First California Store for Zachary's Smile
Opening a store in the middle of a recession may not be a great retail idea, but New York–based fashion label Zachary’s Smile found it was a good time to open its first California store, according to co-owner and designer Kristi Paras.
“In a period when everybody is freaking out, it’s good to open a store. It inspires confidence,” Paras said. “And people still want to see new stuff.”
Paras and business partner Robert Haddad opened a 700-square-foot-plus boutique on Dec. 10 at 4014 Santa Monica Blvd., located in Los Angeles’ Sunset Junction neighborhood. The store retails Zachary’s Smile’s two lines. There is White Label, which offers dresses embellished with vintage details, typically retailing for $188. Then there is Remake/Remodel by Zachary’s Smile. It takes vintage fabrics and vintage fashions and reimagines and repurposes the clothes into new styles.
Zachary’s Smile has run two stores in New York City since 2002 and has been designing and manufacturing its own fashions since 2004. The label opened a new store to be part of the California scene and to perhaps start manufacturing fashion here.
Another reason for the Los Angeles move is rent. Paras estimated rents on Sunset Junction are 50 percent lower than rents at her two stores in Manhattan. The lower cost will give her business precious time.
She expects it will take a while before Californians discover the Sunset Junction boutique because of California’s car culture. Unlike Manhattan, there are not too many pedestrian retail neighborhoods in Los Angeles. “You don’t have walk-by traffic here,” Paras said. —Andrew Asch
