My husband and I have been coming to Lundeen's for years. Since long before the pandemic we have…read moremade a point of stopping by every time we are in Culver City. We are always curious to see what new finds they have on display. This is one of those local gems that we hope stays in the neighborhood a long, long time. There is always something funny, clever, or creative to explore. Many of their items are unique to the LA area or support local creatives. We've bought countless gifts for family, friends, and let's admit it - ourselves - here. They manage to include a wide variety of housewares, games, books, toys, art and craft supplies, jewelry, decor, and accessories into a cozy shop. There is an assortment of cards for life's many occasions, with creative sentiments and plenty of personality to express what you can't always find the words to communicate. We have spent many happy afternoons just browsing through the aisles and considering what we might want to buy. Upon reaching the register, there is always a friendly face to greet you and offer to wrap your purchases if they are gifts. We love that they take the time to select a combination of ribbon colors with the type of gift and recipient in mind! Thank you Lundeen's for being a bright spot in the city that offers genuine friendly service and real personality, and an opportunity to see and hold things before you buy them - a nice alternative to endless scrolling through online web stores!

Very nice gift shop. Has everything that you could get for a person. Books, greeting cards,…read morestationery items, baby items, Ayala teas, Savon bath products, etc. Service was kind, and I had come in for the 3rd Annual Stationery Store Day crawl; this was their first year participating. I was happy to see that they had the official SSD merchandise too. There is a parking garage within easy walking distance. Respectfully Reviewed.

Opened in early 2021 I would say this is the most popular bookstore in Culver City and my favorite…read more It's located in the heart of downtown on the corner of two of the most popular streets. They also have a fantastic café inside so even if you're not searching for a book or magazine, it's still a great place to grab a bite or drink. There is a covered free parking lot in the back, but it was completely full when I visited so I found free street parking in the neighborhood in the block next to the bookstore. All of the staff that I encountered was very friendly as well. As mentioned the café, attached is terrific and I especially enjoyed their Vanilla Latte and the Turkey Avocado Panini. It was extremely fresh and I loved it. I was not able to find some of the history, business, or philosophy book titles I was searching for so they don't have a huge stock compared to some of the big chains, but I was able to find some alternate titles worth considering. Definitely worth stopping in if you are a bibliophile or in Culver City and I plan to visit again as well.

It's a super cute spot but omg a little crowded around like 11am to 12pm noon but I love that they…read morehave a decent variety of different genres of books, I live for the health section hehe however I got overwhelmed because of how tight the spaces was inside tbh The only thing I love is sitting in their large and fun looking orange chairs outside and the gift shop items inside "but pricey" It's best to come here when there's less crowd otherwise if I were to use this as a study place then I feel like I wouldn't concentrate well due to people moving around so much. I have phobia of people being really close to me since I really respect my little bubble space between other people (: Again, this would be a good place to visit if you like books and prefer the bookstore vibes with the cozy cafe atmosphere. I grew up with Barnes n Noble and that will be my only choice to check out books.

This is my go-to gift shop in town. The selection is beautifully curated, thoughtful without…read morefeeling generic, and I've genuinely never left disappointed. The owner is incredibly intuitive, and has an amazing eye. I always ask for her advice, and she somehow always points me to the right gift for the right person. It makes gift-buying feel effortless and actually enjoyable. If you want something meaningful and well chosen, this is the place.

Fun local store in West Adams! Great for gifts for friends and family of all ages. Staff is…read moreincredibly friendly and helpful too. Can be a bit on the pricier side, but perfect when you're in a pinch for a quick yet thoughtful gift. Just be sure to check the hours to make sure they're open.

