WHAT’S CHECKING
What’s Checking on West 3rd Street
Loyal longtime customers and heavy foot traffic continue to make West Third Street a retail destination in Los Angeles. Retail owners recently saw a street-wide hike in rent but still report steady business on the thoroughfare runway between La Cienega Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue in the heart of Los Angeles. Boutique owners say their hands-on approach to all aspects of their business helps them offer distinct points of view that resonate with new and returning customers alike.
Library: Volume Two
8424 W. Third St.
www.libraryla.com
Library, a staple of LA’s Larchmont Village, opened its second location, on West Third, a little over a year ago. A third store—dubbed Volume Three—is slated to open on Hillhurst in LA’s Los Feliz neighborhood later this month.
“At this [West Third] location, most of our customers are either locals or tourists who are staying at local hotels,” said store manager Julia Robertson. “We have lots of foot traffic here.”
While the store carries its staple brands such as IRO, Rag & Bone, Frame Denim and Rails plaid shirts, owner Michael Mizrahi has been heavily incorporating the store’s five private-label collections—Reference, Article, Fiction, Volume and Archive—into the mix of merchandise.
Choker styles have been selling very well as have bomber and moto jackets. Bodysuits and bralettes have also been strong sellers with customers of all ages.
“We also offer ‘super-soft’ loungewear pieces that, while customers may not be looking for, once they feel how soft the pieces are, they cannot resist buying at least one piece,” Robertson said.
Nathalie Seaver Boutique
8360 W. Third St.
www.maison-nathalie.com
Store owner and designer Nathalie Seaver recognizes that while her store is not for the masses her timeless silhouettes and unique gift items including vegan-leather bags, hats with unique appliqués she adds herself and hand-painted silk neckties ($128) are what have contributed to her 18 years of success.
“I service an underserved market for women who want to be stylish but not necessarily trendy,” she said. “Style should be something that makes you feel good, not something you have to work at.”
All designs are French-inspired, print-heavy and “constantly inspired by the fluid styles of the 1930s,” Seaver said.
While she offers a mix of in-house-designed pieces and select private-label off-the-rack styles, customization is the core of her business.
“If someone walks in and is between sizes, I am always happy to create exactly what they want, in their measurements. Custom pieces for weddings—especially mother-of-the-bride—and award shows have always been the core of my business,” she said.
Fabrik
8364 W. Third St.
www.shopfabrikca.com
Although Fabrik has been in its location for only eight months, founder and owner Daniel Lipkin has been a resident of the area for 15 years and knows the neighborhood well. “It was a no-brainer to open on West Third. This is my home.”
While Lipkin does not follow trends when buying, he does stock suave urban pieces for men and women from brands such as Engineered Garments New York, APC, Stone Island, Greg Lauren, Isabel Marant Etoile, PLAY Comme des Garçons, Simon Miller, Golden Goose and Nili Lotan.
As of yet, the store has not utilized any social media or PR campaigns to gain notoriety and reports business as being “good. … All of our customers have found us organically, either by walking by or word of mouth.”
RagdollLA
8400 W. Third St.
www.ragdoll-la.com
Originally from Sweden, Ragdoll founder and designer Lisa Larson has run her West Coast flagship location for two years on West Third. Larson split the space into the retail store in the front and company headquarters—including design studio and corporate showroom— in the back. Larson also runs a Ragdoll retail store on Bleecker Street in New York.
All designs reflect Larson’s personal style: classic, easy silhouettes with hints of sexy, vintage, and rock ’n’ roll elements, all with an upscale feel at affordable price points. Everything is made in the USA and Turkey and is sold through the two stores, specialty boutiques across the country and internationally online.
RagdollLA’s distressed tees ($69–$89) have been a solid top seller, especially in camouflage. The Ragdoll track pants ($107–$169)—with high/low hem, leather details and brass beads—have also been selling out lately. As LA’s weather cools, cashmere sweaters have also been very popular, particularly Ragdoll LA’s chevron sweater ($299).
Polka Dots & Moonbeams
8381 W. Third St. (contemporary) /
8367 W. Third St. (vintage)
www.polkadotsandmoonbeams.com
Having resided in the same locations since 1982, Polkadots and Moonbeams founder Wendy Freedman reports business as being “great!” Freedman attributes her ongoing success to “loyal customers, customer service and constantly shopping” for new and fresh merchandise for her store. “We offer personal styling to everyone who comes in, and our customers really appreciate it.”
Recently, bomber jackets, bodysuits and jewelry have been top sellers, as have all styles from For Love & Lemons and Michael Lauren. Freedman has also recently started carrying loungewear, candles, mugs, makeup bags and glassware from Jac Vanek, with sayings such as “I don’t want to adult today.”
“There are tons of brands with sayings out there, but these are clever and my customers recognize it. I have never sold so much glassware, ever,” she said.
