We have an older website for an established family-owned Chicago retailer. We want a mobile-first redesign that feels fast and effortless, preserves our existing search visibility, makes it easy for customers to find products/store information, and gives our staff an uncomplicated way to update the site.”

Then ask each one to demonstrate the proposed mobile homepage and navigation before talking about visual polish.

Also ask for hard targets around Core Web Vitals/page speed, accessibility, image optimization, redirects/SEO preservation, CMS training, and post-launch support. A pretty redesign that loads slowly on cellular data isn't really a successful redesign. Chicago agencies explicitly positioning around mobile-first performance include several of the firms above. astucia.io prismaticsdigital.com

If you tell me roughly what you sell and whether the site needs e-commerce, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare likely budget, strengths, and fit.

• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize a smaller studio that can balance mobile UX, speed, easy content management, and retail/e-commerce experience rather than a huge agency.

My shortlist

• Flamingo Agency — Lakeview/North Side

Probably the most natural fit if you want a hands-on local partner. They focus on small businesses and combine web design with SEO/content and ongoing support. Their Lakeview location is convenient to the Near North Side.

• YourPortal — Lincoln Park area

Particularly worth a conversation if the retailer sells online. They specifically offer Shopify migration, audits, custom design/development and e-commerce support, alongside WordPress/WooCommerce.

• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency — Bucktown

A good option if local search/Google visibility is as important as the redesign. They work across WordPress, Squarespace and Shopify and emphasize SEO alongside web development.

• Windy City Web Solutions — South Loop

I'd consider them for a more straightforward WordPress rebuild. Their positioning emphasizes performance/Core Web Vitals, accessibility, security and mobile-responsive sites for small businesses.

• UX 4Sight — Loop

The stronger choice if the existing site has deeper navigation/usability problems. They specialize in UX research, audits, usability testing, wireframes and responsive design rather than simply making the site prettier.

• Solid Digital — Loop

More agency-sized and potentially more than you need, but worth considering if the retailer has complex e-commerce, integrations or ambitious growth plans.

One specialist I'd also interview

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly interesting if you're on Shopify or considering a Shopify rebuild. They explicitly specialize in mobile-first Shopify design, UX/CRO and performance, and their portfolio includes Chicago retailers such as Stan's Donuts. Their portfolio describes work involving mobile navigation, checkout flows, replatforming and conversion optimization. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

For a smaller, simpler brochure/catalog site, Prismatic Digital is another intriguing option: it advertises custom React/Next.js builds, mobile-first accessibility and redesigns specifically aimed at replacing slow WordPress/Wix/Squarespace sites while preserving SEO. Prismatics Digital

How I'd narrow it down

I'd send 3 agencies the same brief and ask each for:

1. A mobile-first redesign of the homepage + one representative product/category page.
2. Their approach to Core Web Vitals/page speed, not just "responsive design."
3. How they'll preserve existing Google rankings during the rebuild.
4. Whether your staff can easily update products, promotions, hours and content afterward.
5. Their recommendation on Shopify vs. WooCommerce vs. staying on your current platform.
6. A fixed project range and what's not included.

For your particular situation, I'd start conversations with Flamingo, YourPortal, and The Chicago Web Co. If the old site's biggest problem is confusing navigation rather than commerce, swap in UX 4Sight.

If you tell me what kind of retailer it is, whether you sell online, and what platform the old site is on (WordPress/Shopify/etc.), I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their likely fit, pricing level, and strengths.

• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d favor a smaller Chicago shop that can combine strong UX, performance, and straightforward ongoing support rather than a huge agency.

My shortlist

• Flamingo Agency — Best small-business fit. It’s in Lakeview and focuses on small businesses, with web design plus SEO/content support. That makes it appealing if the current site needs both a visual/UX overhaul and better local search visibility.
• YourPortal — Best if you sell online. Its Chicago operation emphasizes Shopify migrations, custom design/development, integrations and ongoing support, as well as WooCommerce. This would be high on my list if the retailer needs a proper ecommerce experience rather than just a brochure site.
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency — Best for redesign + local SEO. Based in Bucktown, it works across WordPress, Shopify and other platforms and combines web development with SEO, analytics and paid marketing.
• Windy City Web Solutions — Best straightforward WordPress option. It focuses on custom WordPress sites for smaller organizations, with an emphasis on performance, Core Web Vitals, accessibility and maintainability.
• UX 4Sight — Best UX specialist. If the biggest problem is that the old site is confusing on phones—navigation, product discovery, checkout, calls-to-action, etc.—I'd consider them for the UX portion. They specialize in UX/UI, research, usability testing and responsive design.
• The Chicago Web Co. — Best ecommerce/design-heavy option. Their work is particularly relevant to retail: they specialize in Shopify and explicitly market mobile-first builds, UX optimization and performance. Their portfolio includes Chicago retail/consumer brands such as Stan's Donuts, Maria Pinto and Fire Dept. Coffee. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co
• Chicago Web — Best if your retail operation is technically complicated. They have deep Magento experience and handle catalogs, inventory, ERP/warehouse integrations and B2B pricing. That's probably overkill for a straightforward family retailer, but valuable if your site has thousands of products or complex inventory systems. Chicago Web

Who I'd contact first

I'd get proposals from Flamingo Agency, YourPortal, and The Chicago Web Co. They represent three useful approaches: small-business partnership, practical ecommerce implementation, and retail-focused UX/ecommerce design.

For the redesign brief, I'd specifically ask each agency to commit to:

• Mobile-first design, not merely a desktop site that happens to resize.
• Core Web Vitals/performance targets and image optimization.
• Simple navigation and product/category discovery on a phone.
• Accessibility and readable typography.
• Preserving existing SEO rankings, URLs and redirects.
• Easy staff editing without needing a developer.
• Analytics so you can measure calls, directions, store visits and online purchases.
• A realistic post-launch maintenance plan and cost.
• A performance test on actual mid-range phones, not just an agency laptop.

One particularly useful benchmark: Starforce Solutions says it budgets for Core Web Vitals on every ecommerce template and treats mobile checkout speed as a priority, while The Chicago Web Co. explicitly describes its Shopify builds as mobile-first. Those are the kinds of specifics I'd want to see in a proposal rather than generic promises that a site will be "responsive." Star Force Solutions The Chicago Web Co

If you tell me what kind of retailer you are, whether you sell online, your approximate budget (e.g. $5–10k vs. $15–30k), and what platform the old site is on, I can narrow this to 3 agencies I'd actually invite to bid, including estimated fit and what I'd ask each one.

• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize a small-to-midsize agency that can combine mobile-first UX, speed, easy content management, and retail/e-commerce experience rather than a big branding shop.

My shortlist

• YourPortal — Lincoln Park/Near North Side

Probably my first call if you want a retail/e-commerce-oriented partner. They specifically work with Shopify and WooCommerce, including migrations, custom design/development, audits and ongoing support.

• Flamingo Agency — Lakeview

A good fit if this is primarily a customer-facing retail/brand website rather than a technically complex store. They're local, small-business oriented, and combine WordPress web design with SEO and ongoing support.

• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency — Bucktown

Worth considering if Google/local search is a major part of the redesign. They handle web design/development alongside SEO, analytics, and Shopify/WordPress/Squarespace work.

• Windy City Web Solutions — South Loop

An appealing option for a family business that wants a hands-on WordPress partner rather than a large agency. They emphasize performance/Core Web Vitals, accessibility, security and easy-to-manage responsive sites.

• The Chicago Web Co. — especially if you're selling substantially online. Their work is heavily Shopify-focused and explicitly mobile-first, with UX/CRO, performance and retail examples including Stan’s Donuts. Their portfolio also reports substantial post-redesign improvements for several retailers/consumer brands. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co
• Solid Digital — a stronger candidate if the project is larger/more strategic. They specialize in UX, WordPress and substantial website rebuilds, although their positioning leans more B2B than neighborhood retail.

One wildcard I'd interview

Prismatics Digital is interesting if your old site is technically messy. They build custom React/Next.js sites and specifically offer redesigns from legacy WordPress/Wix/Squarespace sites with UX, speed, SEO, accessibility and redirect planning. Prismatics Digital

What I'd ask each agency

Don't just ask “Can you make it mobile-friendly?” Ask them to commit to:

1. Core Web Vitals/performance targets after launch.
2. Designing the mobile navigation and key customer journeys first, not shrinking a desktop design.
3. A clear plan for SEO preservation during the redesign—URLs, redirects, metadata and existing rankings.
4. Making the site easy for your family/team to update without a developer.
5. Showing 2–3 comparable retail/local-business redesigns, preferably before/after.
6. Providing a realistic maintenance arrangement after launch.

For your description, I'd start conversations with YourPortal, The Chicago Web Co., Flamingo, and Windy City Web Solutions and compare their proposals. The right choice will depend heavily on whether “retailer” means brochure/catalog site with store information or a meaningful e-commerce operation.

If you tell me roughly what you sell, whether you sell online, your current platform (WordPress/Shopify/etc.), and your budget, I can narrow this to the best 3 Chicago agencies and what I’d expect each to charge.

• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Sunlight SEO Web Design & Signs - 4501 N Cumberland Ave, Norridge, IL 60656, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize agencies that can combine mobile UX, performance, ecommerce/retail experience, and a manageable CMS—rather than a big branding shop that may overbuild the project.

My shortlist

• YourPortal — strong overall fit. They’re actually on N. Elston Ave. and work with Shopify and WooCommerce, including migrations, custom design/development, integrations, and ongoing support. That makes them particularly interesting if the old site is ecommerce-heavy.
• Flamingo Agency — good small-business/local option. They’re in Lakeview on N. Southport and focus on custom WordPress, mobile-friendly design, conversion-oriented layouts, and WooCommerce. I’d consider them if you want a relatively straightforward redesign without a giant-agency process.
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — good if SEO and conversion matter as much as design. Their positioning is conversion/SEO-first, with an emphasis on fast sites and ongoing digital support. They're also conveniently located at 875 N. Michigan Ave.
• UX 4Sight — best if the existing site has usability problems. They specialize in UX research, usability testing, responsive design and UX audits. I'd particularly consider them if you have customers struggling with navigation, product discovery, store information, or checkout.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — strongest ecommerce specialist, but potentially more agency than you need. They focus heavily on Shopify/Shopify Plus, ecommerce UX/UI and migrations. Worth talking to if online sales are a significant part of the business and you're considering a more substantial replatform.
• The Chicago Web Co. — another particularly relevant ecommerce candidate. They explicitly build mobile-first Shopify sites, do UX/CRO work, and have recent examples involving Stan’s Donuts, Mielle Organics, Fire Dept. Coffee and other retail/consumer brands. Their portfolio is unusually aligned with the sort of redesign you're describing. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

If it were my project

I'd get proposals from YourPortal, The Chicago Web Co., and Flamingo first.

I'd give all three the same brief:

“We have an older retail website. We want a mobile-first redesign that feels modern but retains our family-owned/local character, loads quickly, makes products and store information easy to find, and is simple for our staff to update.”

Then compare them on Core Web Vitals/page speed, mobile navigation, ecommerce/search/filtering, CMS usability, accessibility, SEO preservation, and post-launch support—not just which mockup looks nicest.

One particularly important question: ask each agency to show you a mobile retail site they personally built and explain what they did to make it fast. That will separate genuine performance-focused developers from agencies that simply say “mobile responsive.”

If you tell me roughly what you sell, whether you sell online, what platform the old site uses (WordPress/Shopify/etc.), and your approximate budget, I can narrow this to 3 agencies with a recommended budget range and what I’d ask each one in the first call.

• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Doejo - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize agencies that can balance mobile UX, speed, local SEO, and straightforward content management rather than a big-brand agency that mainly sells elaborate redesigns.

My shortlist

• YourPortal — strongest all-around fit for a retailer

• Based on Elston Ave and focused on web design, e-commerce, Shopify/WooCommerce, migrations, custom development, and ongoing support.
• Particularly worth a conversation if the new site needs online selling or integration with your existing retail operation.
• Flamingo Agency — good small-business/local fit

• Located in Lakeview, so geographically convenient for a North Side business.
• More of a hands-on small-business agency, with web design plus SEO/content support. Good candidate if you want a partner rather than a large production team.
• Doejo — best if the redesign is more ambitious

• Near Michigan Avenue and has a broader design/development/UX capability.
• I'd consider them if your old site needs substantial modernization rather than simply a new visual skin.
• UX 4Sight — best UX-focused option

• Their specialty is UX research, usability testing, responsive design and UX/UI rather than simply making a site prettier.
• Particularly attractive if you aren't sure why the existing site is frustrating customers and want the redesign based on actual user behavior.
• SEO Design Chicago | Digital Marketing & Web Design Agency — strong for local search + redesign

• Based on Western Avenue and combines web design with SEO, analytics and e-commerce.
• A good choice if attracting nearby Chicago shoppers through Google is a major objective.
• Marcel Digital — more sophisticated/growth-oriented

• Located on Erie Street and combines UX/web development with SEO, CRO and analytics.
• I'd put them higher on the list if you're looking for measurable online revenue growth, though they may be more agency than a family retailer actually needs.

