The Magnificent Mile

The Magnificent Mile / mag NIF uh cent MY el/ n. The tony stretch of North Michigan Avenue bordered by the Chicago River and Oak Street (The Wrigley Building to the Drake Hotel). The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association, which trademarked the name "The Magnificent Mile" in 2001, considers the borders to be Randolph Street and North Avenue, plus Lake Michigan to the east and the North Branch of the Chicago River to the west. But that's more than a mile. The name was coined in 1947 by developer Arthur Rubloff. Sometimes called the "Mag Mile," and, incorrectly, the "Miracle Mile" (see: Coral Gables, Fla.) Populated by high-end stores, flower planters and people from Iowa.