Poketo Store
An exclusive look at the site’s new Los Angeles shop
Eight years after Angie Myung and Ted Vadakan of Poketo moved from San Francisco to LA, they’ve fulfilled their dream to open a store for their successful business. Located in the downtown Arts District, the newly opened 4,000-square-foot boutique stocks exclusive in-store-only goods in addition to Poketo’s usual range of stationery, home and design items, accessories and clothing. The space also houses its new headquarters as well as a gallery. Currently in a soft launch, the shop will celebrate its official inauguration on 19 July.
Rather than bring someone to help them with the interior design, Vadakan took on the task himself. He decided upon light-colored plywood as the theme, which was used in the display tables and walls. Customized individual braided rope lights created from red cloth hang from the ceiling, bringing a dash of color into the scheme.
When drawing up the design plans, the couple wanted the store to be constantly changing, in part because Myung and Vadakan plan to hold workshops with visiting artists and exhibits for the public beginning in August in the same space as the boutique. To that end, the furniture was conceived to be easily transportable. Tables either have hidden casters at the bottom of them or—because they’re mounted on sawhorses—can be simply picked up and moved. No walls divide the space between the art area and shop; instead, the flow from one to the next is purposely organic.
The result is a shop that’s minimalistic, modern and clean, with a touch of whimsy. Big windows lining the front, which they stripped of the dark tint that had been applied to them by the former space’s owner, allow lots of light to flood in, bringing warmth into what could otherwise seem visually cold because of its cavernous size. “It’s the actual realization of what you see online, on the website,” Myung says.
Items exclusive to the brick-and-mortar store that can’t be found on Poketo‘s website include cookbooks and design books (with an emphasis on those that have a strong link to LA), personal care and children’s items, some clothing pieces, plus local accessories designers. Customers will also be able to find rare products from Poketo’s archives, most of which are in limited quantity.
Poketo
820 E. 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
