San Diego's Comeback
Eden Boutique in The Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego. Photo credit Alan Hall.
The Great Recession hit downtown San Diego’s fashion scene hard. Many boutiques shuttered in an area that has been long popular with people visiting the San Diego Convention Center, as well as tourists carousing at the neighborhood’s popular bar and nightclub strip The Gaslamp Quarter.
As the economy improves, boutique retailer Alan Hall took a gamble on The Gaslamp. He opened womenswear store Eden Boutique at 520 5th Avenue in downtown San Diego in Feb. 16.
“In retail you have to go to where the people are,” Hall said.People are moving into downtown San Diego’s pricey condos, according to Hall. The district features a heavy pedestrian traffic, however there are few independent boutiques there. “There are no guarantees,” he said. “The pie is smaller there, but we have a bigger piece of the pie.”
Hall may be on to something. On March 5, Dolcetti, a boutique offering men’s and women’s contemporary fashions opened across the street from Eden. Dolcetti co-owner Minet Taylor said the area’s pedestrian traffic convinced her 5th Avenue was a good place to open. “Millions of people walk down 5th Avenue each year. It’s a great street for traffic.”
