on Fourth, Fifth and Sixth (streets) are prime for these unique design areas because you have large spaces that you can completely manipulate inside — and the rents are reasonable,” said Kathleen Rawson, executive director of the Bayside District Corp., a nonprofit that manages downtown with City Hall.
“We’re probably somewhere in the middle of the trend,” she added. “We’ll see some more come in before it’s all over.”
Rent on retail space on downtown streets beyond the Promenade command between $2 and $4 a square foot, according to real estate brokers.
The idea is to create a one-stop destination for homeowners and other do-it-yourself designers, who typically poke around a handful of stores when out picking a new interior for their offices and apartments. It’s a completely different approach than what’s used by the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, which was designed for wholesalers.
“People love to be out in the fresh air and love to be walking around,” said Ann Videriksen, an executive board member of downtown L.A.’s Architecture and Design Museum, which relocates from the Bradbury building in downtown L.A. to Santa Monica next month.
“As Los Angeles moves to become more of a walking city, it’s appropriate that these showrooms be out on the street and not be hidden away in a windowless building.”
Videriksen said that while design retail spaces are booming in Santa Monica, other areas of Los Angeles, like Culver City, Chinatown and Silverlake, also are attracting more designers.
The new focus on retail design in Santa Monica is an added benefit to big-name companies whose goal it is to build brand awareness, said Mark Robinson, owner of Boffi on Fourth Street. Rather than be cooped up in a warehouse, the products are out in the public eye, where window shoppers and movie goers pass them by.
“It’s been a gradual evolution that’s been happening as more and more people are getting into their houses and improving their homes,” said Robinson, who opened Boffi one year ago. “The American public is becoming interested in not only what it is, but who designed it.”
“The American public is becoming interested in not only what it is, but who designed it.” — — MARK ROBINSON Owner, Boffi on Fourth Street
In response to the growing concentration of design studios in Santa Monica, Robinson coordinated what he hopes will become a twice-annual “Design Walk” in Santa Monica, which will be held on Thursday. About 10,000 invitations were mailed out and thousands more were e-mailed for the event, which will be open to the public.
How much money the influx of design showrooms is raising in Santa Monica is unclear. But City Hall officials agree having the prestigious stores downtown is a huge draw for shoppers.
“They’ve got some interesting concepts there and they’re starting to get enough people to have a critical mass,” said Gwen Pentecost, an analyst in City Hall. “What they bring in terms of awareness and cache to the area has got to be invaluable.” Man plans to move to Hawaii with $275,000 settlement
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 1, 2003. Read the original PDF.