One wildcard I'd interview

Solid Digital has a strong UX/web-development reputation, but its sweet spot is more B2B. I'd only include them if your retail operation has unusually complex ordering, accounts, or other digital requirements.

For a fast, user-friendly redesign, I'd actually start conversations with YourPortal, Flamingo, and UX 4Sight and ask all three to respond to the same brief. That will make differences in approach and pricing much easier to see.

One useful benchmark: agencies currently advertising explicitly around performance are talking about things like mobile-first builds, Core Web Vitals, image optimization, and sub-2–3-second load targets. ModFXMedia Runna Media The Chicago Web Co. is another interesting reference if you're primarily an e-commerce retailer; its portfolio includes mobile-focused Shopify redesigns for brands including Stan's Donuts and Fire Dept. Coffee. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

For your project, I'd put these requirements in the RFP:

• Mobile-first design, not desktop design adapted downward
• Target Core Web Vitals / real-world cellular performance
• Preserve existing Google rankings with a proper URL/redirect migration
• Easy staff editing without needing a developer
• Prominent store hours, location, phone, directions and inventory/product information
• Analytics + conversion tracking from launch
• Accessibility testing
• Clear ownership of the site, hosting, domain and source files
• A post-launch maintenance option, but no lock-in

If you tell me what kind of retailer you are, whether you sell online, your approximate website budget (e.g. $10k / $25k / $50k+), and what platform the old site uses, I can narrow this to 3 agencies I'd actually request proposals from and compare their likely strengths.

For your project, I'd put these requirements in the RFP:

• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Doejo - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Next Level Pixels - 23178 Co Rd 28, Elkhart, IN 46517, United States
• NUVEW Web Solutions - 315 S Court St, Crown Point, IN 46307, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• JWM Marketing & Web Design - 253 Indiana Ave, Valparaiso, IN 46383, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639, United States

Yes. For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize a smaller agency that will actually understand your business, rather than a large enterprise shop. Based on current Chicago options, these are the ones I’d put on the shortlist:

1. YourPortal — best overall fit

• Located on N. Elston Ave., so they’re particularly convenient if you want a local relationship.
• Focuses on WordPress redesigns, custom themes, SEO, maintenance, and ongoing optimization.
• Good choice if your current site is WordPress and you want a modern redesign without turning the project into a giant replatforming exercise.
• Flamingo Agency — good small-business option

• Based in Lakeview on the North Side.
• Specializes in custom WordPress sites for small businesses, including mobile-friendly design, SEO and ongoing maintenance.
• I'd consider them if you want a hands-on local studio rather than a large agency.
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — strongest conversion/marketing angle

• Located on Michigan Avenue.
• Their positioning is particularly relevant if the redesign needs to improve speed, usability, SEO and conversion, rather than simply make the site prettier.
• Worth interviewing if you want analytics and digital marketing incorporated into the redesign.
• UX 4Sight — best UX specialist

• A Loop-based UX/UI and research firm.
• They emphasize usability testing, UX audits, responsive design and accessibility.
• I'd lean this way if your biggest problem is “customers can't easily find what they need on our old site.”
• Doejo — best if the site needs custom functionality

• Near North Side, at N. Wabash.
• More of a digital product/development studio, so they make sense if the retailer needs integrations, custom functionality or something beyond a conventional marketing site.

Two especially interesting alternatives

The Chicago Web Co. is worth a serious look if you sell substantially online. They specialize in Shopify and explicitly emphasize mobile-first performance, UX/CRO and ecommerce redesigns. Their portfolio includes Chicago retailers and brands such as Stan's Donuts, as well as redesigns involving navigation, mobile UX and conversion optimization. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

If this is primarily a local/brochure site rather than an ecommerce store, I'd also look at PIXALPHA STUDIO. They specifically target Chicago small businesses and advertise custom, fast-loading, mobile-first sites with direct involvement from the two founders. Pixalpha Studio

pixalpha.net

What I'd ask each agency

Don't just ask, “Can you redesign our website?” Give them the same brief and compare the proposals:

• Mobile-first: Show us the proposed mobile navigation and homepage before desktop.
• Performance: What Core Web Vitals/load-time targets will you commit to?
• SEO preservation: How will you handle existing URLs, redirects, metadata and Google rankings?
• Retail UX: How will customers find products, store hours, location, promotions and contact information quickly?
• CMS: Can our staff update products, promotions and photos without calling you?
• Ownership: Do we own the domain, hosting, code, analytics and CMS accounts?
• Post-launch: What's included for the first 30–90 days?
• Accessibility: How will you test keyboard navigation, contrast, text sizing and screen-reader compatibility?

My first three calls would be YourPortal, Flamingo Agency, and The Chicago Web Co. I'd choose among them based on whether you're primarily local/in-store, small-business ecommerce, or a larger ecommerce operation, respectively.

pixalpha.net

What I'd ask each agency

Don't just ask, “Can you redesign our website?” Give them the same brief and compare the proposals:

• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize agencies that can balance a polished redesign with mobile speed, straightforward editing, local SEO, and—if you sell online—a solid ecommerce experience. I’d shortlist these:

• YourPortal — Best overall fit for a smaller retailer. They’re on North Elston and specifically offer Shopify/WooCommerce work, including migrations, custom design, integrations, audits, and ongoing support. Their local proximity and small/midsize-business orientation make them worth a first conversation.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best if ecommerce is central. They specialize in Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI, migrations, and custom ecommerce development. Their work is more sophisticated, so I’d consider them if the redesign needs to support substantial online sales or integrations.
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — Best for design + marketing + performance. They combine web development, ecommerce, UX, SEO and ongoing marketing, which could be useful if the redesign is intended to generate more customers rather than simply modernize the appearance.
• Flamingo Agency — Best smaller North Side option. They’re in Lakeview and focus on small businesses, WordPress, SEO, maintenance and WooCommerce. This could be a good fit if you want a relatively approachable agency rather than a large enterprise shop.
• Marcel Digital — Best for measurement/CRO. They’re stronger on analytics, SEO, conversion optimization and structured web development. I’d put them on the list if you have meaningful existing traffic and want the redesign tied to measurable improvements.
• The Chicago Web Co. — Particularly interesting if you're moving toward Shopify. They explicitly emphasize mobile-first Shopify builds, speed, UX/CRO, and have retail-oriented work including Stan’s Donuts and Mielle Organics. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

There are also smaller studios worth considering if speed, simplicity and budget matter more than a big-agency process. PIXALPHA, for example, says it builds custom, fast-loading, mobile-first sites for Chicago small businesses without templates or outsourcing. Pixalpha

My top 3 for your situation

1. YourPortal — I'd interview them first if you're a relatively traditional family retailer and want a practical modernization.

2. The Chicago Web Co. — I'd put them first if you're an ecommerce-heavy retailer or want to move to Shopify.

3. Flamingo Agency — I'd interview them if you want a smaller, more hands-on shop and your site is primarily informational/lead-generating or modest ecommerce.

One thing I'd insist on in the RFP: mobile-first design isn't enough. Ask each agency for target Core Web Vitals/page-speed performance, an example of a comparable retail redesign, their approach to image optimization, CMS training, accessibility, redirects/SEO preservation, and who actually owns the code/design assets after launch.

If you tell me what kind of retailer you are, whether you sell online, your approximate budget ($10k/$25k/$50k+), and what platform the old site uses, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare them on likely fit, pricing, portfolio, and pros/cons.

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize an agency that can modernize the site without turning the project into an oversized enterprise engagement. Based on current positioning and capabilities, these are the Chicago-area firms I’d put on the shortlist:

• chicagoweb.co — best if ecommerce is central. They specialize in Shopify, with an explicit mobile-first approach, UX/CRO work, and experience redesigning retail storefronts. Their portfolio includes substantial migrations and redesigns, including Fire Dept. Coffee and Mielle Organics. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co
• chicagoweb.com — best for a more complex retailer. They have been operating in Chicago since 2008 and work across Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento, including catalog, inventory, ERP and fulfillment integrations. I'd consider them particularly if your old site has a complicated product catalog or back-office systems. Chicago Web
• digitaloutbreak.com — best for a lean, performance-oriented build. They're Chicago-based and emphasize fast builds, senior-level execution, client ownership, and modern technologies such as Next.js. Their stated typical build time is around three weeks. Digital Outbreak
• runnamedia.com — good all-around technical option. They explicitly emphasize performance, mobile-first design, SEO, conversion optimization and clean development, while supporting WordPress, Shopify, Next.js and Webflow. Runna Media
• pixalpha.net — worth talking to if you want a smaller, hands-on team. They position themselves around custom, fast-loading, mobile-first sites for Chicago small businesses, with the founders personally involved rather than handing work to junior teams. Pixalpha Studio
• skiigen.com — interesting budget-conscious option. Their Chicago offering emphasizes fast Core Web Vitals, mobile-first design, local SEO and a straightforward CMS, with a particularly small-business-oriented model. Ascent Studio

My pick for your situation

I'd start with The Chicago Web Co., Chicago Web, and PIXALPHA and ask all three to quote the same redesign brief. That should give you a useful spread:

1. Retail/ecommerce + UX: The Chicago Web Co.
2. Technical/ecommerce complexity: Chicago Web
3. Small-team, custom redesign: PIXALPHA

If the site is primarily a brochure/catalog site rather than an online store, I'd move Digital Outbreak or Runna Media higher on the list.

When you request proposals, don't just ask for a "mobile-friendly redesign." Ask them to commit to Core Web Vitals/mobile performance, accessibility, image optimization, CMS editability, preservation of existing SEO rankings, analytics, redirects, and a measurable launch-performance target. That's where an attractive redesign can either become a genuinely better site—or just a newer-looking slow site.

If you tell me what you sell, whether you sell online, your approximate budget (e.g. $10k/$25k/$50k+), and what platform the old site uses, I can narrow this to the 3 best-fit Chicago agencies and compare likely cost, platform, strengths, and tradeoffs.

• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• 10com Web Development - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606
• Dialogue Theory - 1932 S Halsted St #509, Chicago, IL 60608, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Osmo Web Agency, LLC - 7427 S South Shore Dr #4K, Chicago, IL 60649, United States
• Artversion - 205 N Michigan Ave 8th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Wizerunek w Sieci. WWS - Web Development + SEO - 636 S River Rd #218, Des Plaines, IL 60016, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize agencies that can balance three things: mobile performance, straightforward UX, and practical retail/e-commerce experience—rather than a big agency that wants to turn a relatively focused redesign into a huge digital transformation.

My shortlist

• Flamingo Agency — Best local/small-business fit. They’re in Lakeview and specifically work with small businesses, including e-commerce/WooCommerce. Their approach emphasizes custom WordPress builds, mobile-friendly layouts and conversion-focused structure.

Why I'd call them: likely a good fit if you want a personal relationship and a polished redesign without enterprise-agency overhead.

• YourPortal — Best if you sell online or may expand e-commerce. They’re on N. Elston and offer Shopify migration, audits, custom design/development and integrations, as well as WooCommerce.

Why I'd call them: especially compelling if the redesign needs to connect the website with actual retail operations.

• UX 4Sight — Best UX-focused option. They specialize in UX/UI, usability audits, accessibility, responsive design and redesigns.

Why I'd call them: if the existing site is confusing rather than merely ugly, I'd want a team thinking carefully about navigation, mobile tasks and customer behavior.

• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago — Best performance/SEO-oriented option. They emphasize mobile-friendly sites, fast load times, clear navigation and SEO foundations, including projects where speed-to-launch matters.

Why I'd call them: good if local Google visibility is a major part of why you're redesigning.

• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — Best if you want redesign + marketing afterward. They combine web redesign with SEO, advertising, analytics, mobile responsiveness and conversion work.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best higher-end e-commerce choice. They're heavily Shopify/Shopify Plus focused and handle more sophisticated UX and e-commerce requirements.

