Spindle & Canister Pop-Up Becomes Permanent

Tayo Abidoye thought he would get out of the retail business as soon as he sold the merchandise from his Spindle & Canister pop-up shop. It debuted in October 2009 at the Malibu Lumber Yard luxury center, located in the exclusive beachside city of Malibu, Calif.

Almost one year later, Abidoye still calls himself the owner of the boutique, and he has become more bullish on retail. The pop-up shop made the transition to becoming a permanent shop in July 2010. Abidoye intends to open more locations of Spindle & Canister after the economy starts growing at a steadier pace. As the store heads toward its first anniversary, consumers will continue to find a collection of different mini-boutiques at Spindle & Canister.

Abidoye sells his cashmere sweater and casuals line Spindle & Canister at his boutique. Other labels at his store include Los Angeles–area brands Wildfox Couture, LnA and Rich & Skinny. A recent top seller is Wildfox’s beach jumper, a baggy sweater that retails for $108.

V-neck styles have been strong sellers, including the V-neck sweater made by Wildfox’s White Label. The cashmere-like sweater, bearing a single heart graphic, retails for $149. A loose-fitting V-neck T-shirt by LnA also is selling well. It retails for $70. The “Kate” pants by Keep Me also sell well. The Supima/Modal/cotton loungewear pants retail for $77. “We don’t have people looking for trendy stuff at the store,” Abidoye said. “We have a higher-end customer. They want the subtle—not overstated—pieces.”—Andrew Asch