Editors Note: Topangans are familiar with the shops in and around Pine Tree Circle and Town Center, but a few minutes off the beaten track that runs through the center of Topanga Town the adventure-inclined shopper will discover a cluster of unique studios in the Rosewood complex next to Froggys (take the driveway down to the parking lot on the right).
The holiday season is upon us, and Topanga’s many shops and boutiques hug the town like family. It’s been a distinctly rocky stretch of time for our canyon businesses, from last year’s mudslides to this year’s fires and the ongoing roadwork reducing commuter access. Topanga’s local businesses have persevered through it all, opening their doors for us unwaveringly, imbuing Pine Tree Circle and the Town Center, including its surrounding area with vibrant life and steady love. Each shop is its own delightful wonderland. Read more about our local shopkeepers and their well-tended stores, each one comprising an integral aspect of this uniquely lovely canyon community.
Topanga Home Grown
Topanga Home Grown: the queen mother shop of the canyon. Clothing, ornaments, trinkets, lotions, journals, children’s items—Home Grown has a little bit of everything. Now in her twenty-sixth year of business, owner Jane Hoover opens the door each day with a smile, lighting up the picturesque interior with mellow exuberance and exemplary taste. Located in the heart of Pine Tree Circle, Home Grown is a community classic, offering Lily Lambert’s locally-made jewelry, Candlefy’s scented candles, the canyon staple tea towels, and more.
For many, Home Grown is a steady source of gift-giving salvation, and friends and family instantly smile when they spot the classic orange, yellow, and green tissue paper topped with abundant curled ribbons. The perfect shop to visit in a pinch, Home Grown has all the materials for the perfect gift, for young and old and everyone in between. I’ll often find myself strolling in just for some aesthetic fun! Is it time to update your family’s collection of classic Home Grown T-shirts? Include this lovely mothership in your holiday shopping plans. www.topangahomegrown.net @topangahomegrown
Pebbles
Amble into Pebbles and you’ll be awash in rays of sunshine. In a magical nook beside the creek, curated with color and joy, the shop teems with a distinctly Topangan vibe. Flowing fairy-like dresses, cheerful hats, delicately embroidered pillows, charming kids’ clothes, rustic Peruvian bags, and, of course, the classic Topanga T-shirt, a staple among canyon locals. The shop itself radiates with color and light, inside and outside its walls, assembling a bohemian atmosphere.
Ann Lombardo, in her sixteenth year of running Pebbles, fills the space with bright-eyed loveliness.
“I’m so blessed to live in a community that puts its arms around you,” Ann commented. “I feel so lucky.”
We’re the lucky ones, Ann! Stop by Pebbles and soak in the beautiful rays. Whether it be a shopping expedition or just a walk through town, you’re sure to leave Pebbles with a smile on your face. @pebblesclothing
Moona Star Collective
Next-door to Pebbles is the artisanal boutique Moona Star, the moonbeam to Pebbles’ sunshine. Owner Monica Zaidman infuses the shop with serenity and artistry, filling the space with hand-made clothing, curated goods, ethereal jewelry, rustic candles, and more. Monica makes the clothing herself, designing and plant-dyeing with meticulous intention. Other artists in the collective contribute hand-made ceramics and jewelry, creating a graceful combination of goods. Purchasing here, you’ll find lovely gifts for loved ones while supporting the work of local artists.
More than a store, Moona Star also offers workshops, live music, tarot readings, Wednesday night Indian dinners, and more. It transforms into a community space, embracing its sublime creek-side location. moonastarcollective.com @moonastarcollective
Be Love
Be Love Apparel, a cozy, aesthetic store in Topanga’s Town Center, is the birthplace of classic canyon clothing. KamGi and Kyle Finch pour much love into the products they design, and everything is made locally in downtown Los Angeles with sustainable fabrics.
The Be Love business predates the physical shop, and for the Finches, the joy of having a store is in customer interactions and service. They enjoy hearing stories about the products they sell, and how things that are made to be loved are loved! A favorite sweater in my own closet has been with me since 2017, from none other than Be Love. Head on over to the intimate shop and find something to love for yourself. The space is a celebration of connection through art and apparel: its walls adorned with artists’ work, its shelves lined with clothing, its business model guided by immense love. www.beloveapparel.com @beloveapparel
Kinship Station
In its fifth year of holding the space, Kinship Station, run by Hedi Nikbakht, is a curation of care and intention. Most of the products here are handmade, ranging from small independent artists to indigenous and traditional makers, offering one-of-a-kind pieces with heirloom quality. The shelves of the shop are filled with vintage and rustic paraphernalia, including jewelry, ceremonial textiles, home items, and gift materials; other special finds root from travel, what Kinship Station refers to as “hunted” treasures. “We’re not driven by trends,” commented Hedi. “We’re drawn to things that feel timeless, thoughtful, and made with love.”