One particularly interesting specialist

The Chicago Web Co. is worth a look if you're considering Shopify. Their published work includes Stan's Donuts, where they redesigned the storefront around mobile UX, product discovery and ordering, plus other retail/e-commerce redesigns. They explicitly position their Shopify builds as mobile-first and performance-oriented. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

What I'd do in your shoes

I'd get proposals from Flamingo, YourPortal, and The Chicago Web Co. first. They give you three useful perspectives: local small-business web expertise, broader retail/e-commerce capability, and a Shopify-specialist option.

In the RFP, I'd ask every agency to commit to:

• Mobile-first design, not desktop design shrunk down.
• Core pages usable on a phone with one hand.
• Measurable Core Web Vitals/page-speed targets after launch.
• A simplified navigation and search experience.
• Preservation of existing SEO rankings, including redirects.
• Easy content/product updates for your family/staff without calling the agency.
• Accessibility basics (keyboard navigation, contrast, readable type, alt text).
• Analytics so you can see what customers actually do.
• A fixed scope and clear post-launch support rather than an open-ended retainer.

The biggest question is whether your current site is primarily a marketing/catalog site or a real e-commerce store. If you tell me which platform you're on now (WordPress, Shopify, Wix, etc.) and roughly how many products/pages you have, I can narrow this to 3 agencies I'd actually invite to bid, including what I’d expect each to cost.

What I'd do in your shoes

I'd get proposals from Flamingo, YourPortal, and The Chicago Web Co. first. They give you three useful perspectives: local small-business web expertise, broader retail/e-commerce capability, and a Shopify-specialist option.

In the RFP, I'd ask every agency to commit to:

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d look for an agency that can do more than make a prettier site: you’ll want mobile-first UX, fast load times, strong local SEO, easy inventory/product updates, and a design that preserves your store’s personality.

A few Chicago-area agencies I’d shortlist:

Strong fits for a retailer redesign

• Orbit Media Studios — A strong choice if you want a strategic redesign rather than just a visual refresh. They focus on website strategy, UX, content, SEO, and modern responsive builds.

Best for: an established retailer that wants a site built to generate store visits, inquiries, and online sales.

• YourPortal — Worth considering if ecommerce is part of the future plan. They have experience with Shopify and WooCommerce projects alongside broader web design work.

Best for: retailers that may want online ordering, product catalogs, integrations, or a stronger ecommerce channel.

• Flamingo Agency — A smaller Chicago shop that may appeal to a family business wanting a more hands-on relationship. They focus on small-business websites, WordPress builds, SEO, and ongoing support.

Best for: a retailer that wants direct communication and a manageable site they can update.

• Prismatics Digital — A boutique option focused on custom-coded sites, performance, UX, and integrations. Prismatics Digital

Best for: a retailer that wants a very fast, custom experience rather than a typical template redesign.

• PIXALPHA Studio — A smaller studio emphasizing custom-built, mobile-first websites and direct collaboration. Pixalpha Studio

Best for: owners who prefer a close working relationship with the people doing the design and build.

What I’d ask agencies to include in the proposal

For your situation, I’d specifically ask for:

• Mobile-first redesign: designed for shoppers on phones, not a desktop site squeezed down.
• Performance targets: Core Web Vitals, image optimization, fast product/category pages.
• Local search improvements: Google Business Profile alignment, neighborhood targeting (“Near North Side,” “River North,” etc.), structured data.
• Retail-focused UX: store hours, directions, parking/transit info, promotions, loyalty program, product discovery.
• Easy editing: your staff should be able to update hours, banners, products, and announcements without calling a developer.
• Analytics setup: tracking calls, directions clicks, contact forms, ecommerce actions, and promotions.

For a family-owned retailer, I’d probably start conversations with Orbit Media, YourPortal, and Flamingo Agency for a more traditional agency process, and add Prismatics or PIXALPHA if you want a smaller, more custom-build partner. Prismatics Digital Pixalpha Studio

If you share the type of retailer (apparel, furniture, specialty food, jewelry, home goods, etc.) and whether you need ecommerce, I can narrow this down further.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• click5 Interactive LLC - 116 W Hubbard St #301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606
• Comrade Digital Marketing Agency - 332 S Michigan Ave #900, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639, United States
• 1o8 - 231 S LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Digital Authority Partners - 420 W Huron St Fl 1, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Wizerunek w Sieci. WWS - Web Development + SEO - 636 S River Rd #218, Des Plaines, IL 60016, United States
• Allevi8 Marketing - 6127 S University Ave Ste 110K, Chicago, IL 60653, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize agencies that can balance three things: mobile performance, straightforward UX, and an easy-to-manage site after launch—rather than hiring a giant branding shop.

My Chicago shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — best overall

• Based on Ravenswood, so genuinely local.
• Strong fit if this is more than a simple brochure site—especially if you have ecommerce, a substantial product catalog, SEO concerns, or integrations.
• Their ecommerce practice explicitly emphasizes easy navigation, conversion, performance, and maintainability. Orbit Media Studios
• My pick if you want a polished redesign with a serious strategy behind it.
• YourPortal — best for a smaller retailer

• Located on N. Elston Ave., making them particularly convenient for a Near North Side business.
• Their services include Shopify migration/custom design and WooCommerce, along with mobile performance and ongoing support.
• Worth talking to if you want a more hands-on, smaller-agency relationship.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — best for Shopify/ecommerce

• Downtown Chicago office and strong Shopify/Shopify Plus focus.
• Particularly appropriate if the redesign needs sophisticated ecommerce, personalization, subscriptions, wholesale, or integrations.
• Probably more agency than you need if the site is primarily informational.
• Flamingo Agency — good small-business option

• Chicago-based and focused on smaller businesses.
• Offers custom WordPress redesigns, mobile-friendly layouts, UX improvements and WooCommerce.
• A good candidate if you want WordPress and don't need an elaborate ecommerce operation.
• click5 Interactive LLC — boutique/custom-build option

• Small Chicago web-development shop with an emphasis on direct communication and custom work.
• Their portfolio includes responsive WordPress redesign work.
• I'd consider them if you value a close relationship with the actual people building the site.

One more I’d interview

ArtVersion® Creative Agency is a stronger choice if the retailer needs a brand refresh alongside the website. They're established in Chicago and cover branding, UX/UI, web development and ecommerce under one roof.

If speed is the #1 requirement

I'd also look at The Chicago Web Co. They specifically advertise mobile-first Shopify builds, conversion/UX work, and performance optimization, and their portfolio includes Chicago retail brands such as Stan's Donuts and Fire Dept. Coffee. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

For a family-owned retailer, I wouldn't choose purely on portfolio aesthetics. In the proposals, I'd ask each agency to commit to:

• Mobile-first design, with the mobile shopping/browsing experience designed before desktop.
• Core Web Vitals/performance targets, not merely “responsive.”
• A simple CMS your family/team can actually update.
• Preservation of existing SEO, URLs and Google rankings during the redesign.
• Analytics configured around actual retail outcomes—calls, directions, store visits, online orders, etc.
• Accessibility basics.
• A clear post-launch maintenance arrangement.
• Three recent projects involving small/midsize retail businesses, ideally with before/after performance data.

If I were narrowing it to three calls: I'd start with Orbit Media, YourPortal, and The Chicago Web Co. They represent three useful approaches: strategic full-service, smaller local partner, and ecommerce/performance specialist.

For a family-owned retailer, I wouldn't choose purely on portfolio aesthetics. In the proposals, I'd ask each agency to commit to:

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SEO Design Chicago - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Artversion - 205 N Michigan Ave 8th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North/North Side, I’d favor a smaller, hands-on agency that understands local retail over a giant enterprise shop. I’d shortlist these:

• Orbit Media Studios — Best overall. Their Ravenswood office is particularly convenient for the North Side, and they have deep experience with ecommerce, UX, conversion optimization, performance, and content strategy. Their ecommerce work emphasizes easy navigation and conversion rather than simply making the site prettier. Orbit Media Studios

orbitmedia.com

• YourPortal — Strong choice if you sell online. They're on Elston Avenue and specifically offer Shopify migration, custom design/development and integrations, as well as WooCommerce. That makes them worth considering if the old site needs both a visual overhaul and ecommerce modernization.
• Flamingo Agency — Good small-business/North Side fit. They're actually in Lakeview on Southport and focus on small businesses, WordPress, SEO and ongoing support. I'd consider them if the site is primarily a local retail/brand site rather than a complicated ecommerce operation.
• SEO Design Chicago — Good if local search matters. They're on Western Avenue and combine custom WordPress/ecommerce development with SEO, performance auditing, accessibility and maintenance. That's attractive if a significant share of your customers find you through Google.
• Sandstorm Design — Best UX-heavy option. They're in Ravenswood and have a much deeper UX/research orientation, including accessibility and usability work. I'd put them higher if the redesign involves figuring out how customers actually shop, not merely rebuilding the existing pages.

One specialist I'd also talk to

The Chicago Web Co. is especially interesting if you're on Shopify or want to move there. Their portfolio includes substantial mobile UX, ecommerce redesign and conversion work for brands including Mielle Organics, Stan's Donuts and Fire Dept. Coffee. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co
chicagoweb.co

How I'd narrow it down

For your situation, I'd interview Orbit, YourPortal, and Flamingo first. Give all three the same brief:

“We have an older website, we're a family-owned Chicago retailer, and we want a mobile-first redesign that's noticeably faster, easier to navigate, and better at getting customers into the store and/or buying online.”

Then ask them to show you one comparable retail redesign, explain what they'd do about Core Web Vitals/mobile speed, and tell you exactly how you'll edit products, promotions, hours and content yourselves after launch.

If you tell me what kind of retailer you are, whether you sell online, and roughly what you want to spend (e.g. $10k, $25k, $50k+), I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their likely fit, strengths, and pricing.

• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Clique Studios - 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Digital Marketing - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Artversion - 205 N Michigan Ave 8th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601

Yes. For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize agencies that understand consumer shopping journeys, mobile UX, local SEO, and performance—not just firms that make attractive desktop sites.

My Chicago shortlist

• Orbit Media Studios — strongest overall fit.

They’re on Ravenswood, so geographically convenient, and they have unusually relevant retail/e-commerce redesign experience. Their Tastes of Chicago project specifically involved a mobile-first shopping experience, improved UX, simplified checkout, and conversion improvements. Orbit Media Studios
Best for: a substantial redesign where strategy, UX, SEO, content, and development all matter.

• Flamingo Agency — good small-business option.

They’re actually in Lakeview and focus on small businesses, with custom WordPress sites and mobile-friendly, conversion-oriented layouts.
Best for: a relatively straightforward redesign without the overhead of a large agency.

• YourPortal — worth considering for a local retailer.

They're on Elston Avenue and combine WordPress development with SEO, analytics, maintenance, and ongoing optimization.
Best for: a site where you want the agency to stick around after launch rather than simply hand over the new website.

• Sandstorm Design — UX-heavy choice.

Their Ravenswood studio emphasizes research-driven digital experiences, UX, accessibility, and inclusive design.
Best for: a more sophisticated redesign where usability and accessibility are major priorities.

• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — good website + growth combination.

Their work combines redesign, mobile responsiveness, conversion paths, SEO and broader digital marketing.
Best for: a retailer that wants the new site to actively generate more local traffic and sales.

One more if you're selling substantially online

chicagoweb.co is particularly interesting if the redesign includes Shopify. Their portfolio includes Stan’s Donuts, where they redesigned the storefront around mobile UX, product discovery, ordering, and performance, as well as other retail/e-commerce redesigns. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

What I'd ask for in the proposal

Don't simply ask agencies for a "mobile-friendly redesign." I'd give the finalists the same brief and ask them to address:

• Mobile-first IA/navigation: Can someone find a product, store location, hours, phone number, or directions in seconds?
• Speed: Core Web Vitals, compressed images, minimal scripts, and a clear performance target.
• Local SEO: Preserve existing rankings and URLs, improve location/store pages, structured data, Google Business Profile integration.
• Retail UX: Product/category discovery, promotions, inventory or availability if applicable, click-to-call/directions, and a very obvious path to purchase.
• Accessibility: WCAG-conscious typography, contrast, keyboard navigation, forms, and alt text.
• CMS: Your staff should be able to change products, promotions, photos, hours, and content without calling the developer.
• Migration: A crawl of the old site, URL/redirect mapping, analytics preservation, SEO migration, and launch monitoring.

If it were my shortlist, I'd interview Orbit, Flamingo, and YourPortal first—then add Chicago Web Co. if e-commerce/Shopify is central. Orbit is the one I'd put at the top if you're looking for a genuinely strategic rebuild rather than a visual facelift. Orbit Media Studios

If you tell me what kind of retailer you are, whether you sell online, your approximate budget (e.g. $10–20k vs. $30–50k+), and what platform the old site uses, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare them on fit, likely cost, strengths, and relevant retail work.

• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Lizardo Agency - 6455 S Normandy Ave Apt 2S, Chicago, IL 60638, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SEO Design Chicago - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• 1DIGITAL AGENCY | eCommerce Agency - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Doejo - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Sunlight SEO Web Design & Signs - 4501 N Cumberland Ave, Norridge, IL 60656, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d look for an agency that understands more than just visual design: you’ll want mobile-first UX, fast load times, easy product/content updates, local SEO, and a team that won’t disappear after launch.

A few Chicago agencies I’d put on a shortlist:

Best fits for a retail redesign

YourPortal

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 847-592-6376)

A strong local option if you want a partner that can handle both the website and ongoing growth. They focus on web design, ecommerce, Shopify/WooCommerce work, and digital marketing.
Good fit if: your store needs ecommerce improvements, better customer journeys, and ongoing support.

The Chicago Web Co.

A good match if your retailer sells products online or wants a polished Shopify experience. Their work emphasizes mobile-first Shopify builds, UX, and conversion optimization. The Chicago Web Co
Good fit if: your old site is holding back online sales or you need a modern shopping experience. The Chicago Web Co

Praella - eCommerce Agency

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-761-3218)

More ecommerce-focused and better suited if you have a larger catalog, integrations, subscriptions, or ambitious online growth plans.
Good fit if: the website is becoming a major sales channel rather than just a digital brochure.

SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 224-600-4353)

A smaller studio approach: custom design, development, ecommerce, SEO, and maintenance. BlueLine Web Studio
Good fit if: you want a more personal relationship with a boutique team.

Flamingo Agency

DirectionsWebsite[Call](tel:+1 312-967-7044)

A North Side agency that works with small businesses and offers custom WordPress and ecommerce builds.
Good fit if: you want a smaller agency that understands local businesses.

If budget-conscious but still want a modern rebuild

• Lizardo Agency — focuses on redesigns, mobile-friendly sites, WordPress, ecommerce, and conversion-focused builds. Lizardo Agency Lizardo Agency
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company — useful if improving Google visibility and local search rankings is a major goal.

What I’d ask every agency before hiring

For a retailer, I’d ask:

1. Can you show 3 mobile sites you built that load quickly?
2. What platform would you recommend (Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, Webflow, custom) and why?
3. How will you preserve our current Google rankings during the redesign?
4. Will our staff be able to update products, photos, hours, and promotions ourselves?
5. What are your typical post-launch support options?

For a family-owned store, I’d probably start conversations with The Chicago Web Co., YourPortal, BlueLine Web Studio, and Flamingo Agency—they seem closest to the scale where you can get a high-touch relationship without hiring a large enterprise shop. The Chicago Web Co BlueLine Web Studio

If you tell me what kind of retailer you are (apparel, furniture, specialty food, gifts, etc.) and whether you sell online today, I can narrow this to 3–5 agencies that fit better.

• SEO Design Chicago - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• 10com Web Development - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Wizerunek w Sieci. WWS - Web Development + SEO - 636 S River Rd #218, Des Plaines, IL 60016, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Osmo Web Agency, LLC - 7427 S South Shore Dr #4K, Chicago, IL 60649, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d favor a smaller, hands-on shop that can modernize the site without turning a relatively straightforward redesign into a giant-agency engagement.

My shortlist

• SEO Design Chicago — best all-around fit. They’re on N. Western Ave and combine custom WordPress work, e-commerce, performance, accessibility, SEO, migrations, and ongoing maintenance. That makes them particularly interesting if your old site is WordPress and you want to preserve existing search traffic while making it much better on phones.
• Flamingo Agency — good boutique/small-business option. They’re actually on the North Side, at N. Southport, and focus on custom WordPress, mobile-friendly design, conversion-oriented layouts, and WooCommerce. I’d put them high on the list if you want a polished redesign but still want a relatively personal agency relationship.
• Windy City Web Solutions — best if speed, simplicity and maintainability are priorities. Their positioning is specifically around lightweight WordPress builds, mobile responsiveness, accessibility and performance/Web Vitals, with ongoing hosting/maintenance. That sounds very aligned with “take our old site and make it fast and easy to use.”
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — best if the redesign is really an e-commerce transformation. They specialize in Shopify/Shopify Plus and UX/customer experience, including more complicated retail requirements such as B2B, subscriptions and integrations. This is probably more agency than you need for a basic brochure site, but worth talking to if online sales are central to the business.
• The Chicago Web Co. — strongest Shopify-specific boutique candidate. Their work explicitly emphasizes mobile-first Shopify builds, UX/CRO and speed, and their portfolio includes Chicago retail/food brands such as Stan’s Donuts. They also describe themselves as woman-owned and emphasize a single point of contact and post-launch support. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co
• Solid Digital — consider if you want a more strategic, larger partner. Their Chicago office handles WordPress/custom development, performance, integrations and scalable builds. I'd lean toward them if the retailer has multiple locations, complicated integrations or significant growth plans rather than just needing a site refresh.

What I'd do in your shoes

I'd get proposals from SEO Design Chicago, Flamingo, Windy City Web Solutions, and The Chicago Web Co. That's a useful spread: WordPress/SEO, boutique design, performance-focused development, and Shopify/e-commerce.

In the RFP, I'd specifically ask each agency to show:

1. Three comparable retail redesigns, preferably local/small-business clients.
2. Their expected Core Web Vitals/mobile performance after launch.
3. How they'll preserve your existing Google rankings, URLs and redirects.
4. Whether they'll reuse your existing CMS/content or recommend migrating platforms.
5. Exactly who will maintain the site after launch and what that costs.
6. A mobile-first prototype of the homepage + primary shopping/navigation path before committing to the full build.

For a family-owned retailer, I'd put ease of updating the site yourselves almost as high as visual design. A beautiful site that requires a developer every time someone needs to change store hours, add a product, or update a promotion isn't actually a good redesign.

If you tell me what you sell, whether you currently sell online, what platform the old site uses (WordPress/Wix/Shopify/etc.), and roughly what you'd like to spend, I can narrow this to the 3 best Chicago agencies and compare likely fit/pricing/project approach.

• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• click5 Interactive LLC - 116 W Hubbard St #301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• SEO Design Chicago - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• IDE Interactive, Inc. - 2945 W Peterson Ave Ste 103, Chicago, IL 60659, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Artversion - 205 N Michigan Ave 8th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Sandstorm Design - 4422 N Ravenswood Ave #50, Chicago, IL 60640, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d favor a smaller or mid-sized shop that can give you senior attention, understands local retail, and treats speed/mobile UX as a core requirement—not just a prettier WordPress theme.

My shortlist

• YourPortal — Best overall fit. They’re at 2211 N. Elston Ave. and specifically work with Shopify/WooCommerce, including migrations, custom design, integrations, audits and ongoing support. That combination seems particularly appropriate if your old site is also an online store.
• click5 Interactive LLC — Best boutique UX option. They’re downtown and emphasize UX/UI, responsive design and WordPress; their portfolio includes a responsive redesign for a Chicago business. I’d consider them if the goal is a highly tailored redesign rather than a cookie-cutter ecommerce build.
• Flamingo Agency — Best Near North Side/Lakeview small-business option. They’re actually on N. Southport and focus on small businesses, custom WordPress, mobile-friendly layouts, conversion-oriented structure and WooCommerce. That feels like a potentially comfortable fit for a family-owned retailer.
• SEO Design Chicago — Best if local search matters heavily. They’re on N. Western and combine custom WordPress development with SEO, ecommerce, performance auditing, accessibility and migrations. Good choice if you want the redesign to preserve—and improve—your existing Google visibility.
• Design In Chicago — Best if branding is part of the project. Their West Loop team covers strategy, UI/UX, WordPress, WooCommerce and Shopify, along with broader branding and creative work.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — Best for a more sophisticated ecommerce operation. They’re particularly Shopify/Shopify Plus-oriented and have deeper UX and ecommerce expertise, including complicated integrations and customer journeys. I'd choose them if your retail operation is substantial enough to justify a larger specialist.

One more worth a look

IDE Interactive, Inc. is on the North Side at Peterson Ave. and has a broader experience-design/development capability, including ecommerce and Shopify. It could be interesting if the redesign involves functionality beyond a normal retail website.

What I'd ask each agency for

Don't just ask for "a new website." Give the finalists the same brief and compare their proposals on:

1. Mobile-first UX — show me the proposed mobile navigation, product/category pages and checkout—not just desktop mockups.
2. Performance target — ask for concrete Core Web Vitals/page-speed targets and what they'll do to hit them.
3. CMS ownership — you should be able to change products, photos, promotions and content yourselves.
4. SEO migration — require a URL/redirect plan so the redesign doesn't wipe out existing rankings.
5. Accessibility — ask how they'll handle keyboard navigation, contrast, alt text and accessible forms.
6. Analytics — GA4/Search Console plus meaningful ecommerce or retail conversion tracking.
7. Post-launch support — particularly important for a family business without an internal web team.
8. References — ideally another independently owned retailer, not just a large corporate portfolio piece.

If it were my project, I'd initially interview YourPortal, Flamingo, and click5. They strike me as the most plausible scale for a family-owned retailer, while Praella would be the "bring in the ecommerce specialists" option if the online store is a major revenue channel.

For comparison, The Chicago Web Co. is also worth considering if you're on Shopify: its portfolio includes redesigns for Stan's Donuts, Fire Dept. Coffee and other retail/consumer brands, and it explicitly emphasizes mobile-first Shopify builds, UX audits and performance. The Chicago Web Co The Chicago Web Co

chicagoweb.co

If you tell me what kind of retailer you are, whether you sell online, and roughly what you'd like to spend ($5–10k, $10–25k, $25k+), I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their likely fit, platform approach, strengths, and potential red flags.

• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• SEO Design Chicago - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Mabbly - 640 N La Salle Dr #540, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• 10com Web Development - 205 N Michigan Ave Suit 810, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Chris Depa Web Design + Branding - 1528 Robinhood Ln, La Grange Park, IL 60526, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize agencies that can combine mobile UX, speed, local/e-commerce needs, and a CMS your staff can actually manage.

My shortlist

• Flamingo Agency — best small-business fit.

They’re in Lakeview and specifically focus on small businesses, with a more hands-on feel than a large agency. They’d be worth talking to if you want a personal relationship and a practical WordPress redesign rather than a huge transformation project.

• Orbit Media Studios — best overall for performance + strategy.

This would be my first call if the budget supports a more sophisticated engagement. Orbit explicitly specializes in mobile-first redesigns, responsive UX, site-speed optimization, SEO, accessibility, and CMS training. They also have substantial Chicago experience and are located on Ravenswood Avenue. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios
Their redesign process includes discovery, information architecture, mobile UX, development, testing, SEO/redirect planning, and post-launch optimization—which is particularly valuable when replacing an old site without losing existing search traffic. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

• YourPortal — worth considering if ecommerce is important.

They're in Lincoln Park and have experience with Shopify migrations/customization as well as WooCommerce. For a retailer whose website needs to connect closely to an online store, I'd put them on the RFP list.

• SEO Design Chicago — good local, SEO-heavy alternative.

They're on Western Avenue and offer WordPress development, ecommerce integration, performance work, accessibility, migrations and ongoing maintenance. SEO Design Chicago could make sense if organic/local search is a major source of customers.

• Solid Digital — stronger choice for a larger/complex project.

They're downtown and cover strategy, UX, WordPress/custom development, integrations, performance and ongoing support. I'd consider them if your redesign involves substantial back-office integrations or a more complex digital experience, rather than just refreshing a family retailer's brochure site.

What I'd ask each agency

For your particular project, I wouldn't just ask “Can you make it mobile-friendly?” I'd give each agency the same requirements:

1. Mobile-first, not desktop-first responsive — show me comparable retail sites.
2. Performance target — ask what Core Web Vitals/page-speed targets they commit to.
3. Ecommerce integration — especially if you have Shopify, WooCommerce, POS, inventory or product feeds.
4. SEO migration — require a crawl of the existing site, URL/redirect mapping and preservation of valuable rankings.
5. Easy staff editing — your family/team should be able to change products, promotions, hours, photos and content without calling the agency.
6. Accessibility — ask what testing is included before launch.
7. Post-launch support — get maintenance, hosting and update costs separately from the build.
8. Actual project team — ask who will design/develop the site, rather than only meeting the sales team.

If I were narrowing it to three calls: I'd start with Orbit Media, Flamingo Agency, and YourPortal. That gives you a premium strategy/performance option, a smaller-business-focused option, and a retailer/ecommerce-oriented option. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

If you tell me roughly your budget ($10k, $25k, $50k+, etc.) and whether you sell online, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare their likely fit, strengths, and tradeoffs.

• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Orbit Media Studios - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• SEO Design Chicago - 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
• Wojo Design - 318 W Adams St #1609, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639, United States
• Alpha Digital Marketing - 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Allevi8 Marketing - 6127 S University Ave Ste 110K, Chicago, IL 60653, United States
• EDUCO Web Design - 128 Chicago Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Lift Conversions - 3033 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States

Yes. For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d favor a smaller, hands-on studio or an agency with real retail/e-commerce UX experience rather than a large branding shop.

My Chicago shortlist

• Flamingo Agency — Lakeview

Probably the first one I’d interview for a family-owned local business. They’re on the North Side, focus on small businesses, and combine web design with SEO and ongoing support. The proximity and small-business orientation could make for a more personal engagement.

• Orbit Media Studios — Ravenswood

A stronger choice if you want a more strategic, research-driven redesign. They emphasize UX, conversion paths, content strategy and measurable business outcomes. They’re likely a bigger investment, but I'd consider them if the site is important to your broader marketing strategy.

• YourPortal — Lincoln Park

Especially worth a conversation if you sell online or want the redesign to connect closely with e-commerce. They work with Shopify and WooCommerce and offer migrations, custom development and ongoing support. That's a particularly relevant combination for a retailer.

• SEO Design Chicago — Bucktown/Western Ave.

Good candidate if local search visibility is a major goal. They combine WordPress development with technical SEO, performance, accessibility and e-commerce work. Their location is also convenient to the Near North Side.

• Wojo Design — Chicago

I'd consider them if you want a more design/UX-led engagement without necessarily going to a large agency. Their services include UX/UI, wireframing, prototyping, web design and marketing support.

Two smaller alternatives

Prismatics is interesting if speed and technical performance are your top priorities. Its Chicago studio specifically offers modern redesigns of old WordPress/Wix/Squarespace sites, with mobile-first, accessibility, SEO and performance built into custom React/Next.js sites. It publishes starting prices of $1,999+ for a small site and $3,499+ for a larger growth site. Prismatics Digital

PIXALPHA STUDIO is another boutique option: it says its two founders personally handle projects, with custom, fast-loading, mobile-first sites and no outsourcing. Pixalpha Studio

What I'd ask each agency

Don't just ask "Can you make it mobile-friendly?" I'd give all three finalists the same brief:

1. Show us two recent retail or local-business redesigns.
2. What would you change on our existing site and why?
3. What platform would you recommend—and why?
4. What Core Web Vitals/mobile-speed target will you commit to?
5. How will you preserve our existing Google rankings and URLs?
6. Can our staff easily change products, hours, promotions and photos afterward?
7. What's included in the fixed price, and what's ongoing?
8. Who actually builds the site and who will we deal with after launch?

For a family-owned retailer, I'd put ease of updating the site + mobile performance + local SEO + strong product/store-location UX ahead of flashy visual design.

My first three calls would be Flamingo, YourPortal, and Orbit—with Prismatics as the wildcard if the existing site is technically awful and you want a particularly fast rebuild.

For a family-owned retailer, I'd put ease of updating the site + mobile performance + local SEO + strong product/store-location UX ahead of flashy visual design.

My first three calls would be Flamingo, YourPortal, and Orbit—with Prismatics as the wildcard if the existing site is technically awful and you want a particularly fast rebuild.

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize an agency that can do more than make the site look newer: it should improve mobile UX, speed, local search, and—if you sell online—product discovery and checkout.

My shortlist

1. YourPortal — best overall fit for a small/midsize retailer
   • Located on N. Elston, so it’s genuinely local.
   • Does Shopify migrations, custom Shopify design/development, WooCommerce, UX, mobile performance, and ongoing support.
   • I’d put them near the top if you want a practical redesign rather than a huge-agency engagement.

2. Flamingo Agency — good boutique/small-business option
   • Based in Lakeview and focused heavily on small-business websites.
   • Strong fit if your current site is WordPress and you want a modern responsive redesign without turning the project into an enterprise exercise.
   • They also handle WooCommerce and ongoing support.

3. IDE Interactive, Inc. — best if UX is the main problem
   • Chicago-based experience-design/development shop with capabilities spanning websites, e-commerce, mobile, and custom software.
   • I'd consider them if the old site isn't merely dated but is genuinely difficult to navigate or you have unusual retail functionality.

4. Praella — best for a serious Shopify/e-commerce rebuild
   • Downtown Chicago and strongly focused on Shopify/Shopify Plus.
   • Their work emphasizes UX/customer journeys and more complex e-commerce requirements. chicagoweb.co
   • Probably more agency than you need for a simple brochure-style retailer site, but worth interviewing if online sales are important.

5. Alpha Efficiency — interesting Near North Side choice
   • At 875 N Michigan Ave, they're particularly convenient for a Near North Side business.
   • Their positioning combines redesign, mobile responsiveness, UX/conversion work, SEO, and performance rather than treating the website as purely visual.

6. click5 Interactive LLC — good smaller-shop alternative
   • Near River North on Hubbard.
   • Particularly relevant if you want a clean, usability-focused redesign and hands-on development rather than a large marketing-agency process.

One more I'd interview

Solid Digital is a more substantial Chicago agency. They do WordPress/custom development with attention to performance, integrations, and sites that marketing teams can manage. I'd consider them if your retailer has a larger catalog, multiple systems, or ambitions beyond a straightforward redesign.

For your particular description, I'd start with YourPortal, Flamingo, and IDE Interactive, then add Praella if e-commerce is a major revenue channel.

What I'd put in the RFP

Don't just ask agencies for a "mobile-friendly redesign." Ask them to commit to:

• Mobile-first UX, designed around actual customer tasks.
• Core Web Vitals/performance targets, with testing on real mobile connections.
• A simplified navigation and prominent store hours, location, phone, directions, and contact actions.
• Product/category architecture that works well for both users and Google.
• Preservation of existing SEO value: URL inventory + 301 redirect plan.
• Accessibility, particularly readable type, contrast, keyboard navigation, and touch targets.
• A CMS your staff can actually maintain without calling the agency for every photo or product change.
• Analytics and conversion tracking before launch.
• A clear post-launch maintenance arrangement.

If you sell online, I'd specifically ask each agency to show two or three retail/e-commerce redesigns they've personally built, not just their prettiest portfolio pieces. The Chicago Web Co., for example, explicitly emphasizes mobile-first Shopify builds, UX audits, and conversion optimization, and has published retail/e-commerce case studies. chicagoweb.co

For a family-owned retailer, I'd also favor a small senior team with direct access to the people actually designing/building the site over a big agency where you're handed to an account manager. That tends to make a redesign much less painful.

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize agencies that understand small/midsize retail, can make the redesign genuinely mobile-first, and won’t turn a straightforward site refresh into an enterprise project.

My shortlist

1. Orbit Media Studios — best overall fit
   • Chicago-based, with its office at 4043 N Ravenswood.
   • Particularly strong on UX, conversion-focused redesigns, performance audits, and content strategy.
   • Good choice if the old site needs more than cosmetic changes—e.g. better navigation, clearer calls-to-action, SEO, and a better customer journey.
   • They emphasize measurable outcomes rather than simply making a site prettier.

2. Flamingo Agency — best small-business/local fit
   • Based at 3752 N Southport, so they're especially convenient for a North Side business.
   • Focuses on small-business websites, WordPress, responsive design, local SEO and WooCommerce.
   • I'd put them high on the list if you want a relatively hands-on local partner rather than a large agency. www.fueler.io

3. YourPortal — good retail/e-commerce option
   • Located at 2211 N Elston.
   • Offers Shopify and WooCommerce redesigns, including custom development, integrations, mobile performance and ongoing support.
   • Worth considering if the website needs to become a meaningful online sales channel, not just a better brochure site.

4. Alpha Efficiency — best if SEO matters heavily
   • At 875 N Michigan Ave, essentially right in your neighborhood.
   • Combines redesign/development with SEO, analytics and conversion work.
   • Their positioning specifically emphasizes mobile responsiveness, UX, performance and conversion paths, which lines up nicely with your brief.

5. UX 4Sight — best UX specialist
   • More UX-focused than a conventional web shop.
   • They do UX audits, usability/accessibility work, responsive design and redesigns.
   • I'd consider them if the biggest problem with the current site is "customers can't easily find what they need" rather than simply outdated visuals.

One specialist I'd also interview

The Chicago Web Co. is particularly interesting if you're selling products online. Their work is heavily Shopify-oriented and explicitly mobile-first, with UX/CRO and performance optimization. Their portfolio includes Chicago retail examples such as Stan's Donuts and several full-site retail/e-commerce redesigns. chicagoweb.co

Who I'd contact first

I'd probably request proposals from Orbit Media, Flamingo, and YourPortal—then add The Chicago Web Co. if e-commerce is important.

For the proposal, don't just ask "How much for a redesign?" Give them the same brief and ask each to address:

• Mobile-first: demonstrate the proposed mobile navigation and homepage approach.
• Speed: target Core Web Vitals and give you a performance budget rather than merely saying "fast."
• Retail UX: product/service discovery, store hours/location, click-to-call, directions, promotions and inventory/order information where applicable.
• SEO migration: preserve existing rankings, URLs and Google visibility.
• CMS: make it easy for your family/team to change products, photos, promotions and hours without calling the agency.
• Accessibility: WCAG-conscious design and implementation.
• Ownership: you retain the domain, hosting, analytics, CMS and source assets.
• Post-launch: ask exactly what maintenance/support costs after the initial project.

My lean: If this is primarily a local retail site with modest e-commerce, Flamingo is the first small-business conversation I'd have; if you want a more strategic, conversion/SEO-driven transformation, Orbit; if online selling is central, The Chicago Web Co. is especially compelling.

chicagoweb.co

• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Design In Chicago - 159 N Sangamon St Suite 200, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Doejo - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• UX 4Sight - 111 W Jackson Blvd Unit 1700, Chicago, IL 60604, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Americaneagle.com, Inc. - 200 W Jackson Blvd Fl 22, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• SEOLEVELUP Website Design SEO Company Chicago - 355 N Laflin St Ste 101C, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Millennial Web Development - 329 W 18th St Ste 413, Chicago, IL 60616, United States
• Solid Digital - 100 N LaSalle St #1400, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Marcel Digital - 445 W Erie St #200, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Wojo Design - 318 W Adams St #1609, Chicago, IL 60606, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize a smaller agency that can give you senior attention, understands local retail, and treats mobile performance and usability as core requirements—not just a visual refresh.

My shortlist

1. YourPortal — best overall fit

• Located on N. Elston Ave., so they’re particularly convenient for a Near North Side business.
• Strong combination of web design, Shopify/WooCommerce, SEO, speed, accessibility, and ongoing support.
• Their e-commerce work includes migrations, custom design, integrations and maintenance.
• Why I'd call them: likely a good balance between the personal feel of a smaller shop and the technical capabilities needed for a serious redesign.
• Flamingo Agency — best for a small-business/WordPress redesign

• Based on N. Southport Ave. and specifically works with small businesses, including custom WordPress and WooCommerce.
• Their positioning emphasizes responsive/mobile-friendly sites, local SEO and ongoing support.
• Why I'd call them: particularly appealing if your existing site is WordPress and you want to modernize it without turning the project into a giant enterprise engagement.
• Design In Chicago — best if brand + retail experience matter

• West Loop studio offering strategy, UX/UI, WordPress, WooCommerce and Shopify.
• They combine web development with branding, photography/video and marketing, which could be useful if the old site also needs a broader visual refresh.
• Why I'd call them: good candidate if you want the redesigned site to feel distinctly your family business, rather than like a generic modern template.
• Praella - eCommerce Agency — best for a more sophisticated e-commerce operation

• Chicago-based Shopify/Shopify Plus specialist with substantial UX/e-commerce expertise.
• Particularly suited to complex requirements such as B2B/wholesale, subscriptions, personalization and integrations.
• Why I'd call them: if online sales are becoming a major part of the business and you anticipate significant e-commerce functionality. For a relatively simple brochure/catalog site, they may be more agency than you need.
• Doejo — best for a custom/complex build

• Chicago digital product studio with UX/UI, web development and broader software/integration capabilities.
• Why I'd call them: if the redesign involves unusual functionality—inventory integration, customer accounts, custom tools, etc.—rather than simply replacing an old website.

One specialist I'd also put on the RFP list

UX 4Sight is worth considering if your biggest problem is “our site is confusing” rather than simply “our site looks old.” They specialize in UX/UI, usability testing, accessibility audits, responsive design and conversion-oriented redesigns.

