Santa Monica Named Best Window-Shopping Mecca by Sunset Magazine’s 2018 Travel Awards
Discover Santa Monica’s shopping scene with these local boutiques and in-store experiences
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 14, 2018) – Santa Monica’s walkable neighborhoods and celebrated outdoor retail destinations make it a shopper’s paradise, all set near one of Southern California’s most iconic coastlines. Honoring the city’s laid-back spirit and wealth of options, Sunset Magazine recently named Santa Monica the best “Window Shopping Mecca” in its 2018 Travel Awards.
Santa Monica was selected by the Sunset editors based on the relevance to their audience, newsworthiness, uniqueness, aesthetic appeal, convenience and feasibility. With eight distinct neighborhoods, the Santa Monica shopping scene covers the spectrum, from downtown’s open-air Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place, to upscale boutiques along Montana Avenue and the eclectic retail mix on Main Street and Pico Boulevard. Shopping focused services such as the concierge service at Santa Monica Place even deliver purchases to shopper’s hotel rooms, making it easy to explore attractions such as the soon to open Cayton Children’s Museum by ShareWell shopping-bag free.
While Santa Monica’s year-round warm weather and ocean breezes provide the ideal conditions for window-shopping, the true magic happens inside the stores as the city is home to inventive retail concepts. Read on for some of the buzz-worthy shops to pop into during your next visit.
Local Favorites:
Santa Monica’s Farmers Markets are simply part of the healthy Santa Monica lifestyle. Health-conscious Angelenos and quality-conscious chefs rely on farmers markets weekly for stocking their kitchen with the best locally grown produce. And no city meets the demand better than Santa Monica with four bountiful options every week, year-round, in three different neighborhoods. Watch out for special farmers market events celebrating seasonal favorites this fall including the annual chili roast, all you can carry pumpkin patch and pumpkin decorating event.
High Fashion and Beauty:
CAMI AND JAX is Santa Monica’s go to shop for getting beach ready this summer with a wide array of bikini styles and matching rash guards for surfers. Located on Montana Avenue, a tree-lined luxurious shopping district stretching for ten blocks, the high-end swimwear store was created by sisters from Hawaii, designer Jackie Brady and pro-surfer Camille Brady. CAMI AND JAX has a loyal following among the west coast surf-set and jet-set alike.
FP Movement, located on Main Street, is the latest offering from American bohemian apparel company Free People. Featuring performance-ready activewear, beyond-the-gym staples, and a hand-picked assortment of nourishing supplements and elixirs, the store also offers weekly fitness classes and wellness workshops led by local professionals. Their rich programming brings the community together in the spirit of lifting each other up and always moving together.
Larissa Love Cosmetics is a home-grown boutique that is known for its luxurious bath and body products on Montana Avenue. Founded by Larissa Love, a longtime resident of Santa Monica, her cosmetics line features unisex bath and body products, women’s gifts and accessories, and a tea room. After recovering from a severe skin burn as a child, Larissa began a quest for natural skin products. Not finding a complete and effective product line, Larissa launched “Larissa Love” in 2005 using vegan, organic, parben-free, and sulfate-free ingredients that are cruelty-free.
Tech and Innovation:
Anthropologie, the Third Street Promenade location of this American clothing retailer steps up the game with “At Home with Anthropologie,” a bespoke design center. Anthropologie’s home designers work with shoppers to create décor suggestions based on their unique lifestyle and goals, presenting a just-for-you curated mix from the Anthropologie home collection.
West Elm, the modern furniture and home décor retailer, moved into a new 24,000 square-foot space on 4th Street. Launching new retail concepts as part of the stores commitment to supporting local artist and markers, West Elm Santa Monica is the first store nationwide to host an in-house, small-business residency program. The new store is also offering customers design crew services, a flower shop, a public outdoor patio and monthly programming.
Santa Monica Travel & Tourism (SMTT) is a non-profit organization designed to increase visitor expenditures, tourism revenues and local employment opportunities through the promotion of Santa Monica as a travel destination. For travel and accommodation information or a free copy of the official Visitors Guide, the public can write to the Santa Monica Visitor Center, 2427 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405; call (800) 544-5319 or (310) 393-7593; visit santamonica.com; or email info@santamonica.com. Follow SMTT on Twitter @GoSantaMonica or become a Facebook fan at facebook.com/visitsantamonica.
Contact: Lauren Salisbury
Santa Monica Travel & Tourism
310-319-6263
lsalisbury@santamonica.com
