Now Open: Monocle Focuses on Brentwood

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From its simple Danish fixtures to its clean white-and-grey color palette, The Monocle Shop feels like a particularly chic satellite bureau of its namesake magazine. But that's not to say the tiny boutique, which opened yesterday at the Brentwood Country Mart, is in any way austere. The style-heavy newsmagazine's founder and editor, Tyler Brûlé, hopes the space acts like a club for friends of the magazine, a place where they can flip through any issue, engage in conversation and surf the web from lush leather chairs.

But even if you haven't yet discovered Monocle the magazine, there's still plenty of reason to visit. The Vitsoe shelves are stocked with a selection of the coolest things its jet-setting editors have collected on their jaunts, like Japanese CDs and John Smedley knits from England. There's also an impressive selection of limited-edition Monocle exclusives, like Comme des Garcons' unisex "Hinoki" fragrance, a compartmented carry-on bag by Porter, and Le Labo's OUD 40 scented candle, which is exclusive to the LA store.

If you think it's strange that two of the most beleaguered industries today—print media and retail—should be teaming up in this way, those at Monocle would be quick to prove you wrong. Magazine spokesperson Emily Smith said,"Monocle very strongly advocates the community-focused, independent retailer who's doing something different. We're trying to break the rule that a shop has to be all about one thing, just like we've proven that a magazine doesn't have to be about one thing. The climate is tough, but with a little innovation, it can be a good time for retailers to reap the reward." Judging by the success of its first shop in London, and plans to open outposts in New York and Tokyo this summer, it seems like Monocle is doing just that.
· Monocle Details Come Into Focus [Racked LA]
· Storecasting: Monocle Magazine Picks Brentwood for Second Ever Store Location [Racked LA]
· Monocle [Official Site]