Local Business Highlight: Old Gold Boutique
Old Gold Boutique Interviewed by Lindsey Goodrow Long Beach is a city that charms all who visit its humble shores. It is rich in culture, music, the arts, and fashion.Whatever you happen to be looking for, you are bound to find it here. 4th Street is a well known destination for those who are looking for a little bit of everything. But it isn’t known as Retro Row for no reason. This block is as equally lined with restaurants as it is vintage shops. Anyone who wishes to shop all day does not have to fear that phrase “shop ‘til you drop” because there is no shortage of sustenance/snacks around you. Whipple Group is in love with so many shops in and around Retro Row, each one bringing its own big personality to the community. We sat down with one of our favorite shop owners, Bridgette Thomson who owns Old Gold Boutique,to discuss what it’s like running a vintage clothing store on the renowned Retro Row. How long has Old Gold Boutique been an established brick-and-mortar on 4th Street? 4 1/2 years, it will be 5 years in September! What are the pros and cons of having a space in Long Beach rather than a more fashion-forward city/district? People travel specifically to Retro Row to go vintage shopping which means I have a built in clientele & regular foot traffic most days.I think Long Beach is fashion- forward but still laid back. I honestly wouldn't prefer to own a shop somewhere more fashion forward where it feels a little more excessive & competitive. How would you describe the clothing that you collect/sell/style? A curated mix of some higher end pieces and plenty of everyday styles. Most clothing is from anywhere between the 1950s-1990s but I especially love anything from the 60s & 70s. I’m obsessed with a wild print or a fluffy party dress but for my shop I focus more so on easy pieces you can wear in everyday life. Every piece I source for the shop is specifically curated for its style, then researched, cleaned & mended so it’s ready to wear out the door. How long have you had a passion for vintage clothing? What would you say draws you to it? What do you love about styling? I’ve loved vintage and fashion since I was young but around high school was when I started thrifting and discovering my own personal style. I’m drawn to vintage because everything is unique & has a history and a story to tell. I love hunting for special pieces that no one else will have and seeing the craftsmanship and beauty in each piece. It’s fascinating to me to style different eras together in my own closet when I’m getting dressed or when I’m taking photos for the shop. I find it to be a really fun form of self expression. Do you/does your business feel supported in the community and the other small businesses in your industry? I definitely feel supported in the vintage community. The 4th Street community is great because although we all sell vintage, we offer something different and special to our customers. The online vintage community I have found is incredibly supportive and kind as well. It doesn’t feel like a competition with either which is a blessing. Do you have any words of wisdom for other budding shop owners who might want to open a vintage store in Long Beach? Be yourself.Everyone’s got their niche here and if you’re not sure and just doing what everyone else is doing, it’s going to show. It’s incredibly hard to own your own business and be your own boss but if you have something special & love what you do, you can do it. I’ve still got a ton of learning and growing to do but it’s rewarding work when it’s successful. And even in the times when it doesn’t feel successful, I keep going because I believe in it. What goes into the picking process? Where do you find everything? Or is that a secret!? There’s a lot of moving parts that go into the picking process!Since I’m a one woman show I get to do all of it and finding the gems is my favorite part!First, I pick things that I like! I make sure it’s wearable and in good condition.I spend a lot of time online and out in the world looking for beautiful quality pieces.And as far as where I source, it’s not a secret but all I will say is EVERYWHERE! How often do you wind up keeping the pieces you pick for the store? Of course I keep things for myself but it used to be a lot more often! I try hard these days not to keep anything unless I’ve been looking for it for myself or I’m just completely obsessed. I have to be realistic with myself and know that I’m actually going to wear the piece and not just want to hold on to it because it’s beautiful. Does Old Gold Boutique currently sell any home/furniture pieces or just clothing/accessories? If the latter, do you plan on expanding? And would that require a bigger space? Would you ever give up the prime spot you have now? I currently sell some home goods but no furniture yet. I’ve been trying lately to source more pieces for the home so hopefully there will be a lot more of that in the future. Although I love vintage furniture it’s not really my forte so probably not because I definitely would need more room and no I don’t think I would leave my space, I love it too much! Visit Old Gold Boutique on Retro Row to find your next favorite piece.It is located across from the iconic Art Theatre right off the corner of Cherry and 4th Street.For more information on what is currently in the shop, click here to view their instagram.
