A Little Retail Inspiration

Modern Poster, Modern Framing, Modern Design at Undrest on Abbott Kinney

We love our little shop on Fourth Street in Berkeley. After 14 years of doing shows, we are finally anchored there. I find a lot of inspiration while traveling, something about leaving behind the quotidian, so it makes sense that I am interested in shops now that we have one.

I arrived in LA a day earlier than usual for the Dwell on Design Show and headed right for Abbott Kinney Blvd. Now in recent years I have developed a fascination with Los Angeles, especially Santa Monica. I have decided that LA is analogous to New York City — it’s big, it’s hungry for design, and it is packed with excellence. Our own fair city, San Francisco, is analogous to Boston. It’s small, it’s provincial, it’s slow to warm to trends, and it’s intellectual. Vis a vis neighborhoods, Santa Monica’s Abbott Kinney Blvd. is a lot like Fourth Street Berkeley. It is packed with small boutiques full of one of a kind treasures, and hivey small businesses doing interesting things behind closed doors.

Intelligentsia Cafe on Abbott Kinney

So, I struck out on a mission to explore Abbott Kinney. I started with coffee at Intelligentsia with a friend from Berkeley High School days. Great conversation because we were, essentially, kids together. Right next door to Intelligentsia is Neptina, my friend Lianne‘s store, which is, like Vintage European Posters, open by appointment only. Lianne collects, sells, and manufactures incredible glass objects, including vases, lighting, tables, and more. Her shop has been on Abbott Kinney for 14 years: you might say she was Abbott Kinney before Abbott Kinney was Abbott Kinney.

Leanne's shop, where she keeps the good glass

Next, I wanted to visit Undrest, which is the glamorous swimwear shop founded by our glamorous client Maria. I was tickled to see our framed posters there on  display — they have “Relax” by Rene Gruau, “Piscina Sarteano” by Anthoy, and Villemot’s beautiful “Cote d’Azur” poster from 1965. The “Cote d’Azur” hangs on a beautiful blue wall — a welcoming presence to guests as they enter the shop.

Original "Cote d'Azur" Poster by Villemot in the entry of Undrest

Original "Piscina di Sarteano" Poster by Athoy, 1962

After Undrest, I went straight to A+R, a shop that features ‘Global Design. Edited.’ at 1121 Abbott Kinney Blvd, right across the street. A+R was the featured store at Dwell on Design and their shop is a design buff’s dream. They of course, feature the wooly pockets(picture) which I covet, along with the Pantone color chairs that I love. This shop is the epitome of the Dwell mindset and the Dwell aesthetic. Love it!

Pantone chairs by A+R

Wooly pockets in use by A+R

At the end of the day, Charly and Candie arrived from their long dusty drive down the 5 and we relaxed and ate an amazing dinner at 3 Square – where else, but on Abbott Kinney.

The three of us at 3 Squares

Santa Monica Travelogue

San Francisco Cable Car by Galli c. 1955

Heading out of town for a show is a lot of work! Charly and I make checklists of what we need, so that when we hit the ground in a new city there is no scrambling for supplies.

Years ago, I remember driving around the sprawl of Sacramento searching for ACCO brand binder clips.  I have wandered the aisles of the Foster City Home Depot looking for sawhorses, found parking in Cow Hollow to buy receipt books at Walgreens, and found cheap pens at the dollar store in Anaheim.  No more! After 13 years doing shows, we have the packing down to a science.

On our last trip to LA, for  www.lamodernism.com we did something new.  For the first time ever, we left our Ford Econoline (lovingly referred to as “The Beast”) at home.  The show promoters provided free tables, we edited the collection down to just modern posters – (so hard to leave all the art nouveau behind!) and we packed my Volvo Wagon for the trip.  It was such a treat to be in LA with a car! Although I have to admit it is a giggle to pull up to valet parking with an enormous white cargo van.

