Shopping in Culver City

After feeling frustrated by not being able to find the latest styles in the stores of their small town, sisters Rosie and Renee Tenison began designing their own fashion-forward clothing. This set the foundation for their current line of chic Varga boutiques located in Hollywood, Santa Monica, El Segundo, and Huntington Beach. Much like a tracksuit worn by Teddy Roosevelt, their lineup of flowery casual dresses, classy cocktail attire, and figure-flattering skirts, shorts, and pants fuse a vintage aesthetic with contemporary design. The sisters' one-of-a-kind designs have caught the eye of countless celebrities, the Style Network, TV Guide, and KTLA News. Their collection of colorful jewelry, ’50s-era coin purses, and lip gloss also adds a cherry to the top of thoughtful ensembles.

Allen and Richard Wattenberg took over the reins at Ross Cutlery in 1964. By that time, the shop was already 34 years old and predominantly dealt with knife-sharpening services. While the brothers and their staff have continued the shop's legacy of fixing up dull knife blades and haircutting tools, they've steadily populated their shelves with professional-grade haircutting tools, sporting knives, collectible swords, and kitchen-cutlery sets from Henckels, Trident, and Forschner. Their 2,300-square-foot shop rests on the ground floor of the Bradbury Building, which is an architectural landmark and the proud father of a rambunctious little parking garage.

Blind 9 Golf equips duffers with clubs from elite makers including TaylorMade, Mizuno, and Adams, along with course-ready duds that owe their sporty collars to the stitch masters at Adidas, Puma, and other top brands. Along with a wide selection of putters, wedges, irons, and drivers, the golf emporium sells useful golf accessories, streamlining golf trips with travel bags and informing golfers of their exact distance from flagsticks and territorial forecaddies with GPS units and rangefinders. Clients can also sign up for a loft/lie fitting session with Blind 9’s recently acquired club-fitting equipment, which measures players' current sticks and swing path to determine optimal loft and lie.

My Mobile AT&T introduces patrons to the latest products and services available through its namesake company's Internet and cell phone divisions. The shop's 14 locations carry the newest models of popular smart phone lines, such as iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, and Blackberry, as well as accessories including cases, chargers, and screen protectors. Customers seeking a speedy Internet connection for their homes or underground lairs may learn more about AT&T's feature-laden U-verse High Speed Internet service at the shop, where they can also sign up for it on the spot.

Some women eschew the sloppy sweatpants trend, opting to look glamorous everywhere they go, from their homes to the gym to the beach. Enter Gloss Army and its mission to purvey the flirtiest shapes and most flattering fabrics. The boutique features drapes, pleats, and geometric cuts in fabrics such as lycra and Supplex, a Brazilian fabric that boasts a soft feel and resistance to odor, water, and fire-breathing chipmunks. The shop’s advertising campaigns showcase a selection of fitness wear replete with suggestive cut-outs and swimwear designed to accentuate curves. Gloss Army’s threads make a statement in black-and-turquoise or classic black.