The coolest shopping street you’ve never heard of
York Boulevard in Highland Park offers up an LA retail experience that its trendier counterparts like Robertson Boulevard and Montana Avenue do not. Once the hub of Los Angeles’s Arts and Crafts movement, the surrounding neighborhood saw an influx of Mexican Americans in the 1960s, followed by a wave of post-millennium gentrification. Today, it reflects a cross-section of LA, a mash-up of cultures and ethnicities where you’ll find tattooed dads pushing strollers and hipsters sporting the latest trends alongside Latino locals who have lived in the neighborhood for decades. Here, a funky mom-and-pop discount store shares the same block with a specialty boutique pedaling pricey vintage typewriters. It’s a clash of old and new, wealthy-ish and working class – all fiercely independent.
Between Avenues 50 and 52, York is packed with shops and eateries. You could easily occupy yourself for an entire day on this two-block strip alone. Start off with a perfect shot of espresso from the gourmet Café de Leche, then browse books next door at Pop-Hop and wander through the various vintage clothing shops. For lunch, stop into the crowded Jugos Azteca, a fresh juice and tortas joint. If your sweet tooth calls, indulge in a cone at Scoops, an artisanal ice-cream shop. Take it with you while you browse vintage vinyl at Permanent Records. Grab a slice at Town Pizza for dinner, then hit Hermosillo for a pint of craft beer. Cap off the evening with a rock show at Hi Hat, which often features local bands.
Info
Address York Boulevard between Avenue 50 and Avenue 52, Los Angeles, CA 90042 | Getting there Paid lots; metered and unmetered street parking | Hours Opening times vary from shop to shop; most shops closed Mondays| Tip Be sure to step into Shorthand (5028 York Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90042), a fancy stationery store with two gorgeous vintage letterpresses – both well over 100 years old.
Refreshingly devoid of glamour and glitz, York’s lacklandscaping and no-frills architecture simply add to its urban charm. But as you might expect of Los Angeles, it’s not totally free of celebrity. Marc Maron, the host of the extremely popular podcast “WTF with Marc Maron” is recorded at Maron’s home in Highland Park. He might be the biggest quasi-celebrity sighting you’ll experience on York – and that’s a good thing.
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