Local Business Highlight: Vine
Vine Interviewed by Lindsey Goodrow In early 2021, after 12 years in operation, Jim Ritson and Sophia Sandoval passed the epic torch of owning 4th Street on Vine over to Dustin Lovelis and Emily Rollins, a couple well-known in the Long Beach music scene. The new owners changed the name ever-so-slightly to Vine in order to freshen their appeal, as some bands are prone to do (such as The Beatles changing from The Quarrymen or Nirvana changing theirs from Fecal Matter). Vine, while simplified from its original name, does not take away from what it is: a wine bar that happens to play incredible local music almost every night. In order to learn more about how music has always been and continues to be the main feature of this local business, Whipple Group asked owner and musician Dustin Lovelis (The Fling) for some insight: Describe, to us, your business in your own words I like to think of Vine as a community center with free music, beer, wine and glizzys. How did you come up with the idea of opening up your business? What inspired you to open up shop in Long Beach? It wasn't really our idea. We built a strong relationship with the previous owners through playing shows and being regulars there (4th Street Vine). During the shutdown, Emily and I were both considering a career change. Jim and Sophia offered us the bar around the same time. It was our favorite place to hang out and watch music....so we couldn't pass up the opportunity. What goes into being able to play live music at your business? Why is it important to you to be able to play live music? What are your favorite bands? We do our best to give everyone a chance to play. Really, all it takes is being able to share some music with us beforehand so I can find a cohesive bill for the band/artist....and a little patience. We’re usually booked up 2-3 months in advance. There are a lot of amazing bands in town right now...I'd say my 2 favorites at the moment are Self Improvement and Nifegun. What are the rules and regulations behind playing live music? Is the neighborhood supportive of it? Weeknights we have a 10pm curfew for live music. 11pm curfew on Fri/Sat. Most of the neighbors are supportive. Got a couple grumps that don't support the arts nearby. What are some upcoming shows we should be aware of? Grudgepacker April 21, Tijuana Panthers April 22, Dear Nora May 1 What kind of wine do you serve? Old world? Natural? French? What are your favorite varietals? We carry natural wines from all over with a constantly rotating selection.Hard to pick a favorite, right now we have this gamay/pinot noir chilled red that is always a hit.Our best sellers are whatever pet nat and skin contact we are pouring at the moment. Do you serve food? What are your hours for selling alcohol/selling food?We heard you have popups. Are there specific vendors who sell food there? Do you host markets? We have hotdogs (glizzys) and burgerlords veggie dogs. We are open Mon-Thur 5p-11p, Fri 5p-12a, Sat 2p-12p, Sun 12p-12a. We only have food vendors on 4th Fridays (Vegan Bahn Mi Tao) and special occasions. We just had Hamburgers Nice for our 2 year anniversary with Mapache. Are there upcoming events/annual events we should be aware of? Live music almost every night. Tuesdays are local residency nights. $3 Thursdays with DJs and an open invite chess club on the patio (7pm). Ping pong on Sunday afternoons. What advice would you give to other small business owners, especially in your industry? For us having a reason to get people together other than just drinking. Live music is what keeps people coming back. Creating a space that feels safe for artists to share and socialize at the same time. There is a lot of talent in this city and we are elated that people choose Vine to showcase it. What can you offer that other wine bars in the area can’t?Do you feel that there is a level of competition between you and Art Du Vin?(Since it’s right across the street). In my opinion the more people on the street, the better. Art Du Vin offers things that we don't and vice versa. I don't see it as competition. That's for sports. What do you love about owning a small business in Long Beach? I've never felt more connected to the music scene that I do now, even as a local musician. I get to meet so many great local and touring bands on a weekly basis. It's like being on tour forever but I get to sleep in my own bed and not pay for gas. We couldn’t be more grateful for Dustin Lovelis and Emily Rollins taking over Vine and making it their own—our community is lucky to have a space where we can listen to and fall in love with new music every night of the week. For more information on shows coming up at Vine, check their IG page. While you’re at it, give your ears a treat and listen to Dustin’s music here or here.
