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Los Angeles has more stores than anyone could physically tackle, but somehow we always keep returning to the usual suspects. To break out of the rut, we've asked some local shopping and fashion gurus to provide their hidden retail gems—those unique stores around LA that we might not all know about. Cue the Beatles: We're about to get a little help from our friends.
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Image via Yelp
Lisa Bush moved to Topanga Canyon from Montreal with her husband and daughters eight years ago. It was here that she opened Mona Moore, a sister store to the original brick-and-mortar spot in Canada, where she sells edgy designer shoes, bags and accessories. When she needs a great bottle of wine, she pays a visit to Bart, her neighbor and the owner of ElVino Wines.
"I love an independent wine store on Abbott Kinney called Elvino Wines. I go there all the time when I want a special bottle and am also a member of their two-bottle-a-month wine club. The owner, Bart, knows the story of every bottle in the store—what it tastes like, what to pair it with, often who the owners/makers are, what the vineyard is like and all sorts of other details about the history of the vineyard. When I buy shoes or a bag for the store I always want to know the story behind the object, the designer and any other information—is it from the runway, what inspired the collection, etc.—the more personal and obscure, the better. I feel like Bart does the same in his shop with his wine. The story adds another layer of beauty and desirability to anything for me. But then I have been known to choose or reject even a nail polish color according to the appeal of the name of the color!"
· Elvino Wines [Official Site]
· Mona Moore [Official Site]
· All Shopping Confidential Posts [Racked LA]