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Waraku
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Venice
1225 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90291
(310) 452-5300
1225 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90291
(310) 452-5300
7 reviews for Waraku
I miss Japan. Lived in Tokyo for a year and a half, and still homesick though Mitsuwa Marketplace on Centinela help ease the pain. So does Waraku, which is as authentic a Japonesque experience as you can find on L.A.'s west side.
The sneaks are great as many here point out and the quirky humor of their T-shirt collection is the stuff of deeper grins. I mean, a line of Ts predicated on what would have happened if Edo Japan had been into surfing? Sick! So was the skull and bones scarf I picked up last winter. Do try something on, if for no other reason than to hang in the back patio changing room!
I just recently went to Waraku in need of a new pair sneakers, and pleasantly surprised with their selection. The brands they mostly carry are Asics Onitsuka Tiger, Simple, Converse Chuck Taylor's and One Star's. I was really impressed with their off color combinations that they had for the Onitsuka Tiger's. Of course this was the shoe that I ended up purchasing.They also have a decent amount of clothing in the shop as well. Most of the pieces are kinda on the vintage streetwear/beachwear tip which is cool if you're into that stuff. I found the salesperson to be very accommendating and more than willing to answer all my questions no matter how quirky they may have been.
You can go to Undefeated, Fred Segal, Melrose, but the sneakers here are different - imported directly from Japan, and most of their selection is sick. And although they're not on the cheap end, very few of their selections are over $200. They've got some amazing all-white high top Chuck Taylor's with the Japanese flag that are off the hook. They have Japanese slip-ons that dwarf most of the ones put out by Vans.
They have a website http://www.warakuusa.com - but be forewarned, most of their stuff sells out quickly.
While there are numerous shops in LA where the sneaker-obsessed subculture can get their fix, no collector should consider their search complete without a visit to Waraku. This little shop along Abbot Kinney features a diverse and eclectic collection of kicks and t-shirts imported directly from Japan with a focus on brands and styles not typically available in the US. Look closely and you're bound to find many limited edition shoes, as well as some one-of-a-kind models from well known manufacturers like Nike, Asics Puma, Adidas as well as Japanese brands like Patrick and Namitatsu which are nearly impossible to find without boarding a JAL jumbo-jet and the subsequent hour-long bus ride from Narita to Tokyo.
For sneakerheads and fans of Japanese fashion (jeans and cool tees), Waraku offers some collection you won't find in typical LA stores (even Fred Segal or American Rag). If you want to stand out, be different while keeping your cool, drop by Waraku.
Waraku definitely carries interesting, hard-to-find sneaks, but a word to the wise: Don't get your heart set on a pair before asking if your size is available. I've gone with both male and female friends (who do not have freakishly large or small feet). Both friends wanted to try on a few different styles, only to find the store didn't have their size in any of them. Perhaps just a reality of small boutiquedom, but a disappointment for the customer nonetheless.
After drunkenly walking home from Other Room on many occasions and passing this amazing store, I finally managed to make it to the window during business hours. I'm not really much for shopping, and rarely go into stores without a specific goal in mind, but Waraku and I have been making some heavy eye-contact for a while. I went inside and was blown away when I realized that the selection of the most impressive, unique, and rare shoes extended much further than my "nose to the window" view had led me to believe. I literally spent almost an hour picking up shoe after shoe and giving it a thorough inspection. Each shoe was more magnificent than the one before. Waraku was more a shoe museum than anything else. Looking at the selection of imports, limited-edition nikes, hard to find converse, and too many others to name was like walking down the halls of the Met and taking in Kandinsky and Picasso. Although I left empty handed, I will definitely back with a major purpose.