My boyfriend had just stopped next door at the pasta shop to pick something up for me when he…read morenoticed this cute little boutique on his walk back to the car. He immediately said, "This looks like something you'd love," and walked in while we were on FaceTime so I could look around and decide if I wanted anything. When he first walked in, the greeting was warm. They said hello, asked how he was doing, and everything seemed perfectly normal. But within seconds--before he'd even had a chance to browse--an employee, who I believe was the owner, asked, "Is there a reason you're filming?" He explained that he wasn't filming at all; he was simply on FaceTime with me so I could shop with him remotely. She then said they sometimes have influencers come in and that she'd rather give them a proper tour. To be honest, that explanation didn't make sense to us and felt more like an after-the-fact justification than the real reason for the question. No one had asked for a tour, hinted that they wanted one, or even had enough time to look around yet. It's a small boutique that's easy to browse on your own, and we were simply shopping like any other customers. What made the interaction especially disappointing is that my boyfriend is a Black man who walked in, politely greeted everyone, and was doing nothing more than helping me shop over FaceTime. Whether someone is on FaceTime, taking a quick photo, or recording a short video while shopping, they shouldn't immediately be made to feel as though they're doing something wrong. I can't speak to the employee's intent, but I can speak to how the interaction made us feel: unwelcome and unfairly scrutinized. We love discovering and supporting small businesses, and we fully intended to buy something. Instead, we left immediately because the entire atmosphere changed. We genuinely thought we'd stumbled across a hidden gem, but unfortunately we walked away feeling judged rather than welcomed.

Happened to be in the neighborhood and decided to stop in. Cool store but pretty pricey. Did a…read morequick once around but didn't see anything I couldn't live without especially for those prices. They did have a nice selection of products...everything from hand cream to clothes and kitchenware to children's toys. Would be a cool place to do some gift buying if you had the budget. Managed to find parking easily on the street and the employees were friendly and welcoming.

I have been dying to come to The Ripped Bodice for so long and my husband had a random weekend off…read moreand decided he would take me. We are coming from San Diego so it was only a 2ish hour drive, we found parking right away which was really nice and I was so so excited to check it out. As soon as you step in you're greeted by such a whimsical display of books and I was instantly obsessed. The bookstore is really large and has so many great options for romance books, ya and some children's books plus tons of bookish merch. It was really hard to choose which book to get, but I ended up getting a paperback of Eldritch by Keri Lake, a magnetic book marker and a tote bag, thank you to my husband for that. I love the little Ripped Bodice tote, instead of a paper bag, they offered a reusable tote for I think $2-5? Which was a fun little souvenier! Also super dog friendly everyone was so sweet to our little Kodi!

I cannot say enough great things about this romance-focused independent bookstore. But here is a…read morevaliant attempt: 1. Expertise -- If you are new to the contemporary romance publishing scene, walk in here and be amazed. There are sooooooo many romance titles under every conceivable subgenre, and the choices are almost endless. But maybe you're looking to expand your list of favorite authors or dipping your toes into romance for the first time, and you feel overwhelmed. Fear not! Walk right up to the friendly staff and just throw out ideas. My friend asked for recommendations of romance that involves: (a) career women who takes care of everyone and needs to prioritize herself; (b) older women with life experience looking for love; (c) romance by black women about black women, just to name a few. The lovely staff member said, "I got you!" and proceeded to walk us around the store to show us her recommendations and share why she loves them. Her passion is infectious! My friend found a stack of books she's excited to read. 2. Creativity -- from the moment you walk in the door, the fanciful and whimsical decor catches your attention and exudes joy and wonder. But don't just admire the flying books all the way to the ceiling or the pink skeleton in a Ripped Bodice t-shirt. You must check out the "water closet" before you go. Trust me on this one. 3. Inclusion -- The Ripped Bodice doesn't just do romance, they do sex-positive, inclusive representation. You'll find curated selections on romance with disability and LGBTQ+ representation, romance by BIPOC authors, non-fiction books about women's sexual health and pleasure, menopause, polyamory, trans bodies, etc. and a gigantic LGBTQ+ rainbow flag made of romance covers. And have I mentioned their monthly stand-up comedy show, which features different comedians who have relatable and funny materials without the mysogynistic cringe. This place is a safe space for people of all genders and sexual orientations. 4. Community -- The spirit of community is everywhere in this amazing bookshop. You see pictures of the sisters who started and own the shop and their family (including kids) on the wall. They have book clubs for fans of historical, fantasy/paranormal, LGBTQ+ romance and more. They have a writing club that reads a book together and discusses what works and what could be better. They have book launches and author talks, including a ton of local authors as well as national phenoms. They attract people from all over and are ultra-local at the same time. And you feel like you belong, no matter who you are. Bonus: the store is in the heart of Culver City. Farmer's market, fancy ice cream, movie theatre, and a cafe that plays soccer all the time... they're all right here. 'Nuf said. Go check them out!!