The store offers products steeped in stories to inspire connections between objects and experiences. Kinship Station is a beautiful practice of discovering and embracing stories through well-loved items. Hedi added, “Whether you’re browsing or buying, our hope is that you leave feeling more connected to yourself, to others, and to the beauty in everyday things.” Find your heart in something that calls to you, and take a gander over to Kinship Station! www.kinshipstationstore.com
The Candle Shop
Tom Vogel’s Candle Shop in the Town Center is a long-time Topanga favorite. It’s a place to reuse, recycle, and refurbish old candle vessels for refills, or bring in mugs, jars, vintage finds, or other containers for candle-making. “My favorite thing is when people bring their own vessels that I can make a candle in,” Tom said. “I also enjoy finding vessels at festivals and vintage markets.”
Shoppers will also find an exquisite array of new candles, fragrance, select crystals, and more. And, like so many shops in our close-knit canyon, it’s a creative community space. Tom offers workshops and candle-making classes, both pre-scheduled and walk-in. What a lovely winter activity, attending a candle-making class with friends, or hand-making a gift with personalized care for a loved one. www.topangacandleco.com
Sassafras Shoppe
The Town Center’s Sassafras Shoppe is making its long-awaited return this month after a year-long pause. Having been closed since the January fires, shopowners Pami Ozaki and Ronnie Corbett are joining creative forces with Alexandra Lipsitz, whose curated blend of mid-century treasures, upcycled modern furnishing, fiber arts, lamps, tchotchkes, and more will bring a vintage charm to the space.
Step inside and discover a one-of-a-kind shopping experience where lush exotic plants, lacquered Asian planters, and sculptural urns mingle seamlessly with Alexandra’s artful mix of retro finds. “All your favorite things in one place!” said Alexandra. “Plants and a vintage shop—with just a hint of yarn.” Come explore the Sassafras Shoppe’s reopening during your winter walk around town! @shoppesassafras
SunChild
SunChild provides one-of-a-kind silk pieces handcrafted from vintage saris, giving new life to textiles rich with history, color, and soul. Each garment is thoughtfully designed in small batches, ensuring no two pieces are ever the same. Explore more of our world at pir websote and follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes glimpses, new drops, and slow-fashion inspiration. Visit their showroom of wearable art and vintage silks.
A Rosewood in Topanga Studio. www.Iamsunchild.com @sun.c.h.i.l.d By appointment: becca@iamsunchild.com
Perfumera Curandera
Perfumery work has been Leanne Hirsh’s passion alongside her make-up career. It is the fruit of life-long studies immersed in the shamanic traditional plant medicine ceremonies of Peru and decades of travel to the Andes Mountains & Amazon Forests with her Peruvian husband. Perfumera Curandera, a line of healing perfumes, was conceived far from a laboratory. Leanne’s magical scents are alive at the threshold where plant, ancient memory, spirit and ritual meet.
Leanne Hirsh is an Emmy winning Make Up Artist with over 35 years of experience. She is a consultant for wellness & beauty brands, and a teacher of the “Art of Perfumery”
She offers workshops. mentorships, and scent counselling. The tranquil Topanga studio where she creates her line of unique aromatic potions and elixirs is a workspace, a retail space and a space to tap into all the senses. (Drop-ins welcome when the sign is up outside the entrance next to Froggys. Txt 845 750 8427 to schedule a visit by appt.)
Leanne is offering a Scented Sunday Solstice Holiday workshop on Dec 21st, Space is limited. Leanne will be offering a series of perfumery workshops in the New Year, so subscribe to her mailing list at her website to be notified of other upcoming offerings, classes, events.
A Rosewood in Topanga studio at 1111 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., by appointment. perfumeracurandera.com @perfumeracurandera
Turkish Moon
Turkishmoon is a unique slow fashion label that intertwines the rich heritage of ancient Anatolian cultures with the vibrant coastal lifestyle of California. Founded by Ruya, a self-taught designer who collaborates with local artisans and artists, utilizing natural fabrics, promoting mindful consumption and a connection to the earth. Each piece is designed to transcend fleeting trends, ensuring longevity in style and wear resulting in the perfect blend of elegance and sophistication to allow your inner goddess to shine! Ruya is proud to announce her new studio showroom
A Rosewood in Topanga Studio, 1111 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., by appointment 818-857-6226
turkishmoonbyruya.com @turkishmoonbyruya
