Beverly Hills boasts some of Los Angeles’s most elite boutique shopping districts, but those looking for quality offbeat shopping can step beyond the likes of Barney’s New York and Louis Vuitton to find a neighborhood bustling with cheaper, quirkier and often more rewarding independent shops.
(Photo: Krazy Diamnd via Flickr)
Monogrammit of Beverly Hills
For something original and personal, make your way over to Monogrammit on Robertson Boulevard. The embroidery shop has been serving the neighborhood for more than three decades, offering custom-embroidered monogram services for virtually every personal item you can imagine, including robes, towels, baby products and more. The friendly female staff members are glad to guide you through their extensive font selections to find a monogram to suit your style.
251 S Robertson Blvd #110, Beverly Hills
Polkadots & Moonbeams
The modern stores along Rodeo Drive carry some prestige, but they don’t possess any of the chic retro styles offered at Polkadots & Moonbeams. The homey shop is somewhat small, but crowded with stylish women’s clothing to suit practically every occasion. They also possess a surplus of cheap jewelry and other accessories to complete whatever outfit suits your fancy.
8367 W 3rd St, Los Angeles
The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills
The Cheese Store is perhaps the best-loved of the city’s specialty food shops. A store filled wall to wall with wine, dairy products and cheeses that run the gamut from mild to ultra-stinky. A fixture of the neighborhood since 1967 and located just steps away from Rodeo Drive, the Cheese Store sells and ships virtually anything related to the art of fine cheeses and foods, including cheese trays, fondue sets, shaved deli meats and gift baskets.
419 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills
Popular
Girls still attending primary school should find their own slice of modestly priced paradise at Popular on south Beverly Drive, close to the signature Beverly Hills shops. The place teems with vibrant colors, adorning every accessory and article of clothing. This is the perfect place to get some back-to-school shopping done, whether you are seeking a horoscope necklace, a handbag decorated with hand-drawn art or a summery tank-top with an upbeat message like “Focus on the Positive” emblazoned across it.
219 S Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills
Teuscher Chocolates & Cafe
When it comes to chocolate, nothing compares to the wealth of rich sweets available at Teuscher Chocolates & Café. Though not technically independent, the shop is nonetheless unique for being run by a bona fide chocolatier based in the Swiss Alps. Teuscher’s world-renowned chocolates are shipped directly to Los Angeles. Enjoy curated boxes of champagne truffles alongside a hot cup of tea or coffee underneath a ceiling of hanging flowers.
9548 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills
‘Lette Macarons
Another variety of gourmet European sweets is represented at the nearby flagship store of the ever-expanding ‘Lette Macarons. The modern décor of this small shop off Charleville Boulevard places the emphasis squarely on the beautiful pastry sandwiches for which it’s named. The vibrant colors of their pistachio, chocolate, rose and almond macarons are packaged as ordered into easily-shipped, aesthetically pleasing boxes for later enjoyment, though it may be hard to resist such a tempting treat for so long after a long day of Beverly Hills shopping.
9466 Charleville Blvd, Beverly Hills
Taschen
(photo: Guzzle Nosh via Flickr)
Beverly Hills is also home to a branch of the international bookstore Taschen, on Beverly Drive. Rather than focusing solely on novels, Taschen specializes more exclusively in larger non-fiction and art books that are ideal for both passive and active reading, as well as for adorning a coffee table in a living room. The cozy, wood-furnished interiors of the bookstore beckon passersby to browse around and indulge their passion for knowledge.
354 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills
The Joneses LA
It may be difficult for tourists to fit an entire couch in their carry-on bag for a flight home, but The Joneses LA is worth visiting nonetheless. The beloved furniture shop on Robertson Boulevard specializes in custom-made living room furniture, and their reasonably priced store is worth strolling around if only to enjoy the appealing layouts and get a few ideas for your own home. The Joneses LA is one of the premiere stops on any Beverly Hills shopping odyssey.
227 S Robertson Blvd, Los Angeles
XIV Karats Ltd.
XIV Karats Ltd. offers a few display cases full of necklaces, rings and other jewelry for shoppers with a propensity for buying anything luxurious and shiny. Entering through the impressive black-windowed building off Beverly Drive, you find yourself in a gorgeous lobby beneath a fabulous hanging chandelier where a personable employee will help you sift through and try on some of their twinkling, 24-karat merchandise.
314 S Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills