Fred Segal, Back Again

First time I stepped into Fred Segal in Santa Monica, years ago, I was enamored. Love at first sight. I had never been to a retail experience quite like it. Circa 2004. The whole notion of a boutique within a boutique with all these fresh niche brands was so alluring. I was in.

Through the years whenever I was in LA I would try to stop into either the LA or Santa Monica location. But if I'm to be honest, the destination started to lose its luster so I wasn't quite as excited with each visit.

Evidently, if I have the story straight, the company was going through some changes and perhaps losing its way a bit. A bit sad, as I am a shopper and a lover of brands. Fred Segal was a unique concept brand and I didn't want to see it fade away. I loved how it showcased brands I couldn't find in other places so where would that happen now?

Well now it's back, at the corner of La Cienega and Sunset...which many consider the corner of the universe. I generally stay along the Sunset Strip when I'm in LA so I wouldn't necessarily argue.

The brand is back, fresher than ever. I paid a quick visit on my way to a client dinner this week. I wanted to pay my respects to this iconic experience, so to speak. While I didn't have a lot of time to shop this time around, I'm sure I'll be paying some bills in the future.

What's your experience? JIM