For a retail site, that can be extremely valuable: navigation, store information, product discovery, directions, click-to-call, hours, promotions and checkout should all be designed around the phone user first.

What I'd ask each agency

Don't just ask “Can you redesign our website?” Give them the same brief and compare the responses:

• Mobile-first: Show us three recent mobile-first retail/e-commerce redesigns.
• Speed: What Core Web Vitals/load-time targets will you commit to?
• Existing SEO: How will you preserve our current Google rankings and URLs?
• CMS: What will our staff be able to change themselves after launch?
• Retail integration: Can you connect POS/inventory/e-commerce systems if needed?
• Local customers: How will you improve Google/Maps, store hours, directions and click-to-call?
• Accessibility: What WCAG/accessibility testing is included?
• Ownership: Do we own the design, content and website after launch?
• Maintenance: What does ongoing support actually cost?

I'd especially avoid an agency that responds primarily with pretty desktop mockups. For your project, I'd want to see them start with the phone experience, content hierarchy, navigation and performance—and only then get into visual polish.

If I were narrowing this to three initial calls: YourPortal, Flamingo Agency, and Design In Chicago. If e-commerce is a major revenue channel, I'd swap Praella into that three-agency comparison.

• YourPortal - 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
• Flamingo Agency - 3752 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
• Lizardo Agency - 6455 S Normandy Ave Apt 2S, Chicago, IL 60638, United States
• Doejo - 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding - 30 N Michigan Ave #504, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
• Chicago Website Design SEO Company - 10 S Riverside Plaza #875, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• Windy City Web Solutions - 801 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• SITE IT NOW - 1016 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
• Praella - eCommerce Agency - 203 N LaSalle St Suite 2100, Chicago, IL 60601, United States
• Operation Technology - 211 W Wacker Dr 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60606
• Wizerunek w Sieci. WWS - Web Development + SEO - 636 S River Rd #218, Des Plaines, IL 60016, United States
• Osmo Web Agency, LLC - 7427 S South Shore Dr #4K, Chicago, IL 60649, United States
• ArtVersion® Creative Agency - 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
• click5 Interactive LLC - 116 W Hubbard St #301, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
• Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency - 875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
• Affordable Web Design Chicago - 5141 W Altgeld St, Chicago, IL 60639, United States

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d favor a boutique or mid-sized agency that can balance good design with mobile performance, easy content management, local SEO, and practical ongoing support—rather than a huge enterprise shop.

My shortlist

• YourPortal — Strong overall fit. They’re at 2211 N. Elston Ave., relatively close to the Near North Side, and work with Shopify and WooCommerce as well as general web design. Their services include mobile performance, accessibility, custom development, and ongoing support.

Best if: you sell online now or expect ecommerce to become important.

• Flamingo Agency — Good small-business choice. Their focus is custom WordPress sites, small businesses, local SEO, support, and WooCommerce. Their profile specifically emphasizes responsive/mobile-friendly sites and quick project turnaround.

Best if: the current site is WordPress and you want a relatively hands-on local partner.

• Lizardo Agency — Worth getting a budget proposal from. They specialize in small/midsized businesses and explicitly position redesigns around speed, mobile usability, SEO, and conversions. Their published redesign pricing starts around $1,499, while ecommerce starts around $2,499. Lizardo Agency Lizardo Agency

Best if: you want a modern redesign without a large-agency budget.

• Doejo — Best for a more sophisticated redesign. They're a Chicago digital product/design studio with UX/UI, web development, integrations, and broader product capabilities.

Best if: the redesign involves more than marketing pages—for example, inventory, customer accounts, integrations, or unusual functionality.

• Brand Vision Marketing - Web Design & Branding — Good design/branding option. Their work combines web design, UX, branding, responsive design, and performance, and they’re in the Loop.

Best if: the old website also needs a significant visual/brand refresh.

One I'd especially consider: Orbit Media

Chicago Website Design SEO Company is another local performance-oriented option, but if your budget allows a larger agency, Orbit Media is the more compelling benchmark. Their Chicago office is at 4043 N. Ravenswood Ave., and they have extensive experience with mobile redesigns, ecommerce, UX, SEO, content migration, and conversion optimization. Their mobile-design portfolio includes organizations such as Lincoln Park Zoo and Tastes of Chicago. Orbit Media Studios Orbit Media Studios

For a family retailer, I'd probably interview YourPortal, Flamingo, and Orbit first, then use Lizardo as a lower-cost comparison.

What I'd ask them to build

Don't frame the project simply as "make the old site look modern." I'd ask each agency for a proposal covering:

• Mobile-first information architecture and navigation
• Core Web Vitals / page-speed targets, especially on cellular connections
• Product/category browsing that's easy with one hand
• Store hours, location, parking/transit and click-to-call prominently on mobile
• Ecommerce integration if applicable
• Local SEO and preservation of existing Google rankings
• 301 redirects for old URLs
• Analytics and conversion tracking
• A CMS your staff can actually edit
• Accessibility
• Image optimization and a plan to prevent the new site from becoming slow again
• Post-launch maintenance/support

I'd also give all three agencies the same brief and ask for a fixed project range. That makes their proposals much easier to compare.

If you tell me what kind of retailer you are, whether you sell online, what platform the old site uses (WordPress/Shopify/etc.), and roughly what you'd like to spend, I can narrow this to the 3 best Chicago agencies for your particular situation.

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d shortlist agencies that can balance three things: mobile UX, site speed, and practical retail/e-commerce needs rather than just giving you a prettier site.

My shortlist

1. YourPortal — Lincoln Park/Elston
   • A particularly interesting fit for a local retailer: they do web design plus Shopify/WooCommerce, including migrations, custom design, integrations, and ongoing support.
   • Their location at 2211 N. Elston Ave. also makes them convenient for an in-person relationship.

2. Alpha Efficiency — Near North Side
   • Located at 875 N. Michigan Ave., so they're unusually close to your neighborhood.
   • Stronger choice if you want the redesign tied closely to SEO, analytics, conversion optimization, and marketing, not just development.

3. Design In Chicago — West Loop
   • Good all-around option if the old site needs both a brand/visual refresh and technical rebuild.
   • They handle UX, WordPress, WooCommerce and Shopify, along with branding and marketing.

4. Uncap — Chicago
   • I'd put them high on the list if the retailer has a meaningful online catalog or more complicated inventory/e-commerce requirements.
   • They're particularly Shopify-focused and work on integrations and more sophisticated e-commerce workflows.

5. The Chicago Web Co.
   • Worth talking to if you're on Shopify or considering moving to Shopify. They explicitly specialize in mobile-first Shopify builds, UX/CRO, speed and post-launch support, and say they've launched 1,200+ stores. chicagoweb.co

6. Neat Digital
   • Another strong Shopify candidate. Their Chicago practice emphasizes mobile-first design, custom code without page-builder bloat, and performance, with work organized into short sprints. neat.digitalchicagoweb.co

If it were my project

I'd get proposals from YourPortal, Alpha Efficiency, and The Chicago Web Co. first.

For a family business, I'd specifically ask each agency to demonstrate:

• Mobile Core Web Vitals / PageSpeed performance on the proposed build
• How they'll preserve your existing Google rankings and URLs
• Whether they'll rebuild or merely reskin the old CMS/theme
• How easy it will be for your family/team to update products, hours, photos and promotions
• Mobile navigation and click-to-call / directions / store information
• If you sell online, the complete mobile product → cart → checkout experience
• Accessibility and image optimization
• Exactly what post-launch support costs

One important distinction: don't let an agency equate responsive with mobile-first. For your project, I'd want them designing the customer journey around the phone first and then expanding it for desktop. Several Chicago firms explicitly describe this approach, including The Chicago Web Co., Neat Digital, and BlueLine Web Studio. chicagoweb.co

If you tell me what kind of retailer you are, roughly how many products/pages you have, and whether you sell online, I can narrow this to the 3 best fits and compare likely project cost, platform, strengths, and tradeoffs.

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d favor a boutique or mid-sized agency that can modernize the UX without turning a relatively straightforward redesign into an enterprise project.

My shortlist

1. Alpha Efficiency - Web Design Chicago Agency — best overall local fit
   • Located at 875 N Michigan Ave, right in the Near North Side.
   • Focuses on website redesign, mobile responsiveness, UX, performance, SEO and conversion.
   • A good choice if you want a polished redesign plus help making the site generate more customers, rather than simply making it prettier.

2. Seven Seas Web Design — best boutique/small-business option
   • Chicago-based boutique agency that describes itself as family-owned.
   • Particularly emphasizes user-friendly, mobile-responsive websites, speed and straightforward communication.
   • That smaller-agency feel could be a particularly good cultural fit for a family-run retailer.

3. click5 Interactive LLC — best for UX + custom functionality
   • Based on Hubbard Street in River North.
   • Does UX/UI, WordPress, ecommerce and custom web applications, with an emphasis on ease of use.
   • I'd consider them if your redesign involves more than a brochure site—e.g. online ordering, inventory, customer accounts or integrations.

4. YourPortal — strong choice if ecommerce is important
   • On Elston Avenue and offers Shopify migration, custom design/development and WooCommerce alongside web/marketing work.
   • Worth interviewing if the new site needs to connect the physical store with online shopping.

5. Elevate Studios: A Digital Design Firm — strongest design-led option
   • Uptown-based and has a long Chicago history, with particular experience in premium beauty, fashion and DTC brands.
   • Their published work includes user research and mobile-first experiences, so I'd shortlist them if brand presentation and a high-end retail feel are especially important.

One wildcard

The Chicago Web Co. is worth a look if you're moving toward Shopify. They specifically advertise mobile-first Shopify builds, UX/conversion optimization and extensive ecommerce experience, including work for Chicago brands such as Stan's Donuts. chicagoweb.co

The Chicago Web Co.

What I'd ask each agency

Don't just ask “Can you redesign our site?” I'd give each the same brief:

• Mobile-first, not merely responsive
• Fast Core Web Vitals / lightweight pages
• Easy navigation for customers who don't know your store
• Strong local SEO without sacrificing design
• Easy-to-edit CMS for your staff
• Integration with ecommerce/POS/inventory if applicable
• Preservation of existing Google rankings and URLs
• Analytics and conversion tracking
• Accessibility basics
• Clear ownership of the site, code and accounts after launch

For your situation, I'd interview Alpha Efficiency, Seven Seas, and click5 first, then bring in YourPortal if ecommerce is a major part of the redesign. That gives you three quite different approaches without getting buried in a list of 20 agencies.

If you tell me what kind of retailer you are, whether you sell online, your approximate budget, and what platform the old site is on (WordPress/Wix/Shopify/etc.), I can narrow this to 2–3 agencies and compare their likely fit, pricing level, and relevant retail work.

For a family-owned retailer on the Near North Side, I’d look for a partner that understands more than aesthetics: mobile speed, local search, easy product updates, in-store traffic, and possibly ecommerce/inventory connections. A flashy redesign that is hard for your staff to maintain usually isn’t the right fit.

Here are Chicago agencies I’d put on a shortlist:

Orbit Media Studios

Orbit Media Studios
Web
Address: 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
Phone: +1 773-348-4581
Best overall fit for a retailer that wants a strategic redesign

• Strong reputation for UX, content structure, SEO, and conversion-focused redesigns.
• Good choice if your current site is old and you need help figuring out navigation, customer journeys, and what to keep/remove.
• More of a strategic partner than a “make it look nicer” shop.

YourPortal

YourPortal
Web
Address: 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
Phone: +1 847-592-6376
Best if you want ecommerce + ongoing digital marketing support

• Chicago-based team with website design, development, Shopify/WooCommerce-related services, and marketing capabilities.
• Worth considering if the redesign may eventually include online ordering, product catalogs, promotions, or customer acquisition campaigns.

Doejo

Doejo
Web
Address: 444 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
Phone: +1 312-888-6473
Best for a custom, modern build

• A River North digital product studio that works on websites and more custom digital experiences.
• A good option if your retailer has unique workflows (custom ordering, integrations, memberships, special features).

SEO Design Chicago

SEO Design Chicago
Web
Address: 2068 N Western Ave 1F - Front, Chicago, IL 60647, United States
Phone: +1 773-677-5747
Best if local search and getting found nearby are priorities

• Focuses on web design plus SEO, which matters for retailers competing for “near me” searches and neighborhood customers.
• Consider them if your current site has weak Google visibility.

Clique Studios

Clique Studios
Web
Address: 20 N Wacker Dr Ste 1075, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
Phone: +1 312-379-9329
Best for a more polished brand experience

• UX/design-oriented agency that can help if your website needs a stronger brand story and customer experience.
• Likely better suited for a retailer where presentation and brand identity are major differentiators.

