Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is Small Business Saturday, a day to recognize (and give business to) those locally-owned brick and mortar businesses that help make our communities feel, well, more like a community. It’s yet another reason to get out and explore some of the great mom-and-pop storefronts LA has to offer.
In this spirit, and with the next CicLAvia just around the corner, here is a just a small sampling of locally-owned active-lifestyle shops around the Heart of LA route, and a few good eateries in the area for when you’ve worked up an appetite. Visit them today, on December 2 during Heart of LA, or whenever you’re in the neighborhood!
Active-lifestyle shops to explore
818 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
During his college years, Road Runner founder and CEO Brad Adams would dream up new ways to carry his stuff during his long bike commutes home. He says he was “fueled by living a plant-based diet around a bicycle-centric lifestyle, all while keeping my carbon footprint to a minimum.” Road Runner Bags started with Adams designing and manufacturing bike bags out of his apartment. It’s blossomed into nice bike accessory shop with thoughtfully crafted products located in Downtown LA.
425 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013
“What started as an underground basement shop on Broadway has emerged into the premier bicycle shop in Downtown Los Angeles,” their website reads. If you haven’t yet checked out DTLA Bikes, you should. It boasts three floors to fit the needs of any type of cyclist, over 500 bikes in stock, and a repair facility. And they rent bikes, to boot.
584 Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
COMUNITYmade offers lines of handcrafted shoes that you can’t find anywhere else. They design and build their products right at their Arts District store. Adding to the local-roots appeal, they name their shoe lines after streets in the neighborhood, like ‘Mateo’ and ‘Traction’, and they even have one called the ‘Westsider’.
A few eateries to explore
2633 East Cesar E Chavez Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90033.
“Savor History” is their tagline. Serving up tasty dishes that stay true to their pre-columbian heritage is what they treat you to.
1818 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033
Take a trip around the world by way of their menu. "Traditional and innovative flavors from Latin America and other parts of the World."
1001 North Alameda, Los Angeles, CA 90012
They've been in business since 1908, making it one of the oldest operating restaurants in LA, and they’re home to the original French Dipped Sandwich.
