This vintage shop is run out of a private backyard, and is open by appointment seven days a week. It’s a very well-organized operation, and visitors have the option of shopping by collection and era, from the “pre-1920s” to the “1970s and beyond” and everything in between. Browse through a colorful collection of home decor, linens, vintage books, and clothing. Toadstool’s sister shop, The Ghost Farm, specializes in vintage books and linen. Every few months the farm sets up a Vintage Tea Party on its lawn, and serves visitors food while they browse the beautifully curated items.
The Brick Basement offers items you might find searching through a treasure trove in your grandparents' basement, from an authentic flapper dress, a Victorian table, and a hand stitched quilt. This antique mall sells a collection from several different vendors, so you'll find a mixture of antiques, secondhand goods and hand crafted items. You'll never know what you'll find in the Brick Basement.
Scavenger’s Paradise is exactly what it sounds like, a perfect place for someone looking for antique treasures. There is a varied collection of distinctive items, including lamps, furniture, art, rugs, statues, silverware, and decorative one-of-a-kind items housed inside a building that looks like a miniature California Mission. The store often holds sales, and carries items from estate sales sold for reasonable prices. It’s a great place to find something full of character to wear or put in a home.
Fashion is more than just wearing good-looking clothes and at Carol Young Undesigned one finds stylish, creative and functional apparel with a long shelf-life. The focus here is on creating an easy-to-move-in clothing for the modern woman out of recycled and reversible fabrics. From bamboo denim to angelic translucent pleated silks to mix and match organic cotton knits, one will find quality clothing without any compromise on the design and look. Carol has clients ranging from well-known curators, models, architects to the modern working women who care for the environment. Visit website for more details.
Echo Park Time Travel Mart is a one stop convenience shop for all your time traveling needs. There are potions, devices, and other paraphernalia to help you experience both the future and the past. Barbarian repellent, mammoth chunks, and leeches might all be helpful if you are traveling back in time, or feel free to prepare for the future with robot milk or an evil robot memory eraser. There is even some advice on how to handle meeting yourself. Though products tend to be more expensive than one would expect, just remember that these fun and novel products are absolutely cool. All profits go to 826LA, which is a non profit organization founded by author Dave Eggers which provides free tutoring and creative writing help to kids. The store also sells publications of the children's writing.
Babushka Deli is a charming little shop specializing in Russian groceries and prepared foods, located next door to Restaurant Troyka and a Russian bakery. Getting consistent kudos from connoisseurs of the cuisine, Babushka brings you home cooking away from home. Frozen pelmeni and vareniki (types of dumplings) along with fresh caviar are favorite grab-n-go items. Whole smoked fish is in a class of its own. Staple treats, such as cabbage rolls, chicken kiev, stuffed peppers and borshcht, are the talk of the town. No worries if you don't speak a word of Russian. The brusque, bantering ladies behind the counter always manage to put together a take-home feast to your liking. And, if you are in luck, you may witness an older gent soliciting a nostalgic tune from a grand piano proudly placed in the middle of the store. -Jamie Zum