ArtVersion® Creative Agency

ArtVersion® Creative Agency
Web
Address: 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 1130, Chicago, IL 60606, United States
Phone: +1 312-837-7466
Best for design-heavy retail brands

• Strong UX and creative positioning; worth exploring if the redesign needs to feel premium and visually distinctive.

For your specific situation, I’d ask each agency:

1. Can you show 2–3 retail sites you rebuilt that improved mobile usability?
2. Will our staff be able to update products, hours, promotions, and photos ourselves?
3. How will you protect our existing Google rankings during the redesign?
4. Will you optimize Core Web Vitals/mobile speed before launch?
5. Do you recommend Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, Webflow, or another platform—and why?
6. What happens after launch when we need changes?

My initial shortlist for a Near North Side family retailer would be:

1. Orbit Media Studios — if you want a thoughtful, long-term website strategy
2. YourPortal — if ecommerce and marketing growth matter
3. SEO Design Chicago — if local discovery is the priority
4. Doejo — if you need custom functionality

I’d also compare proposals by process and maintenance plan, not just price. For a retailer, the best redesign is usually the one your team can keep fresh for the next 5+ years.

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d favor a smaller or mid-sized shop that can give you senior attention rather than a giant agency. Based on current offerings, these are the ones I’d shortlist:

1. YourPortal — strongest local fit
   • Located on N. Elston Ave., so genuinely convenient to the North Side.
   • Shopify-focused ecommerce work, including redesigns, migrations, custom development, integrations and ongoing support.
   • Good choice if the retailer sells online or wants the new site to become a stronger sales channel.

2. Uncap — best for a more sophisticated retail operation
   • Chicago-based and heavily focused on Shopify/Shopify Plus.
   • Particularly interesting if you have inventory/ERP integrations, wholesale/B2B requirements, or a complicated catalog.
   • Probably more agency than you need if this is primarily a straightforward informational/local-retail site.

3. Solid Digital — strong all-around redesign partner
   • Chicago-founded, with substantial web-development experience.
   • Offers WordPress/custom development, performance optimization, integrations and ongoing support.
   • I'd put them high on the list if the site is more content/brand-driven than pure ecommerce.

4. SEO Design Chicago — good if local search matters
   • Based on N. Western Ave., with experience spanning web design, ecommerce, SEO, analytics and maintenance.
   • Their published approach specifically emphasizes fast, mobile-responsive, SEO- and conversion-focused sites. seodesignchicago.com
   • Particularly attractive for a retailer that depends heavily on “near me,” neighborhood and Google searches.

5. Marcel Digital — best for a data-driven redesign
   • Chicago agency with UX, development, SEO, CRO and analytics capabilities.
   • Their ecommerce work has included restructuring information architecture, navigation, product discovery and mobile UX—not simply putting a new visual skin over an old site. danmuller.co
   • I'd consider them if you want the redesign tied closely to measurable conversion improvements.

A couple of smaller-shop alternatives

BlueLine Web Studio looks particularly aligned with what you described: it explicitly targets local retail, emphasizes hand-built fast-loading sites, accessibility and ecommerce, and handles the project through launch and maintenance. seodesignchicago.comdanmuller.cobluelinewebstudio.com

Pixel Design is another interesting boutique option if you're already on WordPress. They specialize in custom WordPress/WooCommerce, accessibility and Shopify development, rather than forcing everything into one platform. pixeldesign.io

What I'd ask each agency

Don't just ask, “Can you make our site mobile-friendly?” Give them a performance brief:

• Mobile-first: design for the phone experience before desktop.
• Speed: set explicit Core Web Vitals/page-speed targets rather than accepting “optimized.”
• Simple navigation: customers should reach store hours, location, products/categories and contact information immediately.
• Local SEO: preserve existing rankings, URLs and Google visibility during the migration.
• Easy editing: staff should be able to change hours, promotions, products and photos without calling the developer.
• Accessibility: WCAG-conscious design from the beginning.
• Analytics: establish conversion events before launch so you can demonstrate whether the redesign worked.
• Ownership: make sure your family business owns the domain, hosting, CMS, analytics and source code.

My first three calls would be YourPortal, BlueLine, and SEO Design Chicago. If ecommerce/inventory integration is a major part of the project, I'd swap in Uncap. If the existing site is WordPress and you want a technically clean rebuild without a huge agency, Pixel Design is worth interviewing.

YourPortal · BlueLine Web Studio · SEO Design Chicago

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d prioritize agencies that understand local retail, ecommerce, content management, and performance—not just agencies that make a visually nice brochure site. A strong redesign brief should emphasize:

• Mobile-first UX (thumb-friendly navigation, fast product discovery)
• Core Web Vitals / speed
• Easy updates by your staff
• Local SEO + Google Business integration
• Ecommerce or inventory integration if you sell online
• Accessibility and long-term maintainability

Here are Chicago agencies I’d put on a shortlist:

Best overall fits

Orbit Media Studios
Orbit Media Studios
Orbit Media Studios
Web
Address: 4043 N Ravenswood Ave #316, Chicago, IL 60613, United States
Phone: +1 773-348-4581
A strong choice if you want a strategic redesign rather than just a visual refresh. They focus on UX, content structure, WordPress development, SEO, analytics, and ongoing optimization—useful for a retailer whose website needs to bring people into the store and/or generate sales online.

Best for: established family businesses that want a thoughtful, long-lasting website.

Chicago Web Co.
A good match if your priority is selling online or improving an existing ecommerce experience. Their work emphasizes Shopify, mobile-first design, UX improvements, and conversion-focused storefronts. chicagoweb.co

Best for: apparel, specialty retail, gifts, food, home goods, or any store where online shopping matters.

BlueLine Web Studio
A smaller studio option that may fit a family-owned retailer wanting more direct communication. They highlight custom design, fast-loading builds, ecommerce, SEO, and ongoing maintenance. bluelinewebstudio.com

Best for: owners who want a hands-on partner rather than a large agency process.

Worth considering depending on your platform

Web Tonic
If you’re moving toward Shopify or rebuilding an online store, they focus on ecommerce UX, mobile optimization, checkout improvements, and conversion. www.webtonic.io

Best for: retailers with meaningful online revenue goals.

YourPortal
YourPortal
YourPortal
Web
Address: 2211 N Elston Ave Ste 208, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
Phone: +1 847-592-6376
Located on the Near North Side area, they offer web design, ecommerce, Shopify/WooCommerce work, and ongoing digital support.

Best for: a local retailer that values proximity and a broader marketing partner.

Smaller-budget / simpler redesign options

Palm Grove Web Design focuses on small business websites, mobile-first design, and performance-oriented builds. palmgrovewebdesign.com

Prismatics Digital works on custom-coded websites, redesigns, UX improvements, and small-business digital systems. www.prismaticsdigital.com

My shortlist for a Near North Side family retailer

If I were narrowing this to 3–4 conversations, I’d start with:

1. Orbit Media Studios — best all-around strategic redesign
2. Chicago Web Co. — best if ecommerce is central
3. BlueLine Web Studio — best boutique/direct relationship option
4. YourPortal — best if you want a nearby Chicago partner with marketing support

When you interview them, ask:

• “Can you show three retail sites you rebuilt that improved mobile experience?”
• “What will you do to improve page speed?”
• “How will my staff update products, promotions, and photos?”
• “How will you protect our current Google rankings during the redesign?”
• “Who will actually build the site—the people selling us the project or another team?”

If you share what kind of retailer it is (clothing, furniture, specialty food, hardware, gifts, etc.) and whether you need ecommerce, I can narrow the list further.

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d lean toward agencies that understand small-to-mid-sized businesses, can modernize an older site without losing existing customers/SEO, and will prioritize mobile speed, easy product discovery, and simple content management.

Here are several Chicago agencies I’d put on a shortlist:

Best overall fits for a retail redesign

Orbit Media Studios
A strong choice if the goal is a strategic redesign, not just a visual refresh. They focus heavily on UX, SEO, content structure, performance, and conversion improvements. They’re a good fit if your current site has years of accumulated pages, rankings, or customer information that needs to be preserved during a rebuild.

Doejo
A River North–based studio that could be a good match for a family business wanting a more hands-on partner. They cover design, development, UX, and ongoing improvements, which can be useful when the owner/team wants a close working relationship rather than a large agency process.

YourPortal
Located on the Near North Side, YourPortal works on web design, ecommerce, Shopify, and WooCommerce projects. Being geographically close may appeal if you prefer face-to-face meetings and a local partner.

Good options if ecommerce is central

The Chicago Web Co.
Worth considering if the retailer sells products online or wants to expand ecommerce. They emphasize Shopify, mobile-first storefronts, UX improvements, and conversion-focused redesigns. chicagoweb.co

Web Tonic
More ecommerce-focused, especially for Shopify stores that need better mobile shopping flows, checkout optimization, and growth features. www.webtonic.io

Smaller boutique studios worth a look

Prismatics Digital
A boutique option for a retailer that wants a custom-feeling site rather than a cookie-cutter template. They emphasize custom development, mobile-first builds, speed, and usability. www.prismaticsdigital.com

BlueLine Web Studio
A smaller Chicago studio focused on custom interfaces, fast-loading sites, ecommerce, SEO, and ongoing support. bluelinewebstudio.com

For a family-owned retailer, I’d ask each agency these questions before choosing:

1. Can you show 3 retail sites you redesigned that improved mobile experience?
2. Will you preserve our existing Google rankings during the rebuild?
3. What platform do you recommend (Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, custom) and why?
4. How will staff update products, promotions, hours, and photos after launch?
5. What are your targets for Core Web Vitals/mobile load speed?
6. Who will actually do the work—the senior designer/developer or a junior team?

If this is primarily a brick-and-mortar retailer with an informational site, I’d start with Orbit, Doejo, or YourPortal. If it’s a catalog-heavy store or online sales are a major goal, I’d add The Chicago Web Co. and Web Tonic to the first round.

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d favor a smaller agency/studio that can give you senior attention rather than a large enterprise shop. For a redesign, I’d shortlist these:

1. YourPortal — Near North Side
   • 2211 N. Elston Ave., so it’s unusually convenient for a North Side retailer.
   • Strong fit if you need e-commerce, Shopify/WooCommerce, redesign, and ongoing support. Its local-business profile specifically highlights Shopify migrations, custom design/development, and WooCommerce.
   • My pick if you want a local partner who can handle both the website and the retail/e-commerce side.

2. UX 4Sight — UX-first option
   • Best if the old site is primarily suffering from poor navigation, confusing mobile UX, or a dated customer journey.
   • They specialize in UX/UI, responsive design, usability testing, wireframing, and redesigns.
   • I'd consider them if the project needs more strategic UX work than a simple visual refresh.

3. click5 Interactive LLC — boutique full-service option
   • In River North, at 116 W Hubbard.
   • Combines UX/design with WordPress, e-commerce, and custom development. The agency describes its goal as pairing strong visual design with ease of use.
   • Good middle ground if you want something custom but still personal/boutique.

4. Doejo — established Chicago studio
   • Also right in River North, at 444 N Wabash.
   • Full-stack capability and experience with responsive websites, redesigns, integrations, and rapid launches.
   • Worth talking to if the retailer has more complicated functionality than a typical brochure site.

5. SEO Design Chicago — strong if local search matters
   • Based at 2068 N Western Ave.
   • Particularly interesting if the website needs to bring more people into the physical store: they combine web development with SEO, local search, analytics, performance work, and accessibility.
   • Their WordPress capabilities include custom themes, migrations, e-commerce integrations, and performance auditing.

A couple of specialist alternatives

The Chicago Web Co. is worth a look if you're selling substantially online. They specialize in Shopify and explicitly emphasize mobile-first design, UX/conversion optimization, speed, and post-launch support; they also showcase work for Chicago brands including Stan's Donuts. chicagoweb.co

Orbit Media is the more established/strategic option. Its e-commerce practice focuses on easy navigation, conversion-oriented design, integrations, SEO, and performance. www.orbitmedia.com

What I'd ask each agency for

Don't just ask for a "new website." For your situation, I'd put these requirements in the brief:

• Mobile-first, with the phone experience designed before desktop
• Core Web Vitals / genuinely fast loading, not just "responsive"
• Simple store/location navigation: hours, directions, phone, inventory/product information
• Strong local SEO without sacrificing the family-business personality
• Easy CMS so staff can update products, promotions, hours, and photos themselves
• Analytics and conversion tracking from day one
• SEO-preserving migration, including redirects for old URLs
• Accessibility baked into the build
• Clear ownership of the domain, hosting, CMS, code, and analytics accounts
• A reasonable post-launch support arrangement

My first three calls would be YourPortal, click5, and SEO Design Chicago. If e-commerce is a major revenue channel, I'd swap in The Chicago Web Co. for one of them.

