Ananda Shakti, Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Surfing Cowboys, Abbot Kinney Blvd.
If you asked locals about where trends started a few years ago, Abbot Kinney Boulevard probably wouldn’t have been on the list. But things have changed. Seemingly overnight, this quiet Venice neighborhood has gone from below-the-radar bohemia to premier destination — particularly when it comes to shopping on Abbot Kinney.
It’s the mix of hippie funk and haute couture that makes Abbot Kinney Boulevard special. It doesn’t hurt that it’s completely walkable, either. After all, when Abbot Kinney founded Venice, his utopian neighborhood was one of high and low cultures. Concert orchestras and idiosyncratic shows offered amusements for all types. In a way, the neighborhood hasn’t wandered too far from its eclectic roots.
For many visitors, that originality makes Abbot Kinney Boulevard stand apart. Many think of the area as the go-to source for souvenir shopping. The stores are unique to Los Angeles, selling products you can’t find anywhere else. For example, the local artists co-op, Ten Women, offers glazed ceramics, handmade cards and sculptures, everything with a dash of local flavor.
“There’s a lot of innovative stuff going on here,” says Donna Gunther, co-owner of Surfing Cowboys, a boutique/gallery with funky beach culture appeal. “There’s merchandise that you can’t find in other parts of the city.”
Even though people have only started hearing about Abbot Kinney Boulevard in the last few years, it’s always been known as a design and art district. Local artists have made their homes in the neighborhood, as well as advertising agencies and design firms (just take a look at Abbot Kinney Boulevard's First Fridays). The result: cutting-edge trends start here.
“It’s always been an area with a certain amount of design,” Gunther says. “In the last five years, there’s been a huge surge.”
When major publications and newspapers — both local and international — began to highlight the area, popularity soared. People started getting curious, business boomed, and now Abbot Kinney Boulevard plays host to A-list celebrities (actress Julia Roberts and architect Frank Gehry have brought property here) in addition to the original bohemian crowd of artists and writers.
These days, you’ll find old school vintage across the street from high-end accessories. You’ll find grungy surfers crossing paths with future fashion models. You’ll find quirky coffee shops next to sleek bars. You might say it’s a neighborhood in transition, but enjoy it. You won't find this mix of style, shopping and culture anywhere else in Los Angeles.
