Monday, September 30, 2013

Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt


We'll let you in on a little secret... We came to this place to escape the heat all summer. It's cool and refreshing, just like frozen yogurt! Tutti Frutti is a our go-to-place when we're craving a snack on the go. They have 16 "froyo" flavors, including a couple we had not seen before like Watermelon Sorbet and Soy Bean. They also have tons of toppings: fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts and candy.  And did we mention it's a cafe too? Yep, you can get a sandwich and some coffee here too. It's our own little slice of frozen treat heaven.

Tutti Frutti
312 E. 11th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90015

Flavors:
  • TF Tart
  • Guava
  • Death by Chocolate
  • Green Apple
  • Mango
  • Pistachio
  • Watermelon Sorbet
  • Vanilla
  • Blueberry
  • Pomegranate
  • Soy Bean
  • Strawberry Banana
  • Splenda Strawberry
  • Cheesecake
  • Cappuccino
  • Cookies N Cream

Friday, September 27, 2013

Petalos Shoes


It's officially boot season! We're loving the booties with gold detailing as well Dr. Martens inspired lace-up boots, which are available in an array of colors and prints. We've even seen them in velvet! We stopped by Petalos Shoes to check out the upcoming trends for Fall. Petalos is the sister store of Cherry 4-U. They are open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and sell wholesale and retail. For pricing and purchase inquiries please contact the store directly at 213-745-7854 or cherry-4u@live.com.

Petalos Shoes
1144 S. Santee St. inside the alley
213-745-7854







Thursday, September 26, 2013

Where to Shop for Halloween Costumes


'Tis officially the season... for costumes that is. Monsters, police women, Cinderella's and Cleopatra's line Santee Alley store fronts. We've even seen a Wonder Woman or two and we expect to see more in the next week, as stores prepare for Halloween. Shoppers can find the much sought-after Leg Avenue costumes at K & M Lingerie, where the costume selection is already quite extensive. Their Leg Avenue costume sets are only $45! If you're looking to make your own costume this year, they also carry tutus, beaded and studded bra tops, hosiery, corsets, and costume accessories like masks and contacts.

K & M offers all styles is sizes up to 2XL. They are open 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. seven days a week.

K & M Lingerie
315 E. 12th St.
 
213-746-8005





Colombian Shape Wear



Monday, September 23, 2013

Weekly Fashion Finds: Plus Size Clothing

Sweeties Plus
We get a lot of questions regarding plus-size clothing in the alley. We do have various plus-size clothing vendors and we are happy to say more and more stores have begun to include plus-size styles in their inventory. We highly recommend Sweeties Plus (located at 325 E. 12th St.), they are the only plus-size-only store but there are various others who offer plus-size options. See some of our favorites below.

AP Design - 1059 Maple Ave. (inside the alley)


Vicky's Boutique - 1221 Maple Ave.


Fashion Shop - 401 E. 11th St. Unit 110-111


Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Dulce Chica


Get your Fall wardrobe ready at Dulce Chica. They have a great selection of jeans, leggings, and leather jackets. We're also big fans of their handbag selection. Check out their new styles below...







For pricing and purchase inquiries please contact the store directly:

Dulce Chica
Wholesale-Retail
1156 1/2 Santee Alley
213-747-6777

Monday, September 16, 2013

Weekly Fashion Finds: Iconic Fashion Opens Second Location

Images via Iconic fashion Facebook

Welcome Iconic Fashion #2 to the alley! Iconic Fashion carries women's clothing, from jeans and shorts to party dresses. Visit their new location at 310 E. Olympic Blvd. and see some of their new styles below...

Iconic Fashion #1
1006-C Santee St. (inside Santee Alley)
(213) 744-0237

Iconic Fashion #2
310 E. Olympic Blvd.



Follow Iconic Fashion on Facebook to see more of their current inventory.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

MK Shirts: Men's Shirt Under $10


MK Shirts has some of the best deals on men's clothing we've seen in the alley lately. With shirts starting as low as $9.99 and deals on dress shirts like 3 for $25, who can resist such a bargain? And did we mention jeans are also under $10? Yep! MK is a manufacturer, allowing them to cut costs by selling directly to shoppers. They specialize in novelty and dress shirts.