One important caveat: agency websites are largely self-reported, so I'd ask each candidate to show you 2–3 recent retail redesigns, preferably businesses roughly your size, and then test those sites on an actual phone before hiring them.

For a family-owned retailer on the Near North Side, I’d look for a partner that understands local retail behavior (store visits, inventory discovery, promotions, repeat customers) rather than just a “pretty website.” A good redesign should prioritize:

• Mobile-first UX (most customers will find you on phones)
• Fast load times and strong Core Web Vitals
• Easy product/category browsing
• Store hours, location, parking/transit info, and click-to-call
• Integration with your POS, inventory, email marketing, or ecommerce platform if needed
• A CMS your family/team can actually update

A few Chicago-area agencies I’d shortlist:

Best fits for a retailer/ecommerce redesign

The Chicago Web Co.
Good fit if your retailer sells online or wants to expand ecommerce. They focus heavily on Shopify builds, mobile-first storefronts, UX improvements, and conversion optimization, with examples involving consumer brands and local businesses. chicagoweb.co

Web Tonic
Worth considering for a retailer that wants a sales-focused rebuild rather than a brochure site. Their Chicago Shopify work emphasizes mobile optimization, checkout improvements, and conversion-focused ecommerce design. www.webtonic.io

YourPortal
A local option with ecommerce experience (including Shopify and WooCommerce) and a location near the North Side. Could be a good match if you want ongoing support after launch.

Good fits for a smaller family business that wants a hands-on partner

BlueLine Web Studio
A smaller studio approach may suit a family-owned retailer that wants direct communication. They emphasize custom sites, performance, ecommerce, SEO, and ongoing maintenance. bluelinewebstudio.com

Windy City Web Solutions
A local small-business-oriented provider that focuses on WordPress websites, maintenance, and long-term support.

SEO Design Chicago
A possible fit if your redesign goal includes improving Google visibility for local searches like “near me,” store discovery, and organic traffic.

If you want a more premium brand/UX redesign

ArtVersion Creative Agency
Better suited if the goal is a major brand refresh alongside the website—new visual system, storytelling, and polished UX.

For your specific situation, I’d probably start conversations with 3 agencies:

1. The Chicago Web Co. — if ecommerce is important
2. BlueLine Web Studio — if you want a boutique, relationship-driven rebuild
3. YourPortal — if you need a broader digital partner with ecommerce capabilities

When interviewing them, ask for:

• 2–3 examples of retail sites redesigned from older sites
• Before/after mobile speed scores
• Their plan for preserving your current Google rankings
• Who will make updates after launch
• Whether they’ll train your family/team to manage the site

If you share the type of retailer (apparel, specialty food, furniture, gifts, hardware, etc.) and whether you need online ordering/ecommerce, I can narrow the list further.

For a family-owned retailer on the Near North Side, I’d favor a boutique or mid-sized Chicago shop that can balance mobile UX, speed, easy content management, and local/e-commerce needs rather than a huge agency.

My shortlist

1. YourPortal — strongest all-around fit
   • Located on N. Elston Ave., so it’s genuinely local.
   • Offers Shopify-focused redesigns/migrations as well as WooCommerce.
   • Good choice if you want the new site to support both in-store customers and online sales.
   • Their positioning includes ongoing optimization rather than simply handing over a finished site.

2. 1Brand Design — best boutique/local option
   • Based at 444 N. Michigan Ave., right in the Near North Side.
   • Small-team approach with direct client communication.
   • Focuses on modern WordPress sites, branding and marketing—potentially a good fit if the retailer's family history and personality are important to the redesign.

3. Alpha Efficiency — best if SEO and growth matter
   • Also right on Michigan Avenue.
   • Combines web design with technical/local SEO, analytics and conversion optimization.
   • I'd consider them if the redesign needs to improve Google visibility, mobile conversion and measurable traffic, not just appearance.

4. Solid Digital — best for a more sophisticated build
   • Downtown Chicago office and substantial web-development capabilities.
   • Particularly interesting if your old site has accumulated integrations, custom functionality or complicated content.
   • Probably more agency than you need for a straightforward brochure-style retailer site, though.

5. What A Great Website — interesting small-business/retail fit
   • Boutique agency on E. Bellevue Place.
   • Their portfolio reportedly includes retailers and other small businesses, alongside branding and marketing work.
   • Worth talking to if you want the redesign to feel distinctive rather than like a generic retail template.

If you're selling products online

I'd also put The Chicago Web Co. on the interview list. They're specifically Shopify-focused and describe their builds as mobile-first, speed/performance-oriented, with UX and conversion optimization. They also have Chicago retail examples such as Stan's Donuts. chicagoweb.co

The Chicago Web Co.

A potentially excellent small-studio alternative

Renovate Web caught my eye for your description. They're a small Chicago studio that says clients work directly with the designers/developers, with an emphasis on fast, accessible sites, no page builders, and fixed-scope pricing. www.renovateweb.com

Renovate Web

What I'd ask each agency

Give all 3–4 finalists the same brief and ask them to show:

• A mobile homepage concept before desktop
• Their plan for getting the current site's load time/Core Web Vitals under control
• How they'll preserve existing Google rankings and URLs
• Whether they'll recommend WordPress, Shopify, WooCommerce, or something else—and why
• How easily your family/team can update products, hours, photos and promotions
• Examples of retail sites they've actually redesigned
• Accessibility testing, especially keyboard navigation and contrast
• Analytics/conversion tracking
• Total project cost plus expected annual maintenance

For a family-owned retailer, I'd personally start with YourPortal, 1Brand Design, and The Chicago Web Co. They offer three useful perspectives: local full-service/e-commerce, boutique branding, and Shopify/mobile-commerce specialization.

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d favor a smaller or mid-sized agency that can give you senior attention, understands local retail/e-commerce, and treats mobile speed + UX + SEO migration as part of the redesign—not just a prettier homepage.

My shortlist

1. YourPortal — Lincoln Park/Near North
   • Best overall fit if you sell online.
   • Their Chicago office is at 2211 N. Elston Ave., and they specifically work with Shopify and WooCommerce, including migrations, custom design/development and ongoing support.
   • Good choice if your old site is an e-commerce site and you want the redesign tied to actual sales rather than just aesthetics.

2. click5 Interactive LLC — River North
   • Best boutique option.
   • They combine UX/design with development and have experience with WordPress and e-commerce. Their emphasis on ease of use makes them worth considering for a retailer whose customers need to find products, store information, hours, promotions, etc. quickly.

3. Alpha Digital Marketing / Orbit Media — Ravenswood
   • Best if SEO and organic traffic are important.
   • Orbit is a substantially more established agency, with strategy, UX, development and SEO capabilities. Its e-commerce work specifically emphasizes easy navigation and conversion. www.orbitmedia.com
   • This would be my pick if your current site already ranks well and you're worried about losing Google traffic during the redesign.

4. SEO Design Chicago — Logan Square
   • Best practical small-business/SEO combination.
   • They offer custom WordPress work, migrations, e-commerce, performance optimization and accessibility, and are actually located on N. Western Ave.
   • Particularly appealing if you want to modernize an existing WordPress site rather than completely reinvent your technology stack.

5. UX 4Sight — Chicago Loop
   • Best if the site's usability is the central problem.
   • They specialize in UX/UI, usability audits, user research, responsive design and redesigns.
   • I'd consider them if the old site is confusing on phones or customers struggle to find products, locations, policies, or other information.

A couple of smaller alternatives

10com Web Development is worth getting a quote from if budget matters; they advertise custom redesigns, responsive sites and e-commerce.

Alpha Efficiency is another option if you want the redesign paired with SEO, analytics and digital marketing. They're at 875 N. Michigan Ave. and position the website as a revenue-generating asset rather than simply a brochure.

One newer/smaller-shop option I'd investigate

BlueLine Web Studio explicitly lists local retail among its target clients and says it builds hand-coded, fast-loading sites with e-commerce, SEO and ongoing maintenance. bluelinewebstudio.com That's unusually aligned with what you're asking for, although I'd ask for several comparable retail references before choosing them.

What I'd put in your RFP

Don't simply ask agencies to "make the site mobile-friendly." Ask each one to commit to:

• Mobile-first UX, with the key customer journeys designed around a phone.
• Core Web Vitals/performance targets, rather than vague claims about being "fast."
• A plan for preserving existing Google rankings, including URL mapping, redirects and metadata.
• Easy internal editing of products, promotions, store information and content.
• Accessibility baked into the design/build.
• Analytics and conversion tracking before launch.
• Testing on actual iPhones/Android devices, not just resizing a desktop browser.
• A clear explanation of whether they'd keep WordPress/Shopify/WooCommerce or recommend migrating—and why.

For a family-owned retailer, I'd probably take YourPortal, Orbit, and click5 through the first round, then add SEO Design Chicago if the existing site is WordPress-heavy.

If you tell me what kind of retailer you are and whether the current site sells products online, I can narrow this to 3 agencies and compare them on likely budget, retail/e-commerce experience, location, and technical approach.

For a family-owned retailer on Chicago’s Near North Side, I’d favor a smaller or mid-sized Chicago shop that can balance mobile UX, speed, local SEO, and easy day-to-day content management rather than a large agency that treats the project like an enterprise transformation.

My shortlist

1. YourPortal — best overall fit if you sell online
   • Chicago-based, at 2211 N. Elston Ave.
   • Strong Shopify/WooCommerce focus alongside web design, SEO, and ongoing support.
   • Particularly worth a conversation if the redesign needs to improve both the storefront and ecommerce experience.

2. Orbit Media Studios — best for strategy + UX
   • Ravenswood-based and well established in Chicago.
   • Their work emphasizes UX research, information architecture, conversion optimization, accessibility, and performance—not just visual redesign.
   • I'd shortlist them if the old site has accumulated years of confusing navigation/content.

3. IDE Interactive, Inc. — best if the site needs more custom functionality
   • On the North Side at Peterson Ave.
   • Combines UX/design with web development and ecommerce, including Shopify.
   • A good option if your retailer has unusual inventory, integrations, customer accounts, or other functionality beyond a standard marketing site.

4. 1Brand Design — good small/midsize-business option
   • Chicago studio focused on WordPress sites, branding, SEO and conversion-oriented design.
   • I'd consider them if you're primarily looking for a polished redesign rather than a complicated ecommerce replatform.

5. Virgo Web Design — especially interesting because you're on the North Side
   • Located on N. Ridge Ave in the Edgewater/Andersonville area.
   • Offers redesigns, ecommerce, CMS implementation and SEO.
   • Potentially a nice fit if having a nearby, smaller Chicago shop matters to you.

Two more worth getting proposals from

UX 4Sight is a good choice if user-friendliness is the central problem: they're specifically UX/UI focused, including responsive redesigns, wireframing and conversion-oriented experiences.

Solid Digital is the more substantial-agency option. They're downtown and have experience with WordPress/custom development, performance and integrations. I'd choose them if the retailer has a more complex site or ambitious growth plans.

If speed is the #1 requirement

I'd also look at The Chicago Web Co. Their published work is heavily ecommerce/Shopify-oriented and explicitly emphasizes mobile-first design, UX and performance. Their portfolio includes Chicago retail brands such as Stan's Donuts and several full-site redesigns. chicagoweb.co

For a non-ecommerce informational/local-retail site, Prismatics is another interesting boutique option: they build custom React/Next.js sites and explicitly focus on mobile-first, accessibility, SEO and performance. www.prismaticsdigital.com

What I'd ask each agency

Don't just ask, "Can you make it mobile-friendly?" Give them these requirements:

• Mobile-first IA and navigation, not desktop shrunk down.
• Core Web Vitals/performance targets with image optimization and minimal third-party scripts.
• Preserve and improve your existing Google rankings with a URL/redirect audit.
• Accessibility baked into the design.
• Easy CMS editing for your staff—products, promotions, store hours, events, etc.
• Analytics configured before launch so you can measure whether the redesign actually works.
• If ecommerce: product search/filtering, inventory integration, checkout and mobile purchasing should be tested on real phones.
• A documented post-launch support/maintenance plan.

My first three calls would be YourPortal, Orbit Media, and IDE Interactive. They give you three useful perspectives: ecommerce/business practicality, UX/content strategy, and custom technical capability.

If you tell me what you sell, whether the site is ecommerce, what platform the old site uses (WordPress/Shopify/etc.), and roughly what you'd like to spend, I can narrow this to 3 agencies that are particularly well matched and compare their likely strengths.