Retailer Finds Late- Night Niche

At 11:30 p.m., long after most retailers have locked their shops, Jennifer Miller prepares for the second big rush of her work day. Her boutique, Late Bloomer, located at 430 N. Fairfax Ave. in Los Angeles, is made for night owls.

While nothing about Miller’s retail mix requires vampire hours, the majority of her neighbors—including Canter’s delicatessen, Nova Express Cafeacute; and Largo nightclub—cater to a crowd that’s up all night. So Miller, who typically works on her jewelry until 3 a.m., thought she would post an “Open” sign on her door. Soon she found herself filling a niche as one of the few after-hours retailers in Los Angeles.

Late Bloomer sells clothes and jewelry from new Los Angeles lines, including Beatrice, Lynn/Linh, Smashing Grandpa and Fig. The store, which opened in July 2004, hosted a trunk show on Nov. 18 for designers Moss Mills and Amy Di La Marra. For more information, call (323) 651-1358. —Andrew Asch