When does a street become more than just another street? The answer, when it has its own designated website.
And both Beverly Hill’s Rodeo Drive as well as Venice’s Abbot Kinney are roads with webpages, but unless you are from the West Coast it’s very likely that you’ve never heard of one of the streets above and between these two, that’s most certainly Abbot Kinney.
It’s a road covered in painted wall art and small clothing shops. It’s a place you’ll find the trendiest Millennial brands, including a Tom’s Café and an Aviator Nation. Trendy apparel stores, food trucks, street art and all other hipster knick knacks liter Abbot Kinney, making it a young destination for many LA natives and tourist visitors, so how has exactly is it this generations Rodeo Drive? Well, firstly, like Rodeo Drive, everything is incredibly expensive.
Whether you’re popping into grab brunch or snagging a pair of sleek sunglasses, like Rodeo Drive, the bill won’t be cheap. These shops are not only expensive real estate for the shop owner is incredibly expensive too. If you’re visiting for the first time, expect to pay a hefty tab for your purchases, assuming you are looking to buy goods or enjoy a delicious meal and not just experience the walk around ambiance of the street. The interesting and immediate difference between Rodeo and Abbot is that Rodeo and its capitalist counterpart shops like Gucci, Prada and every other famed fashion house relies entirely on branding. While there are a number of known shops that young consumers would recognize stationed on Abbot Kinney, there are just as many, if not more, that are unrecognizable.
This speaks to the generational divide between Millennials, Gen-X and Baby Boomer tastemakers. For previous generations, business’s thrived on marketing and selling their brand as a high-end status symbol. Fashion houses existed because of what their logos and their high market brands represented. Abbot Kinney, in many ways, represents the counter culture movement, cherished by many Millennials, to the social status symbol the fashion houses represent. Although Abbot Kinney is covered with expensive goods, as stated above, brands belonging to the world and vibe Abbot Kinney is hosting do not have an associated status symbol quality, making the road a desirable place not only for shopping, but also for Millennials to hang out at.
It’s safe to say that both of these streets speak on behalf of not only a generational divide, but also differing sub-archetype personalities. So, if you’re looking for a healthy breakfast, want a cheap looking shirt that will cost you a bit of money, or are hoping to enjoy a coffee in Tom’s café, then stop by Abbot Kinney and enjoy not just Millennial’s, but the art world’s Rodeo Drive.
Feature Photo Courtesy of Tao Ruspoli’s Blog
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