[1] It was constructed during the 1920s to replace Pine Street, which had been lined with factories and warehouses near the river, and fine mansion and rowhouse residences farther north.

[6] After the Great Depression and World War II, Arthur Rubloff and William Zeckendorf bought or controlled most of the property along this stretch of the avenue and supported a plan by Holabird & Root for construction of new buildings and renovation of old ones that took advantage of new zoning laws.

[7] Rubloff and Zeckendorf successfully developed and promoted the area until it became one of the most prestigious addresses of the city, spurring new investment along the Magnificent Mile and throughout the Near North Side.

[3] In August 2020, the Magnificent Mile was looted by large crowds during a night of unrest after Chicago police shot a black person in Englewood.

[12] Today, The Magnificent Mile contains a mixture of upscale department stores, restaurants, retailers, residential and commercial buildings, financial services companies, and hotels, catering primarily to tourists.

Retailers on The Magnificent Mile include: Canada Goose, Cartier, Bulgari, Burberry (its U.S. flagship location), Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Max Mara, St. John, Omega, Stuart Weitzman, Montblanc, Rolex, Ralph Lauren (Ralph Lauren's largest store in the world), Kate Spade, Eskandar, Henri Bendel, Hugo Boss, Salvatore Ferragamo, American Girl, Ermenegildo Zegna, Zara, MCM, Tumi, Kiehl's, Michael Kors, J.

Each spans multiple floors and city blocks and offers various tenants: mall mainstays and more upscale apparel shops, restaurants, and unique attractions, such as museums.

In 2008, a public art installation of kinetic sculptures designed by local and international architects was placed in the garden beds.

Past artists include: Collective Soul, Better Than Ezra, Mat Kearney, Michael Franti, Kris Allen, and Guster.

[38] The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, presented by BMO Harris Bank, is the annual kick-off to Chicago's Christmas season.

[42] The day of the event has special activities and offers across Magnificent Mile businesses, plus interactive holiday booths in Pioneer Court, and a free concert with free concerts featuring popular artists all afternoon on the Harris Stage (past artists have included Jason Mraz, Mitchel Musso, and KT Tunstall).

Pedestrian traffic abounds along the broad sidewalks that are shielded by extensive, mature greenery that provides much of the friendly atmosphere.

[14] In autumn 2011, North Michigan Avenue was completely repaved from the Chicago River to Oak Street with a durable stone-matrix asphalt pavement mix that incorporated high levels of recycled materials, including waste shingles, ground tire rubber, and asphalt millings, diverting some 800 tons of material from landfills.

In July 2012, the City of Chicago and CDOT were honored with the Environmental Leadership Award from the National Asphalt Pavement Association.