Local Business Highlight: Shady Grove Foods
WELCOME TO SHADY GROVE FOODS! Serving Gumbo So Good You’ll Want to Roll In It By Lindsey Goodrow When we entered Shady Grove Foods, the Long Beach BBQ joint that opened in August, we immediately spotted David, the patriarch of the family-owned business, sitting at the head of a table inside. He was looking toward the door and onto 4th Street much like a king surveying his kingdom would. His son, Dennis, was busy prepping and cooking for the oncoming rush of dinner patrons. Whipple Group sat down with David (with Dennis interjecting from the kitchen) to learn all about the restaurant’s opening on Retro Row, the challenges and surprises that occurred along the way, and the delightfully unique menu items that’ll kick you in the tastebuds. ORIGIN STORY While Shady Grove may be a new establishment on 4th Street, the fingerlickin’ good BBQ is no stranger to the Long Beach community—they have been serving up ribs, brisket, gumbo, and biscuits to lucky people for the past ten years at farmers markets and in front of businesses in Los Angeles and Orange County. Finally opening up a brick-n-mortar has allowed the business to expand on their Cajun influence like never before, with the space, time, and hands to create new menu items with impressively unique ingredients. Have you ever tried green curry seafood gumbo? Or fish sauce slathered sticky ribs? The restaurant’s menu is a conglomerate of Cajun family recipes and bold experiments with influences from Thai, New Mexican, Santa Maria BBQ, and French cuisine, to name a few. From pop-ups to a brick-n-mortar, David and Dennis Robicheau have “gained traction and expanded due to appropriate creativity, respect for tradition, and use of scratch-made products, such as their house cured bacon,” according to their website. “Their food and their love of Southern Hospitality will make you feel like part of the family.” LONG BEACH BBQ What is Long Beach BBQ? A Shady Grove specialty, this particular type of BBQ is the delicate blend of cultures that permeate in this wonderful city. It differentiates itself from, say, Texas BBQ by using different ingredients as its flavor base. Ingredients include but are not limited to BBQ chili garlic, fish sauce, caramel, and coca cola. DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE SPICE “Spice propels you to keep eating” David Robicheau tells us with a hearty grin on his face. It should be noted, as many of us tend to be sensitive eaters, that many dishes on the Shady Grove menu can kick you right in the tastebuds—in a wonderfully sensational way! Sensitive or not, your mouth will be watering and on fire at the same time, like while eating their famous Smoked Cajun meatloaf. The spices are so flaming good that you won’t be able to put your for down until the plate is completely empty. LET’S GET SMOKING! The original plan was to place the Santa Maria grill and smoker on the back patio, allowing Shady Grove Foods to serve up their famous Long Beach BBQ directly to patron’s mouths. As it turns out, moving forward with a big smoker caused big problems for the newly christened restaurant. The particular location, which is residential, makes it hard to obtain a permit for the smoker. But the Robicheau’s are hoping to get one soon and point to another BBQ spot— The Corner 10th BBQ, located on 10th street in the Rose Park neighborhood of Long Beach—as another example of a BBQ spot that received their smoker permit. The sooner they get this permit, the sooner they can stop BBQing off-site, which would be a huge relief to both patrons and Shady Grove owners and staff! For more information on Shady Grove Foods or to plan a delicious Cajun-and-Creole-inspired catering event, visit: www.shadygrovefoods.com and take a peek at some of the current menu items here: www.instagram.com/shadygrovefoods
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