Melrose Avenue

A view of a part of the eastern end of the Melrose Avenue District in April 2004.

Melrose Avenue (sometimes referred to simply as "Melrose") is a shopping, dining and entertainment destination in Los Angeles, California, starting at Santa Monica Boulevard at the border between Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, and ending at Lucile Avenue in Silver Lake. To the south of Melrose Avenue is Beverly Boulevard and to the north is Santa Monica Boulevard. Paved in 1909, Melrose Avenue's namesake comes from the Massachusetts town of the same name.

Its most famous section, known as the Melrose District, is the West End through West Hollywood and the Fairfax District. At the corner of Fairfax and Melrose is Fairfax High School, home of the Melrose Trading Post swap meet. One of the most famous landmarks located on Melrose Avenue is Paramount Pictures. Metro Local line 10 operates on Melrose Avenue. Cosmo Lombino, a New York-born designer known as the "Queen of Melrose", owns three boutiques located on Melrose Avenue.

History

A petition signed by voters in the Melrose addition was presented to the city council of Los Angeles in February 1922, requesting annexation to the city. The Melrose Annexation was effective June 16, 1922. The area was 0.67 square miles, generally along Melrose Avenue, from Sweetzer Avenue to the west, east to June Street.

Melrose District

Another view of Melrose Avenue

The eastern end of the district, which runs from Fairfax to Highland Avenue, became a popular underground and new wave shopping area in the early 1980s and a centerpoint for the new wave and punk subcultures. The avenue has appeared in various films and television shows, including Entourage, LA Ink, Melrose Place and the "Jaywalking" public interaction segments of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Many stores and businesses have made their homes in the district, including Retail Slut and a large outdoor flea market called the Melrose Trading Post. At the corner of Highland and Melrose is what has been described by the Los Angeles Times as the "boss of LA's Italian dining scene", Osteria Mozza, which marks the eastern end of the Fairfax District. Much of the area is managed by the Melrose Avenue Business Improvement District.

Melrose Heights

The Western End, popularly referred to as Melrose Heights, runs from La Cienega Blvd. to Fairfax Avenue and features a variety of upscale establishments, such as various hair salons and wellness spas (such as Elixir), The Bodhi Tree (metaphysical and New Age bookstore), Fred Segal, Plush Home and the comedy club The Improv. Most famously the area is known for its high-end designer stores and boutiques, including Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, BCBG Max Azria, Carolina Herrera, Diane von Fürstenberg, Diesel, Homa Bridal, John Varvatos, Marc Jacobs, Mulberry, Oscar de la Renta, Paul Smith, Sergio Rossi, Temperley London, Vera Wang and Vivienne Westwood, amongst others.

Melrose Place

Near its intersection with La Cienega Boulevard is Melrose Place, a branch of the main avenue made famous thanks to the soap opera of the same name. In reality, Melrose Place features no residences and has, historically, been home to antique shops, smaller boutiques, and hair and nail salons. Melrose Place runs entirely within the Los Angeles city limits, just outside of the West Hollywood city limits.

La Cienega Design Quarter

The area of Melrose Avenue that intersects La Cienega Boulevard and its satellite streets is part of the La Cienega Design Quarter. Its businesses feature many antique and furniture stores, rug sellers, accessories and artisans.

Sources

• Media related to Melrose Avenue at Wikimedia Commons
• Melrose Avenue Official Guide
• Huffington Post - October 8 2010

External links

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