BLACKBURN AND SWEETZER

I heard that a Puma store was going to take the spot at 8207 W. 3rd Street, just east of Toast and Milk, but, in fact, far more interesting tenants have set up shop. Rodan vs. Griffith opens today, a men’s and women’s boutique by Carol Rodan and Chris Griffith. The Pennsylvania natives, who met at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art, spent a couple years heading up online marketing for Urban Outfitters (pretty clear after a look at their website, which already has e-commerce) before deciding to create their own urban oasis. Along with custom rosewood cabinetry and a mod chandelier, ‘SAVE’ in big red and white letters hangs prominently at the back of the 1,300-square-foot space, a nod to the couple’s commitment to designing, manufacturing, and buying fabric in L.A.

As for the clothes, Rodan and Griffith are also committed to reasonable price points with pieces ranging from $50-$325 with most falling somewhere in between. For women, find cotton-blend babydoll dresses with braid detailing, shorts with ruching at the outside seam, pintucked camis, floaty print dresses, micro-minis, and adorable pink or black tees with ‘Souvenir du Griffith’ scrawled across the front.

Men’s items include inky denim, buttondowns with tabs at the pockets or epaulets, subtle graphic tees, canvas twill jackets, and more fashion-y items like a slim fit French terry sweatshirt shown below right. Check it out and chat up Carol and Chris who make an awesome and interesting designer/retailer team.