Before I go home for Christmas I want to take a jaunt into Los Angeles and see if I can dig up any gifts. What I’m looking for mainly are niche stores - you know, the kind with retro and regional clothing and random tchotchkes and whatnot - perhaps to find some (serious or jokey) California-related gifts for my Mississippi family. Movie- or music-related shoppes are fine as well.
So, anyone know of any good, not-too-expensive stores? They don’t have to be in LA proper - places somewhat north of LA are fine as well. I still don’t really know my way around the city too well, so if you could provide approximate addresses (street names - I can Mapquest 'em for directions), I would be eternally grateful.
Well, rather than give you exact stores to go to, I’ll give you some areas to check out–
3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica (just a few blocks in from the pier). There’s some retro clothing shops, some interesting independent book sellers, and a few funky stores.
Old Town Pasadena (Colorado Boulevard, just off the 134). Although it’s beginning to be taken over by the chain stores, there’s still some good shops around. Be sure to poke around some of the alleys and side streets. There is a Penny Lane music store–excellent place to look for music.
Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks. It’s a few blocks west of Van Nuys Boulevard. There’s some unusual consignment shops and music stores.
Melrose Avenue, east of Fairfax…just walk down the street for about 10 blocks. Used to be a lot better, but still has enough to make you want to stop in and browse through a lot of the stores.
Oh, and how could I forget Venice Beach…but go early on a weekend and I wouldn’t really hang out there after dark. Not sure if it is as wild and crazy this time of year, but those shops have a wide selection of strange and wacky things to buy.
You might also try French Market in West Hollywood (corner of Laurel and Santa Monica Blvd, sort of on your way to Melrose). There are a few interesting shops there and you can at least sit down and have something to eat and watch what wanders through.
Also, there is the Farmer’s Market and the (new) shopping area behind it located at Fairfax and Third. Lots of interesting things there as well.
Farmer’s Market is still good, but – while I loveThe Grove shopping center – it’s really too mainstream to qualify as “niche-y shopping,” IMO. The Gap, Barnes & Noble, Victoria’s Secret, etc. The only shop unique at The Grove is the Apple Store, and that’s primarily because it’s one of the “flagship” stores with the glass staircase.
Still, if you’ve got some time to kill, hanging out at The Grove and Farmer’s Market is not a bad way to spend it.
Actually, I moved to Las Vegas before they finished The Grove (but I have heard it is nice.) But what I meant was that in the Farmer’s Market, they have all kinds of gifty-type shops with useless trinkets and even some nice stuff inbetween the knickknacks, or the old standby; the crate of California food products. Oh, and while you are there, go to Thee’s Bakery and try the Princess cake…it is green (covered with sheet of marzipan) with a light cake and pudding filling.