El Valle Oaxaqueño
1601 Vermont Ave. #106, Los Angeles, CA 90006
El Valle Oaxaqueño has been around for more than 25 years and is not only a panaderia, but it’s also a restaurant and gift shop offering traditional Mexican goods.
If you’re looking for a little piece of Mexico this holiday season, the shop has something for the entire family. That includes handcrafted Mexican blouses and traditional earrings, artisanal wooden toys like baleros and trompos, and delicious Oaxacan breads like pan de yema and pan de cazuela.
Owner Arturo Aguilar immigrated to Los Angeles from Oaxaca in 1990. Growing up in a family that ran a panadería, he always knew he wanted to build a business inspired by his upbringing.
“When I arrived in LA, I started out selling paletas and fruit, but since we come from a family of bakers, when this opportunity came up to open in Pico Union, we started making bread and at first just opened a panaderia,” Aguilar said. “Among Oaxacans, bread is vital, especially important for religious celebrations — breads like our pan de yema, which isn’t made in other parts of Mexico.”
— Marina Peña
Olympic Nursery Flowers and Produce
975 S. Vermont Ave. #105, Los Angeles, CA 90006
If a plant is on your holiday gift list, Olympic Nursery Flowers and Produce is one of Koreatown’s longest-running options, serving customers for nearly 40 years.
The nursery is best known for its mix of indoor and outdoor plants, but the biggest draw is its inventory of 22 varieties of fruit trees and its wide range of seedlings, owner Gina Shim said.
The business also stocks a selection of produce and artisanal Korean pantry goods, including fresh sesame oil, doenjang (fermented soybean paste) and gochujang (fermented red chili paste) sourced from a local farm. They make for unique Christmas gifts since they’re not found in regular grocery stores, Shim said, who took over the nursery after her father retired three years ago
Longtime customers still come in asking for him.
“You can’t ignore what 40 years means,” she said. “People come in saying, ‘I’ve been a customer for 40 years,’ ‘I’ve been coming for 30 years,’ ‘20 years,’ and they ask, ‘Where’s your dad?’ It reminds me that we’ve always tried to give our community what it needs.”
— Hanna Kang
Aladdin Used Books
621 S. Western Ave. #300, Los Angeles, CA 90005
As a kid, I’d sit on the carpeted floor of Aladdin Used Books in the Madang Mall with my dad, flipping through books for hours. It’s one of the few local spots where you can find both new Korean books and older titles that are no longer in print, and we often came across used books in great condition for a bargain.
If your book-loving friend doesn’t read Korean, fear not! The store has a collection of English titles, plus little extras like pens, bookmarks, stickers and laptop stands. Anything from here would make a thoughtful gift for someone who loves to read or journal.
And the best part? You don’t have to stress about parking — the store validates for four hours, so you can take your time exploring.
— Hanna Kang
World-8
1057 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90006
For the gamer in your life, turn to World-8. The store carries just about every modern and retro game console and video game under the sun. The Pico Union shop has been in the neighborhood since 2011, and it’s hard to miss their 8-bit-inspired sign that harkens back to old-school Super Mario.
The shop prioritizes physical media in an age of streaming. They also carry Japanese imports, collectible figurines (not dolls, Mom!) and a slew of obscure titles for the Dreamcast, GameCube and NES.
World-8 hosts gaming tournaments, raffles, and the shop will bring back its “12 Days of X-Mas” sale starting Dec. 13, with deep discounts on collectibles, games and more.
— Nathan Solis
Open Market
3339 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010
Stop by for a sandwich and pick up a bottle of wine, sake or soju at Open Market in Koreatown. They offer a wide selection of café classics, like breakfast burritos, avocado toast or house-made cookies, but their vegan “al pastor” oyster mushroom sandwich and matcha lemonade are what set them apart from the competition.
The Koreatown deli-meets-convenience store was founded by wife-and-husband team Yoonna and Brian Lee.
The shop feels busy, but welcoming, a sign of a good spot to spend the afternoon eating and catching up with friends. Giftwise, the shop stocks artisan items, coffee mugs, dog treats, ice cream and many other goodies. They also offer gift cards and a monthly wine club.
— Nathan Solis
