It's actually ten out of ten. My most favorite store in the entire world. Oh God, how I wish I…read morecould make them move out and live in this place. A must-go and not only if you are in the immediate area. Perfect if you are looking for a gift for someone who "already has everything". And yes, I would definitely make a 30+ min detour just to shop here (mandatory in my rating scheme) - and I did. Many times. Take your time - breath in - and enjoy!

Two salespeople behind the counter and didn't bother to greet us so we left. Bummer. The…read moremerchandise is really nice but I don't spend where ignored.

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.

This place has to be the queen of antique malls, and I've been to a number of them. It is truly…read morevast and contains a very wide variety of artifacts from a) a very wide range of countries and b) a fairly wide variety of time periods. You can easily spend a couple hours in here. Victorian china and silverware? Check. Scandinavian ceramics? Check. Southeast Asian statues? Check. This is a place where it really pays to look carefully. There jewelry collection is pretty substantial and has a wide variety of pieces. I had one find that blew me away: an Ancient Roman bronze belt buckle that had been turned into a pendant. Circa 100 CE. Pretty sure it was the oldest thing in the building, but I can't be absolutely sure. The employees were delightful to talk to and were very helpful on getting prices and showing me things in display cases. I got into a long conversation with an art historian over the aforementioned belt buckle. Prices range. I bought a pair of beautiful pillows for under 35 dollars. But there are some pieces here that are either so rare, unusual or simply intrinsically valuable that they are going to be an investment. This is by no means a thrift-store. Will definitely return.

Despite the insanely overpriced books and largely unimpressive offerings, understanding the "maybe…read moretoday" nature of these places, I'll pop in once a month or so to try my luck. Without fail, the duo of whomever is on the schedule to work the desk/register is: preoccupied, disinterested, dismissive and almost comically rude. This is so incongruous with the majority of folks who work in these types places -- most are Olympian small talkers so happy to work among cool things with history and to encounter 'their people' walking through the doors. It's almost like they wanted to work at Celine or Balenciaga but didn't fit the aesthetic profile so brought their (apparently contagious) shi**y attitude and unhelpful countenance to Lincoln and Palms. So if you're looking for those gigantic MCM lamps in seriously ugly colors, laughably 'naive' art and the aforementioned ridiculously expensive basic book fare, heading over to The Mart Collective where they'll surely make you feel unwelcome.

According to the website, "Chariots on Fire is place to discover special objects of design made to…read morebe enjoyed and coveted for the ideas they hold and the beauty they represent." In other words, a lot of cool stuff that's hard to categorize as being together under one roof, but all well-worth browsing. It's a different shop than most in the area because it's smaller and often the owner/manager is basically just sitting at his desk working or tinkering. I know some ceramics and jewelry caught the eye of my wife and I was especially interested in a sort of space-age looking stereo receiver in the front window. It was incredibly expensive at many thousands of dollars. Hey, a boy can dream. They also have featured artists on a monthly basis with unique works you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else. Come in just to find something totally unique.

The Best Gift Shop on Abbot Kinney…read more Chariots on Fire is a small store that carries hard to find jewelry, pottery, and unique fragrances, and contemporary ceramics. They have a unique selection of goods that you cannot find anywhere. I do a lot of poetry and visual art, and coming in here almost felt like walking into a modern museum. Every piece of jewelry, home décor or unconventional flower pots seems to have a message that reaches out to you once you catch a second glance. It's not as if you are buying home goods and decorations, but every piece in this store has a story to tell. There is that old saying " You should seek to understand, and then be understood", but at this store its almost a liaison between you and your sense of style. When you buy a piece at Chariots on Fire and place it in your house, people will see it and try understand its meaning; but ultimately they will understand you. Very few stores have had the ability to do this with the merchandise they carry. Chariots on Fire is truly one of the best hidden gems on Abbot Kinney in Venice!

