Los Angeles Shopping Information
Los Angeles shopping is open to reinvention, whether personal or communal. If a new image is your aim, take your pick from the sophisticated designs available on Rodeo Drive, the bohemian styles brimming along Melrose Avenue, or the more niche clothing and accessories along Montana Avenue. Want to start your make over from within? Check out the farmers' markets that offer organic produce you've never heard of. Looking to improve your personal space? The antique shops on Melrose Place or art galleries sprinkled from Santa Monica through West Hollywood abound with possibilities. New shopping districts pop up seemingly overnight, reflecting local entrepreneurs' creativity in finding affordable retail spaces. In addition to the newly revitalized Hollywood, look for the blossoming shopping areas in Chinatown (home to a crowd of new art galleries), Koreatown (a bohemia in the making), Echo Park (an extension of the young, hip Los Feliz area), and Leimert Park (an artsy, Afrocentric neighborhood).
Distances between shopping districts can be vast in this notoriously car-dependent city; don't try to hit too many shopping areas in one day, or you'll spend more time driving than spending.
Most stores in Los Angeles are open 10 to 6, however many stay open until 9 or later, particularly those on Melrose Avenue and in Santa Monica. Shops along Melrose and in the Los Feliz vicinity don't get moving until 11 AM. Here is a look at just a few of the shops you will be able to find in Los Angeles.
BOOKSTORES
Bodhi Tree Bookstore
8585 Melrose Ave.
West Hollywood, CA
Tel: 310/659-1733
Bodhi Tree Bookstore stands by their motto "Books to Illuminate the Heart and Mind." Its metaphysical orientation infuses its books, gifts, music, and videos. Psychic readings, signings, lectures, and workshops are daily events. Directly behind the store, Bodhi's used bookshop also sells herbs and teas.
 Book Soup
8818 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA
Tel: 310-659-3110
Book Soup is a rebuke to anyone who says that L.A. has no culture. Book Soup is one of the best independent bookstores in the country, and is especially deep in works of literary fiction, local history, photography, movies, and music. An international newsstand, bargain book section, and impressive and eclectic series of author readings and signings are some benefits.
Children's Book World
10580 1/2 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
Tel: 310-559-2665 (559-BOOK)
Children's Book World is a full-service children's bookshop in West Los Angeles stocking over 80,000 titles for children, parents, teachers and collectors. There is also a large selection of music, books on tape, videos, and educational aids.
DEPARTMENT STORES
Neiman Marcus
9700 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA
Tel: 310-550-5900
Neiman Marcus has been called "Needless Markups" by some shoppers, but nevertheless attracts a loyal, local following of the rich and sometimes famous. High-end fashions and accessories, from the classic to the avant-garde, are the store's strongest suits. The store's studio department lives to serve the entertainment industry.
Barneys New York
9570 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA
Tel: 310-276-4400
Barneys New York will not be mistaken for Barneys in New York. While the L.A. version has a similar look (sleek and sophisticated), it is not as bustling or vibrant as its cross-continent twin. Visit for a survey of young avant-garde designers.
Saks Fifth Avenue
9600 and 9634 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA
Tel: 310-275-4211
Saks Fifth Avenue may now be on celebrity tours as the site of Winona Ryder's shoplifting arrest, but it's still a terrific resource for accessories, shoes, and fragrances.
TOY STORE
Wound and Wound
7374 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA
Tel: 323/653-6703
The Wound and Wound Toy Co. is the original wind-up toy store with twenty years of experience. Specializing in the largest selection of wind-up toys, contemporary tins, novelties, battery operated, and music boxes from around the world, The Wound and Wound Toy Co. has become a hub in the toy world for toy makers and collectors alike.
MUSIC STORE
Virgin Megastore
8000 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA
Tel: 323-650-8666
Virgin Megastore is indeed huge, with two full floors of discs, tapes, books, and DVDs. Classical and world music are special strengths, while ample listening stations enable instant sampling. Both its location and its frequent in-store performances and signings make Virgin a hot spot for star-gazing.
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