LA ShopWalk excites visitors

You might not have heard about it, but ShopWalk DTLA happened last Sunday. The event — a functional walking tour of local business in Downtown Los Angeles complete with discounts and specials at more than the 50 participating locations — was an interesting look at just how much the area’s retail scene has grown.

It seemed like something worth writing about (I was originally planning on doing a column on dating in Los Angeles for Valentine’s Day, but trust me, you’re happier without it), so I took the Expo line from the Exposition Park/USC station down to the 7th St./ Metro Center stop and spent the afternoon following the ShopWalk DTLA map. I ordered a Salted Caramel ice cream cone at Peddler’s Creamery and poked my nose into the different shops; getting some vintage style inspiration from Buttons & Bows and finally seeing the newly opened Ace Hotel on South Broadway, which has been generating a lot of buzz, in part for the announcement that it will be hosting the artist collective L.A. Dance Project. It felt like a natural way to spend a lazy Sunday.

If I make a trip downtown past Figueroa, I generally have a specific destination in mind, like the Central Library or Casey’s Irish Pub. I normally reserve browsing local shops for a day in Echo Park or York Boulevard. I think the main reason for that is I don’t perceive the historic Downtown core as a boutique business area.

But it’s there, if you know where to look.

In the three short years I’ve attended USC, I’ve watched as commercial centers such as FIGat7th have reshaped the geographic landscape of Figueroa. But further downtown, it’s some of the more subtle moves, like the recent facelift of Grand Central Market by Adele Yellin, that have gone a long, quiet way in reshaping the culture.

Carrie Cheung, one of the organizers for ShopWalk DTLA, said that she hopes the event helps to re-introduce people to the historic Downtown core.

“It’s a cool place to hang out, have coffee, shop,” Cheung said. “There are a lot of mom and pop shops, a lot of new things happening all the time. I’ve been in the neighborhood five years, and the area has already changed so much.”

Cheung said that ShopWalk DTLA, which started in 2012, has grown organically. She was a manager of a building and got to know her neighbors through that. They got together to do an event to highlight the Historic Core as an unique neighborhood.

“Our budget is small, but we do this because we love the Downtown community and we want to support the owners who live in downtown and own businesses Downtown,” Cheung said.

I could see where she was coming from. It was nice to have a reason to go downtown. Though there were parts of the trip that didn’t feel walking friendly, I never felt unsafe. And there were a number of places I took mental notes to come back to (Pete’s Cafe, which was offering a $5 sliders, fries and drink combination for the day will definitely garner a return trip).

It’s not hard to argue that Downtown is in the early stages of a renaissance. There is a younger population that is becoming more interested in the area. A low cost of living has helped to attract young, creative residents. Creative Time Reports posted an article by the artist Moby who argued that “…young artists in L.A. can really experiment, and if their efforts fall short, it’s not that bad because their rent is relatively cheap and almost everyone else they know is trying new things and failing, too.” There is also housing available for those looking: approximately 5,000 residential market rate units are currently under construction — from South Park to Chinatown and from Bunker Hill to the Arts District according to DTLA Rising.

The growth can also be attributed to money. Former councilwoman and head of the new L.A. economic development agency Jan Perry made an impact on the area through multiple redevelopment projects during her term. Today, more money is being infused downtown — namely a $160 million makeover of The Bloc (formerly Macy’s Plaza) which includes a $40 million update to the Sheraton Hotel next door.

And there’s something to be said for how easy it is to get there. From taking the metro or using an affordable Lyft or Uber ride-sharing option, it won’t break the bank to get downtown from USC.

This is the sixth event in the series and Cheung said that each event has gotten a little bigger. Still, I was surprised not to see more people carrying the ShopWalk map as I took my walk. I could, however, see more people coming back as the word continues to spread. The only thing I would suggest for future trips is don’t wear boots. I did on Sunday and sorely regretted it.

If you do your own walking tour, you’ll definitely be happier in sneakers.