Melrose BID Blog

Did you know, for every dollar spent at a small business, approximately 67¢ stays in the local community? Even if you shop at a franchise, they are typically locally-owned, so shopping in your neighborhood assists your community. This holiday season, please consider supporting the unique, eclectic stores and businesses that make up the Melrose Arts District. A good percentage of our businesses are operating, offering either limited in-store shopping (retail), take-out & delivery (restaurants), by appointment visits (services), online sales, etc. Other ways you can support your favorite local businesses include the following: Buy a gift card: You can give local restaurants more money now by purchasing gift cards you can use later when the restaurants re-open for indoor or outdoor dining. Holiday shop: Rather than purchase from Amazon, buy your gifts from Melrose stores and give them a boost. Tip well: Many servers, baristas, and delivery people have been out of work at some point this year. If you can afford it, leave a big tip and make someone’s day. Schedule and pay for future services: While most salons are closed, some will allow you to pay for services in advance. You could pay for haircuts for the next […]

Yep, it’s going to be a different kind of Thanksgiving this year. No matter how you decide to safely enjoy the holiday – with your family, your pod, or on Zoom – the businesses in the Melrose Arts District are working hard to provide all you need to fill your belly and feed your soul. Thank you for the continued support of all the businesses on Melrose Avenue – our community appreciates you, and looks forward to supporting you through the holiday season. Now, on to the good stuff…. Coffee for Sasquatch Every day should start with a good breakfast, even a holiday. And if you’re responsible for meal prep, you’re also going to need an early morning energy boost. So head over to Coffee for Sasquatch and pick up an iced oat pumpkin spice latte and a slice of pumpkin loaf bread. COFFEE FOR SASQUATCH 7020 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles 323.424.7980 Standings Butchery If you’re a meat eater, your Thanksgiving meal deserves the best meat: ethically sourced, sustainably raised and thoughtfully curated by this independently operated butchery. In addition to meat and poultry, the folks at Standing’s are a one-stop shop with bread, dairy, seasonings, and a well-stocked pantry. […]

In the heart of the Melrose Business Improvement District you’ll find Antonio’s, one of the oldest businesses on the street. Antonio’s has been serving delicious authentic Mexican food for over 30 years. With signature posada and mole dishes, the flavors under their roof are as tasty as they are timeless. Owner, Antonio Gutiérrez, delivers authentic Mexican recipes passed down from his mother, Maria Lopez Gutiérrez. And, if you’re lucky, you can catch Antonio himself behind the bar slicing limes, pouring premium tequila and offering up an easy smile filled with pride. Long before Melrose Ave became the celebrity destination for shopping it is today, stars came from far and wide for the one-of-a-kind flavors and friendly personal service. From Jonny Depp to Christopher Walken to Mick Jagger, the “wall of fame” at Antonio’s is constantly expanding. Antonio’s is a family affair. I was hard pressed to find a staff member that wasn’t directly related to Antonio or married to one of his children. The personal investment in the success of the business results in an attention to detail you can’t find anywhere else. Gutiérrez’s daughter has turned the restaurant into a gallery of Mexican cultural artwork, like day of the […]

For people that remember Melrose Avenue in the 1980s and 1990s, Headline Records is a capture of that time when mohawked punkers with spiked wristbands were the in-crowd. For those that don’t remember, the shop is easily the best place in Los Angeles to find punk, garage, ska, and hardcore music and gear. But everyone knows the French guy that is holding the torch for old-school music retail in his legendary Melrose Avenue record store. Jean-Luc (John) Gaudry was a young man managing a grocery store in France, and approaching his 30s with a mission. “I started to work at 15 years old, and around 30 I wanted to do something very extreme. Music was my passion for a long time, so I decided why not try to live my passion, a record store, and why not in L.A., the capital of punk rock?” he recalls. “I have only one life, let’s do it!” From years of ordering vinyl, tapes, and ‘zines through the mail from all over the world (yes kids, that’s how we did it back then), John had forged relationships with players in the scene. He also vacationed in Los Angeles in the ‘80s almost every year. […]