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Los Angeles's close association to the rich and famous has long made it a major shopping destination, but in recent years the city has grown beyond just a locale for luxe clothing and accessories—although high-end goods will always be a cornerstone of L.A.'s retail scene. With a wealth of stellar vintage spots, purveyors of affordable on-the-pulse products, and an ever-growing number shops selling local, artisanal goods, there is truly something for every type of spender here.
No matter what it is you're shopping for, L.A.'s consistently sunny and warm weather also means you can often hunt for wares in the open air, whether it be at a flea market full of hidden treasures, or a street lined with boutiques to explore. As you stroll, good eateries are never too far away, and you can always find somewhere delicious to dine and covertly star-watch.
If in fact you are in the celebrity-studded city to catch a glimpse of a famous face or two, you may want to start at their mecca, Beverly Hills, where a bevy of major designers' outposts and impeccably curated stores cater to upcale clientele.
After getting your fix there, you can hop into your car and absorb the city’s other varied offerings, including down-and-dirty bargains in Downtown, dozens of well-designed boutiques lining Venice's famed Abbot Kinney Boulevard, or mint-condition vintage fashions in Los Feliz.
Brighten your day with a visit to Plant Material. This charming nursery and plant shop specializes in California native plants with a diverse selection of organic herbs and other climate-adapted flora. The friendly owners have also curated a lovely collection of pots, gardening tools, and naturally dyed gardening apparel to bring extra joy into horticulture.
Culver City's revitalization has created hot spots like Platform, a design-forward space filled with independent restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops, and spas. Standouts include Italian bakery Bianca, New York pizza transplant Roberta's, tech-bro chic from The Optimist, and a Blue Bottle Coffee shop with amphitheater seating.
There’s something comforting about Potted, almost as if you’ve just walked into your parents’ sunroom or a woodland fairy’s home. This is a garden full of colors, nooks, and crannies to tuck yourself into, and there are treasures of the botanic kind waiting to be discovered. It’s every plant lover's paradise, but even those who wouldn't consider themselves to be plant fiends will be tempted to buy a memento here.
Prada's Rodeo Drive haven sits inside the incredibly cool Rem Koolhaas–designed Italian showcase space, which features 20-foot-wide staircases and fun-house curves.
This self-described "tiny toy shop" fails to mention that it is also a beautifully curated jewel box of a tiny toy shop. Along with trendy toys, this sunny, well-organized space offers a wide range of kids' books, plushies, accessories, musical instruments, science and craft kits, scooters, puzzles, art, holiday cookie kits and seasonal decorations, and more.
Vinyl records and music memorabilia abound in this hip yet modest record store/music lover magnet. A visit here is usually a multi-hour affair that involves browsing through display cases, digging through wooden carts of used vinyls, CDs, and cassettes, and then playing your picks at the listening station.
Local trendsetters flock here for the sexy, easy-to-wear Reformation dresses, including a totally affordable bridal line, jumpsuits, and separates. They are sustainably manufactured using recycled materials.
Restoration Hardware is a beacon for shoppers looking for a curated collection of upscale furniture, rugs, lighting, textiles, bath vanities, and more. The stunning shop also has an outdoor rooftop park and conservatory with wicker furniture, hanging lights, tea candles, and epic views of the Hollywood Hills.
Television sweethearts Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen have owned this luxury outfitter since 2006, offering women and men’s clothing, shoes, and accessories. The brand focuses on top-of-the-line fabrics and high-end designers with a “less is more” mentality. This place is a neutrals-lover’s dream closet, where classic pieces meet modern silhouettes and even the sweatpants are supremely chic.
The city's newest shopping, food, and cultural destination in the venerable L.A. Arts District, Row DTLA is spread across an entire campus, with around 100 curated boutique stores like Poketo, Bodega, A+R, Flask & Field, and Tokyo Bike. Additionally, new restaurants like Rappahannock Oyster Bar and Michelin-starred Hayato seem to be popping up weekly. A weekend highlight is Smorgasburg, where every Sunday dozens of food stalls pop up in the next-door parking lot serving tasty favorites across every cuisine imaginable.
Celebrities with the coolest, edgiest styles know they can head to the slick storefront to score the label's signature pieces, like moto jackets, skinny jeans, and platform pumps. A men's store with equally rock star–worthy clothing and accessories is just down the street.
Situated in the Fashion District, the Santee Alley is known for back-alley deals on knockoffs of designer sunglasses, jewelry, handbags, shoes, and clothing. Be prepared to haggle, and don't lose sight of your wallet. Weekend crowds can be overwhelming, but there's plenty of street food to keep your energy up.
The corner of Ventura and Coldwater—the former site of a legendary old Hollywood hangout called Sportsmen's Lodge—is hopping once again with the arrival of this sleek open-air collection of shops, restaurants, and wellness providers. After a stint in the hyperbaric oxygen pod, grab one of those extravagant Erewhon smoothies people are constantly talking about on social media and peruse the racks of athleisure at Vuori, Hoka, FP Movement, and Alo. After attending a Ikebana or fairy terrarium workshop at Rolling Greens nursery, sit under the redwoods (a holdover from the hotel's heyday) or alongside the water feature to enjoy nibbles from L.A. staples like Kismet Rotisserie, Sugarfish, Hi-Ho Burgers, Uovo, or Winston's Pies.
