If Your Fridge Overflows With Leftovers, If Christmas Specials and Chia Pet Ads Clog the Airwaves, You Know It’s Time to Start Talking Shop : Binge & Splurge : Intriguing Sights, Smells and Sounds Fill an Urban Oasis
Inside Hisen, a high-fashion boutique and bridal salon in the Koreatown Plaza, Donna Park excels at ironing and bargaining.
Both skills help the 22-year-old sales manager to satisfy Korean-American customers who demand quality, workmanship and negotiation. For them, this jewel in the city is their shopping center, meeting place and oasis. For newcomers, the Plaza is an adventure filled with unusual sights, smells and sounds.
Located in an ethnically diverse area on Western Avenue, the $25-million development covers three acres and houses 76 businesses, most of which are tended by owners who speak only a dash of English. The shopping center’s strong, clean lines, designed by architect Ki Suh Park for Gruen Associates, reflect classic Korean aesthetics and some modern realities, such as exterior granite columns and graffiti-resistant tiles.
Within the 4-year-old trilevel structure, natural light bounces off exposed steel beams to create shadow pictures along the walls. Tall, delicate trees rise from the second floor, and on the first floor, small fountains dance in a large rectangular pool.
The pool area is the mall’s heart. Small groups of chatting friends gather there throughout the day, many of them either beginning or ending a shopping spree in the Plaza Market. Owned by mall developer Joong Nam Yang, the market is worth a visit just to gaze at the fresh produce, the many varieties of rice in 25-pound bags and the takeout deli filled with colorful Korean specialties.
The mall draws color from the ongoing parade of beautifully dressed, beautifully mannered children who walk or ride through corridors in the company of parents and grandparents. The visual feast continues in stores such as Chung Hwa Herbs and Acupuncture, where Chinese aromatic plants are housed in a beautiful wall of wood drawers.
Next door is Hisen, where the Korean-made merchandise, including suits priced from $390 to $680, hangs in impeccable order under strategic spotlights. Sales manager Park says there is a broad customer base for the petite-size clothing.
The Korean-made bridal gowns have less lace and beading than American styles but more definition in the shoulders. They can be purchased for $1,300 to $3,000, but Park says 95% of her customers rent them for $500 to $1,200. The rental fee includes headpiece, veil and petticoat.
Even in a mall full of expensive Korean and European merchandise, Baby Dang stands out. Recently, the French merchandise included a miniature Chanel-inspired wool-plaid jacket for $443 and matching skirt for $155. But there were some less expensive finds, such as a moppet’s heart-shaped denim and scarf-print handbag for $11.
At Rodeo Handbag, the fare is European leather goods from companies such as Bally, Lanvin and Nina Ricci. They come with hefty price tags, such as the one on a $600 belt handmade in Germany. But like most mall merchants, owner Julia Kim is open to negotiation.
An exception to the rule is People’s Place, where American men’s and women’s sportswear from companies such as Mossimo, Esprit and B.U.M. Equipment is already marked 10% to 30% below retail. There are good buys here, particularly on women’s sweaters and men’s parkas.
There are more good buys on sale merchandise at Woman Q. Fashion. Some recent finds among the Korean imports include a long polka-dotted cotton skirt reduced to $20 and a chic short black gabardine skirt reduced from $149 to $45.
But for many, the real finds in this mall will be the Korean home furnishings.
Three must-stops for buying or wish-list making are Mommy’s Hand, which stocks all-cotton bedding, including brightly colored children’s comforters; Ye Dang, which specializes in handmade furniture from its factory in Korea, and Kwangjuyo, where the museum-quality ceramics come from the company’s kiln.
A good place to celebrate a purchase--or to think about what might have been--is Nicole’s, near the fountain. Within a country-cottage setting, coffee is served in pretty cups and the crowd ranges from sweet-faced lovers and serene senior citizens to deal-minded businessmen.
Plaza Points
* Koreatown Plaza: 928 S. Western Ave.
* Particulars: Ethnic urban mall, catering primarily to the Korean-American community. Emphasis on expensive merchandise. Very little English spoken. Mostly owner-operated stores. Free indoor parking on five levels. Open daily, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
* Worth the Trip: Plaza Market, International Food Court, Nicole’s Coffee, Chung Hwa Herbs & Acupuncture, Ye Dang, Kwangjuyo.
* Distinctive Characteristics: No movie theaters. Very well-dressed retailers, clientele. Bargaining is expected, accepted in most stores. A giveaway with nearly 1,000 prizes, including three Hyundai cars, is in progress. Free musical events every weekend from Nov. 28 until Christmas. Food can be spicy-hot--if you’re not familiar with the fare, choose carefully.