They have some really amazing gifts and home goods in this store, even if it is a bit bougie and…read moreoverpriced.

Beautiful designs and layout of the store. Wonderful for gifts, design, linens, glassware, bags…read moreand clothing.

These lovely guys! They have so many, really pretty…read more options to choose from. They kept sending me pictures and options and advice, and their furniture is absolutely gorgeous and very affordable and it just looks fantastic and when the glass was slightly slightly chipped? They came over right away with new glass and put it together. The guys helped me design and will be getting a kitchen table with them next! Check out their stuff really interesting different and we've gotten so many compliments already in the dining room! Great color options too and you guys? Are so polite and sweet and awesome thank you so much !

Beautiful store with all good vibes stuffs . So happy we made the trip all The way from Long Beach…read more. Does sure coming back !!!!

Wish I could leave an actual review, but for a Time Travel Mart that promises to already be…read morewhenever you are, I'm not actually certain if they're open to regular business anymore? I love the Echo Park Time Travel Mart and wanted to give their Mar Vista location a visit sometime while I'm on the west side. Their hours are pretty limited. Google and Yelp claim Friday to Sunday from 12:00-6:00pm, but buried on their own website it says 2:00-6:00pm on Tuesdays to Saturdays. Not sure which is more up to date. But I've gone out of my way on two separate occasions when the hours overlap, and both times they've been closed anyway. Their website does warn they're often closed during their hours and to call ahead, but I haven't gotten an answer. (I guess because they're usually closed?) So yeah, if you can catch them when they're open, great! But I wouldn't advise going out of your way for it unless you can call in advance and confirm they'll actually be open.

If you're coming because you saw this on instagram, please dont set your expectations too high!!…read more I'm really happy I found this place by chance when strolling through the area. Then I saw it on my IG feed weeks later and all I could think was how content creators over-hype all these hidden gems in LA. I just notice that influencers put an exaggerated spin on spots like these to make them seem a lot bigger or crazier than they actually are for the sake of views. Not to say they aren't worth visiting, but I think the fun part about these kinda shops is discovering it for yourself or that element of surprise. I've just been severely disappointed by some places I've visited that didn't live up to the expectations set by content creators. It's not the businesses fault, but just how social media works these days. Anyways, it's a small shop that you'll probably get through in a few minutes, but definitely worth checking out. I'm so glad I so happened to stumble upon this place by surprise, and I hope that's how you find it too :)

This is my favourite store in Sawtelle!!! It's so unique with really fun and curated items!…read more The staff are lovely with great knowledge of every product. Every time I come I always find really great pieces that I never knew I needed!

Owned by Sung and his super cool sister Jisook, we found so many interesting and unique things!…read moreFrom super interesting art, cards, glasses, clothing and a host of fun offerings that kept my bff fascinated and smiling. She's a NYer and had never seen such an establishment that could compare! Huge compliment. With the holidays approaching, there are plenty of fun and useful choices. I bought a fabulous black sweater that feels so light and comfy and will be perfect for our chilly upcoming days! Stylish and reasonably priced! I support small businesses in our west side, which is the best side area of town! A must visit for us Angelenos and visiting friends and family! My friend bought a lot of things too! Never have seen her get so excited about her purchases... And all the customers that we saw inside the store were feeling the same excitement! Highly recommended for sure! PS so many stocking stuffers that will put smiles on every single person that receive them!!! I definitely picked up several and will return this week for Hanukkah goodies for my friends and family too!

I've shopped at Just Tantau tor years! Carol had unique and cool jewelry and is so helpful with…read morerepairs and custom jewelry'. I live my typewriter key cuff links and just made a necklace using keys once again

This unique store has closed as of January 7 due to the untimely passing of owner Carol Tantau. She…read moreand her store will be missed.