Developer Abbot Kinney opened Venice of America on July 4, 1905, after digging several miles of canals. The boulevard that carries his name is now about a mile of small shops, perfume and eyewear stores, home goods and coffee bars, with a few brand stores mixed in. It is a street for browsing, not errands.
Most shops open late morning and close early evening, and almost none post set hours, so plan on an afternoon and call ahead if one stop matters. The walk below starts at the low street numbers near Main St and works up toward Venice Blvd.
The 1000 and 1100 Blocks: Plants, Frames and Perfume
Start at The Cook's Garden (1033 Abbot Kinney Blvd), an edible nursery and kitchen shop selling herb and vegetable plants and running gardening and cooking classes. A short walk up, Ahlem (1121 Abbot Kinney Blvd) sells its own sunglasses and optical frames, designed here in Venice and made in France.
Then comes the first fragrance stop. Le Labo and Strange Invisible Perfumes share an address (1138 Abbot Kinney Blvd). Le Labo carries its perfume range with candles and body care, and staff will help you sample. Strange Invisible Perfumes is the local one: a Venice perfumer making organic, botanical scents, with an apothecary of oils and body products.
The 1300 Block: Coffee, Shoes and Home
This block is the easiest place to stop for a coffee. Intelligentsia (1331 Abbot Kinney Blvd) pours espresso and brewed coffee and sells whole beans to take home.
Around it, Hamilton Press Gallery (1317 Abbot Kinney Blvd) shows fine art prints, a quiet break for anyone who collects works on paper. Principessa (1323 Abbot Kinney Blvd) is the women's boutique for beachy, bohemian dresses and tops. John Fluevog Shoes (1327½ Abbot Kinney Blvd) sells boots, heels and lace-ups for women and men in shapes and colors you won't see at the mall.
For the house, Huset (1316½ Abbot Kinney Blvd) stocks modern Scandinavian tableware, textiles and objects, and Our Place (1344 Abbot Kinney Blvd) lets you handle the Always Pan and the rest of its cookware before you buy. Fragrance fans should finish the block at D.S. & Durga (1356 Abbot Kinney Blvd), the New York perfume house, which sells some products only in its own shops. Salt & Straw (1357 Abbot Kinney Blvd) is on the same block for a scoop of whatever seasonal flavor is on.
The 1400 and 1500 Blocks: The Gift Cluster
If you are shopping for other people, this is the stretch. Burro (1409 Abbot Kinney Blvd) is the reliable stop for homewares, stationery, cards and small presents. A block up, Topdrawer (1504 Abbot Kinney Blvd) sells well-made pens, notebooks, pouches and bags, and Aesop (1504½ Abbot Kinney Blvd) next door has sinks for trying hand washes and gift kits year-round.
The same few doors hold more. Tumbleweed & Dandelion (1502 Abbot Kinney Blvd) sells American-made custom furniture and beach-house accessories. Made in Earth (1506 Abbot Kinney Blvd) sets colored gemstones in rings, pendants and earrings, and designs engagement rings in house. Guild (1508 Abbot Kinney Blvd) is a laid-back clothing and accessories boutique.
Eyewear shoppers should not miss Garrett Leight Optical (1522 Abbot Kinney Blvd), the flagship of the Venice-born brand. Ask about the Modshop, where you choose your own frame colors and lenses.
The 1600 Block: Watches and Denim
End with two stores side by side. Shinola (1623 Abbot Kinney Blvd) sells the Detroit brand's watches, leather goods, journals and bicycles, an easy stop for a men's gift. The Stronghold (1625 Abbot Kinney Blvd) is for selvage jeans and leather jackets, and it also makes custom clothing and shoes.
Where to Eat
Gjelina (1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd) is in the MICHELIN Guide's selection: a busy, vine-covered, garden-like room serving wood-fired pizzas and vegetable dishes. Book through SevenRooms. At the low end of the street, Felix (1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd) makes handmade pastas like tonnarelli cacio e pepe, and San Damian (1025 Abbot Kinney Blvd) next door does Mexican seafood, including shrimp aguachile. RVR (1305 Abbot Kinney Blvd) serves clam ramen and pork belly gyoza, and The Tasting Kitchen (1633 Abbot Kinney Blvd) is an Italian dinner spot at the far end of the walk.
Parking and Timing
We found no public garage listed for the boulevard, so plan on street parking on the side streets and read the posted signs carefully. No Metro Rail line serves Abbot Kinney.
Shops open late morning and close early evening, and few post hours, so an afternoon start works best. The boulevard also holds a monthly First Friday evening with food trucks; check the Abbot Kinney Blvd website for the next date.
If you have time before or after, the Venice Canal Historic District is close by. Abbot Kinney built the canals in 1905 for Venice of America, and the district joined the National Register in 1982.