Silver Lake’s decent sized farmers' market is undeniably Silver Lake. Alongside growers’ tents selling their freshest harvests—either locally grown or certified organic, of course—are tables displaying healing crystals, vintage cassette tapes, and treasures from far-flung parts of the world like Ghana and India. There are also racks of secondhand clothing, and stalls cooking up something delicious and vegan.
Boutique wineries from around the world provide this shop with the vintage bottles that fill the floor-to-ceiling racks. The relaxed and unassuming but knowledgeable staff can steer you to the right wine or spirits for any occasion. Those who prefer to enjoy their wine in the privacy of their vacation rental or hotel will be pleased to know they also do deliveries around Silver Lake and the neighboring areas.
A neighborhood bookstore through and through, Skylight has excellent sections devoted to kids, fiction, travel, and food. The space also hosts book discussion groups, panels, and author readings with hip literati. Art lovers can peruse texts on design and photography, graphic novels, and indie magazines at Skylight's annex a few doors down.
This pop-culture supermarket offers a wide range of items, including rows of books on art and design. But it's the novelty stock that makes the biggest impression, with ant farms, X-ray specs, and anime figurines for sale. An adjacent gallery space, La Luz de Jesus, focuses on underground art.
When you're shopping for the nontraditional type, you can count on this quirky boutique to provide unique goods including taxidermy, printed wood flasks, white magic spell kits, and cheeky socks, much of which is created by Spitfire Girl's own house label.
Stories Books and Café has persevered through all of Echo Park's growing pains, continuing to be the mainstay for local booklovers. The unconventional bookstore features an off-the-beaten-path collection of new and used literature, a café with ample work space, and a back patio that showcases live performances and readings.
Finding your signature fragrance at this sleek Abbot Kinney boutique won't come cheap, but perfumer Alexandra Balahoutis takes creating her scents as seriously as a seasoned winemaker—and they're just as nuanced as a well-balanced glass of vino. Essences for the perfumes are organic, wild crafted, biodynamic, and bottled locally. Highlights from SI's core collection include the cacao-spiked Dimanche and leathery Black Rosette.
Philippe Starck designed the TASCHEN space to evoke a cool 1920s Parisian salon—a perfect showcase for the publisher's design-forward coffee-table books about architecture, travel, culture, and photography. A suspended glass cube gallery in back hosts art exhibits and features limited-edition books.
At Pasadena's favorite fair-trade retailer, many of the shop workers are volunteers, which helps to maximize profits for the stable of artisans from more than 30 countries who produce eye-catching and unique home decor, accessories, gifts, art, and more here. Enticing options include a wool Nepalese shawl in the color palette of wild mushrooms, intricately cut metal wall hangings of birds and trees made in Haiti from oil drum lids, or a Bangladeshi Moses basket that wouldn't look out of place in a multimillion-dollar Malibu estate.
There is no shortage of spots to shop everything from sporting goods to trendy fashions on this pedestrian-friendly strip. Outposts here are mainly of the chain-but-cool variety (think Urban Outfitters or Anthropologie), and in between splurging on books, clothing, sneakers, and more, shoppers can pop into one of the many eateries, watch street performers and artists do their thing, or even catch a movie at one of the theaters. Additionally, the chef-approved Farmers Market takes over twice a week (Wednesday and Saturday), and with the beach just a few steps away, the destination is a quintessential California stop.
Who can resist a gift that comes in those iconic blue boxes? Discover three floors of classic and contemporary jewelry (including plenty of sparklers perfect for popping the question) as well as watches, crystal, and china.
You probably won’t find anything useful in the Time Travel Mart, and that’s exactly the point. From dinosaur eggs to robot milk, this is a store that touts the absurdly hilarious—all of which should bring back memories of your childhood and maybe a little bit of joy. That's because the store holds a secret: it’s really a fundraiser for the nonprofit 826LA, which tutors neighborhood kids in the back section. So buy something unnecessary but absolutely wonderful, for a worthy cause.
If gift-giving is your love language, stop by treehaus for trinkets and surprises that have a uniquely L.A. touch. The shop carries local artisans’ treasures ranging from clothes and jewelry to art supplies and toys for children.
Founder Audrey Woollen brings her long experience as a leader in the stationery industry to her store, bringing in beloved brands and designs, many unique to Urbanic. You'll find cute cards and stationery to send those wish-you-were-here wishes as well as gifts and office and home decor. The store also holds occasional crafty special events; check online if you'll be in the area for a while.
Run by a collective of outdoor enthusiasts, the Usal Outdoor Research Center is a flagship store and hub with select clothing, books, and goods. The space also hosts weekly workshops, classes, meetups, and events to learn and be inspired by the outdoors.
With its columned facade, temple dome ceiling, and recherché design, this is just the place for a dramatic red-carpet gown, bold bags, sunglasses, and accessories. It also stocks sleek menswear for fashion-forward fellows.
Southern California's oldest and largest independent bookseller is justly famous for its great service. A newsstand, café, literary-themed wine bar, and stationery store add to the appeal, and it's a favorite with locals for its on-trend, eclectic gift selection. A regular rotation of events including trivia night, kids' story time, and author meet and greets gets the community involved.
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