WHITE GLOVE EXPERIENCE

Chris Pickering, owner of Curated Audio in Skokie, has been a music lover and audio system devotee since he cobbled together his first system in 1980. He believes that music is a passion and high-end audio is a great way to get there—a vision that inspired him to start the business in 2022. The focus of Curated Audio is bringing high-end audio sound to a wider audience. According to Pickering, audio systems with an amazing sound have evolved from arcane and expensive to reasonably priced and convenient. While Curated Audio has showrooms at its Skokie location, one of its specialties is bringing audio systems directly to the client to audition—in their own home. “Curated Audio works because of a shared passion amongst the team and a focus on making every customer feel the White Glove experience,” says Pickering.

What trends are you currently seeing in your industry, and how do you anticipate these trends evolving over the next year?
There is a growing sense of how slowing down and taking time for simple pleasures are important components of self-care. Making good-sounding music part of your everyday can be an important part of a self-care routine. Our home audio systems sound superb and are very easy to use, providing a simple, sublime pleasure that can be part of an everyday routine.

How do you tailor your services to meet the unique needs of luxury homeowners?
A good home audio system starts with listening to our clients. Sometimes it is just letting the client talk. Other times we ask questions and use conversation starters to help us define which audio system will make the client not just satisfied, but thrilled. We pay particular attention to how the clients want to control their music. The system has to work easily as well as sound great. We also install with an emphasis on visual subtlety, providing a great sounding system that blends into the aesthetic of the room.

How do you elevate a space?
We have all been in the car when one of our favorite songs comes on the radio—that can absolutely set the mood, whether it’s ecstatic, jubilant, or sad. The great sounding home audio systems we provide our clients enables them to set that mood any time they want and turn their home into their own music venue.

Curated Audio is located at 8214 McCormick Boulevard in Skokie. For more information, call 224-361-9400 or visit curatedaudio.com. You may also follow Curated Audio on Instagram @curated_audio.