Shop MK Shirts at 1125-6 S. Maple Ave. inside the alley or online at www.mkshirtswholesale.com and www.mkshirts.com. All online orders are shipped via UPS. All items area available for wholesale and retail.


Only $9.99 for men's Guayaberas, dress pants, and jeans and only 3 for $20 for V-neck T-shirts.



The most popular item is the dress shirt and tie combo. Yes, the prices below include the tie.


These sequin shirts are MK's specialty item. They're popular with dance groups, salsa dancers, and entertainers in general. The store also carries matching vests, bottoms, and hats in various colors.


Children's Guayaberas

MK Shirts
1125-6 S. Maple Ave. inside Santee Alley
(213) 744-0169

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

The Alley Dog

Images via Alley Dog

The smell of  bacon-wrapped hot dogs has been enticing Santee Alley shoppers since 1982. That's how long The Alley Dog has been serving up LA's famous "street dogs" piled high with grilled onions, avocado, and jalapeƱos. If you're looking to satisfy your bacon-wrapped hot dog craving, we highly recommend you stop by The Alley Dog to get your fix. It's a true Santee Alley favorite!

For those of you who aren't keen on hot dogs, The Alley Dog has a wide range of options on their menu from burgers and nachos to burritos and quesadillas. We also love their snacks: raspados, fresh fruit salads, and bionicos - fruit salads served in a cup with creme.


Visit the Alley Dog at 317 E 12th Street in the Santee Alley!

Thursday, September 5, 2013

The Story of Santee Alley

A couple weeks ago the LA Fashion District shared the story of how The Santee Alley came to be. We've come a long way since our very first days of bargain shopping and we are so excited to be able to share this with you. From the Fashion District blog...


The LA Fashion District is broken down into various subsections (you can see the breakdown of the district here), the most popular of these being The Santee Alley. Often referred to as "a bargain hunter's paradise", The Santee Alley is an actual alley lined with over 150 stores selling apparel and accessories for the entire family, electronics and electronic accessories, handbags and luggage, and more. It is located in the heart of the Fashion District and the majority of the district's retail vendors are centered around it.

Discounts in the alley range from 30% to 70% off full retail prices. Some vendors also carry brand name clothing and shoes, including athletic wear such as Nike, Converse, Puma, Jordans, etc. Alley vendors are often wholesale vendors, closeout buyers, manufacturers and/or importers who are able to sell their merchandise at much lower prices by selling directly to the public.

In fact the alley, or "Los Callejones" as it's referred to by our Spanish-speaking visitors, is deeply rooted in the wholesale businesses. Though it is now primarily focused on retail, the area where the Santee Alley is located used to be the center of the Los Angeles fashion wholesale industry. The wholesale vendors would bring out their overstock items on the weekends and sell them to the public through their backdoor. The weekend sales became so popular, the alley became a full time retail destination open 7 days a week, 365 days a year including holidays!

Over the years, The Santee Alley has become a mecca for fast fashion, carrying the latest trends at the most affordable prices, often before they even hit stores. Santee Alley vendors get their inventory from the same manufacturers as large department stores, online vendors, and retail chains. Often times you can find the same items you would at the mall but with a different label and at a much lower price. 

The alley is truly a unique experience, where the fashion industry and cultures from around the world collide to form one big festival-like atmosphere. We highly recommend it to those who love bargain shopping or those who just like exploring in general. Make sure to follow these shopping tips and wear comfy shoes!

The Santee Alley 
Enter on Olympic Boulevard between Santee Street and Maple Avenue
Open 365 days a year from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
(Hours are approximate and can vary by store.)

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Weekly Fashion Finds: Fall Fashions

We've spotted the first signs of Fall in Santee Alley! After a bright colored summer, we're seeing lots of black and white. We've rounded up some of our favorite styles for you...




For those of you who are still holding on to Summer, we've got some new fun dresses too.


All styles pictured are from Vickie's Fashion located at 1136-B Santee St. For purchase or pricing inquiries please contact the store directly at (213) 745-4336. Sign up for their weekly newsletter by sending an email to vickiesfashion@aol.com.