Didn’t catch this the first time around, but Crain’s recently carried an article about the odd confluence of woman-owned retailers converging in Wicker Park and Bucktown during the recent boutique explosion. Retailing has long been one business sector where women have found success, but women own 80% of the retailers in the WP/B Chamber of Commerce — and nearly half of all WPBCoC businesses. Two factors named: cheap rents (and therefore low startup costs) and a nurturing, supportive competitive environment.