gave me bad, possibly racist or at least v classist judgy vibes. I decided to stop in after my…read morevisit to the motor ave farmer's market after seeing they happened to be open that day (usually they aren't on Sundays so I havent had a chance to come in). It always seems so cute from the windows, I'm currently decorating my apartment, and love supporting my local neighborhood's businesses. I'm a latina woman and stopped in and was browsing around, and was greeted with a seemingly urgent, judgemental "can i help you??" by a blonde woman who i assumed was the owner or an employee. This was not a friendly "hi, is there something you're looking for today? Let me know if you need anything :)" type of greeting, but moreso said with the undertones of "what are you doing in my store, please leave, you don't belong here" type of messaging in her tone. Obviously because that wasn't explicitly said, I don't want to claim that that's definitely what went down, but regardless, it left me with an icky taste in my mouth. I wish I could say it was maybe a classist judgement- still not a good look for a store- rather than racist judgement, but I was literally wearing an anthropologie outfit that day, so it's hard to make that assessment. So basically, my experience here was a bummer. I don't plan to come back here based on that interaction, but I wanted to.. And a note to the store owner: if you set up a shop in a neighborhood, don't be surprised if the customers match the demographic of that neighborhood.

I've been visiting this gem of a place for years. I now mainly go to pick up my two favorite…read moreperfumes, but I love to shop for unique gifts for myself and others. Always greeted upon entry, the owner is so lovely, as are the people that work there. Great place for small and big budgets; I'm never disappointed, and such a fun place to browse.

Really lovely assortment of interesting things from local artists. Owner is also very helpful.read more

Don't miss out on this gem of a store. Fantastic curation of furniture, pottery, lamps and moreread more

I used to shop all the time at their previous Santa Monica location on Lincoln and then they…read morerelocated to Montana to an absolutely beautiful store. They're constantly changing up their inventory and they have a really great mix of plants and pots, furniture, books, classic vinyl, candles, and knickknacks galore. Owner Anton and his wife Lina are super cool, and the no matter what day you go in Myrene or Veronica or any of the other staff are always there to go above and betond. I have lots of things from them in my house and will continue to go back. Here's my latest addition.

My go to for all things beautiful. Anything you get here will only add/enhance any home looking to…read moregive it more character, with love from desert artists. With a good selection of indoor and outdoor furniture and home goods, and some jewelry, this is always a must stop when we drive through Yucca.

Went in yesterday to choose some new plates and get a feel for heath ceramics after watching an…read moreamazing PBS documentary. Needless to say I had a great experience in the shop. Ernie and the rest of the staff were super helpful. They answered all of our questions and took their time with us. We were able to touch and feel every piece and there's even a counter so you can sit down and really imagine what it would be like to have their dinnerware in your home. After we checked out a member of staff offered to help us bring our plates out to our car and he did. A proper gentleman if I do say so myself. Heath are not only top notch ceramics but also did a great job choosing a staff who are kind and helpful. Support local. It's worth the price tag. Can't wait to own more.

Our friend Bret H. turned 40 this year, and a bunch of us decided to get him a group gift. We had…read moreno idea what to get him, so I asked his wife FeiFei J., who made a few devastatingly practical suggestions, but also mentioned that they could use a serving bowl to go with the rest of their kitchenware. I'm also on this side of 35, so I love pretty home shit and decided this was the way to go. FeiFei told me they got their plates and bowls from Heath Ceramics, which is based in L.A. I don't know anything about ceramics, but I liked what I saw on the website and picked out a serving platter and large serving bowl in opaque white, as well as a London Plane cutting board. I placed the order online and noticed that the store was near my house, and that pick-up would save us shipping and let me see some nice ceramics in person. I got an email notification once the order arrived, and was given a two-week pick-up window. I was pleased to find the shop right next door to Urban Pet, even sharing a free parking lot (I picked up 50 pounds of dog food while I was there). The place was extremely attractive, well stocked with beautiful ceramics and other home goods. My order was ready to go, but I spent some time browsing the displays before one of the very nice staff members carried the box to my car. Matt B. and I have been considering buying new dishware, and there's a decent chance we'll copy Bret and FeiFei and get in on some Heath Ceramics.