We stayed in Santa Monica, a city we adore and now know well.  The show was in a new venue, the Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Air Center www.barkerhangar.com . What an amazing place! Old prop planes fly in and out of the SM Air Center, and you can also visit The Museum of Flying http://www.museumofflying.com or one of the restaurants on the property. We wanted to go to Typhoon www.typhoon.biz but only had time for the Spitfire Grill www.spitfiregrill.net

When we got to our booth, we discovered that the walls were different than we had become accustomed to at the old venue.  Luckily, our neighbors from Mantiques Modern www.mantiquesmodern.com loaned us their drill- a Makita with a light in the handle, and it made hanging our booth a snap.  (I want this drill!) The new venue is a big improvement over the Santa Monica Civic. It has high ceilings, and lots of room- the exact opposite of the cramped and poorly ventilated Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

After set up, we always go and get a salad from Mrs. Winston’s which is the unquestionably the best salad bar in the world.  This healthy power lunch makes it possible for us to do a three day show smiling.  At the checkout, they ask you to guess the weight/price of your salad and if you do, it’s free.  This time I guessed $9.78 and the salad was $9.87.  So close!

Charly wanted to see Venice Beach so we checked that out.  Having gone to school in Santa Cruz, I think it felt familiar to her.  We walked down Abbott Kinney, and decided it was the 4th Street of  LA. We had dinner at Hama Sushi www.hamasushi.com The city of Venice is redoing the giant circle where Abottt Kinney meets Main, and Hama has photos of what the circle used to look like in the 1960’s.

Opening Night, Charly and E

Opening night was gorgeous.  The show was sponsored by Grey Goose Vodka, so there was a great Goose Ice Sculpture. Our Framer Allan Jeffries came to the show www.Allanjeffriesframing.com and we had a chance to catch up in REFORM gallery’s beautiful booth www.reform-modern.com .

The rest of the weekend was exciting.  LA loves posters, so many of our loyal clients came for a spin through our table, and we met new clients as well.  There were celebrities at the show, which is still a thrill for girls from up North.

We made it a point to swim each morning before the show, and we really enjoyed the Southern California sun.

Sunny Southern California by Stan Galli

On Sunday night we tore down the show (always exhausting) and then for a treat, we ate at Top Chef CJ Jacobson’s Gastropub ‘The Yard’.

Allan Jeffries in Reform's Booth

We dashed out of town in time to catch the sunset on the grapevine, and collapsed at a tiny little hotel that we like in the heartland.  Charly and I slept soundly and made it home on Monday by noon.

All in all, LA Modernism 2010 was the most fun we’ve ever had at an out of town show.  I chalk it up to the expert packing lists……

 

Original Alicein Wonderland Poster

We are super excited about LA Modernism this year! Please join us April 30-May 2 at the West Coast’s finest Modern Show in a new venue, the Barker Hanger at the Santa Monica Air Center. The show features more than 60 dealers of the finest modern furniture and objects in the US.

We have incredible new acquisitions to share with you. I hope you’ll come enjoy the United Airlines collection, new Disneyland posters including Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and the Monorail, posters for Egypt, India, Algeria. Also new posters advertising Italian Aperitifs and Italian fruits are also among the gorgeous graphics we have to grace your walls. 

 Lots of news from the world of vintage posters!  A tough exchange rate

Up Up and Away with David Klein's TWA Poster

coupled with a tough economy meant less inventory hitting the American market, at least for a while.  The tide has turned and good merch is popping up again, both in the US and abroad.  I continue to buy aggressively, and we continue to research and catalogue, and yes, we continue to sell.  In fact, in the 4th quarter of 2009, we had our two single biggest sales ever. You can have confidence in the antiques and collectibles market.

 Come and share your news with us and bask in the beauty that is LA Modernism.  Measure your walls and you just might leave with a vintage poster!

The Details:

LA Modernism www.lamodernism.com

Barker Hanger at the Santa Monica Air Center

April 30 – May 2

Friday Night Preview Gala Benefiting the CalArts Community Arts Foundation  6-9 pm

Saturday 11-7 Sunday 11-5