FASHION : New Arrivals Put Strip on Map

For more than 20 years, West Washington Boulevard was a sleepy Venice street lined with vintage furniture shops and artists studios.

But last August the street was rechristened Abbot Kinney Boulevard, in honor of the visionary developer who helped redesign Venice in the early 1900s. And Kinney’s innovative spirit seems to be breathing new life into this 1.5-mile strip between Venice Boulevard and Main Street.

There are still plenty of vintage furniture shops and studios. But more recent arrivals--one-of-a-kind accessories shops, vintage clothing stores, contemporary-art galleries and informally elegant restaurants--are attracting new attention and new customers. The street now brings to mind other up-and-coming shopping streets: Montana Avenue in Santa Monica and La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles.

Lori Henle opened her custom-made hat shop on Abbot Kinney last summer. She says her clients are Westside women in their 30s, ranging from doctors and lawyers to actresses (Julia Roberts recently bought a hat) and mothers pushing baby carriages. Henle’s handmade designs are typical of the unusual items found in many of the street’s shops.

Golyester, a vintage clothing and textile store next door to Henle’s, is brimming with beaded poodle purses, Bakelite jewelry and vintage wedding gowns. Owner Esther Ginsberg has spent years collecting her stock. “This is the kind of street where you have the excitement of discovering things,” Ginsberg says. “Creative people love it here.”

Says Carol Tantau-Smith, an eight-year resident who owns a designer jewelry shop: “We’ve been an up-and-coming street for the last 20 years.” She recalls the slow-moving efforts to increase public parking, improve street lighting and attract new businesses. Tantau-Smith and others formed the Abbot Kinney Assn. that helped bring about some of the changes.

“We’ve bought 82 palm trees that are waiting in Arizona to be shipped to line the street,” says Kevin Brunk, a developer and co-chairman of the association. In addition, public parking will be added as part of a senior-citizen housing development recently approved by the city. Many stores along the street are getting a face-lift, and local artists are painting banners for display.

Other Abbot Kinney stores include Bwanacon, which sells handmade accessories such as woven textile backpacks from around the world; Fourth Dimension, which specializes in jewelry made of crystal and other stones believed by some to have spiritual powers, and Tony, which sells vintage jewelry, clothing and furniture.

Furniture shoppers can browse in such stores as Concrete Reality, which features hyper-modern concrete pieces, and Rokoko, which carries colorful mosaic tile works.

Among the antique shops, Ohio, one of the newest, carries Mission-style furniture, ‘60s chrome-leg tables and chairs, and other clean-edge furniture. Zephyr, one of the oldest, offers an eclectic mix of styles.

Prices in Abbot Kinney shops are comparable to those along La Brea or Melrose avenues. Bargains can be found in the vintage shops, while artist’s jewelry and designer hats can easily top the $100 range. At all prices, many items are unusual, if not unique.

A SELECT GUIDE TO ABBOT KINNEY BOULEVARD Tony, 1222 Abbot Kinney, (213) 396-9020

Human Art Gallery, 1319 (399-8188)

Bwanacon, 1327 1/2 (396-4403)

The Fourth Dimension, 1329 (392-9977)

Paint Your Wagon, 1333 (392-4737)

Tea Garden Herbal Emporium, 1344 (450-0188)

Concrete Reality, 1335 1/2 (396-1114)

See the Light, 1337 (396-9442)

Tantau Smith, 1353 (392-9878)

Lori Henle Millinery, 1354 (450-1949)

Golyester, 1356 (396-7429) (also 7957 Melrose, (213) 655-3393)

Ohio, 1403 (450-4664)

Zephyr Antiques, 1617 (399-9612)