Casual Fashions Mean Business at Crystal Cove
Friends told Ron and Linda Beale they were crazy to open their 7,000-square-foot store, At Ease, during a weak economy, but the veteran retailers were convinced it was a risk worth taking. Just take a look outside the store, they told friends.
At Ease is located across the street from Crystal Cove State Park, one of the last stretches of mostly unspoiled beach in Southern California’s Orange County. The store’s address is Crystal Cove Promenade, a property owned by The Irvine Co. For breathtaking views, the Beales recommend looking at the waves crashing below the state park’s cliffs.
Sandwiched in between the suburban areas of Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, Crystal Cove Promenade was once isolated, but it has become increasingly popular in the past few years as The Irvine Co. constructed luxury homes in the Newport Coast development, overlooking the shoppingcenter. Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant is one of Newport Coast’s prominent residents.
Despite the infrequent Kobe sightings, the place does not have the celebrity cachet of another beachside retail center, Malibu Country Mart, located far up the coast in Malibu, Calif. While there seem to be no paparazzi lurking around Crystal Cove, many boutique owners said retail traffic could be better. However, the wealth of the Crystal Cove shoppers often makes up for some of the slow times.
According to Alex Towhidian, owner of Crystal Cove boutique Novecento, 80 percent of his clientele are residents of moneyed adjacent towns, as well as Newport Coast. The remaining 20 percent are wellto- do tourists. In June, Canadians reportedly vacation in the area. August features many Saudi Arabian visitors.
No matter where they come from, customers all seem to want casual fashions. “I don’t sell too many suits,” Towhidian said.
In the men’s half of his 2,000-square-foot store, he sells woven shirts made by the Andrea Polombini label for $250. Also popular are woven shirts from his Novecento brand, which sell for more than $220. T-shirts by Salvage retail for $90.
Women shopping at Novecento are not as casual as their male counterparts. Lightweight fur coats are popular for the women. A coat made out of fox and rabbit fur by French label Rizal International retails for more than $1,950. A top produced by the Vivienne Westwood Anglomania label retails for $750. A sequined dress by Los Angeles –based Mandalay sells for $1,355.
Casual also might be the final word in women’s fashions at Millie, another boutique at Crystal Cove Promenade. Top sellers include camisoles produced by Los Angeles–based Michael Stars. They retail for $36 each at Millie, according to owner Karen Thro.
Brushed-cotton T-shirts manufactured by Los Angeles– based James Perse are also popular. Price points for the line start at $50.
At Ease retails men’s suits, but casual fashions set at luxury prices seem to be what have captured customers’ attention, said Linda Beale. Denim is all the rage at her store. Top-selling styles include straight-leg denim pants by Agave and Gardeur. They are priced at $150.
Casual does not come cheap at the Newport Coast. At more than $500, outerwear by Jhane Barnes is priced in the same tier as blazers by Paul Smith. A golf shirtby the Bobby Jones label retails for $275. Leather jacketsby Indian Motorcycle Apparel retail for $1,000.
A refined-preppy look also is on the rise at At Ease. A popular brand is Wisconsin-based House of Carrington. Beale thought the label’s white linen pants and pink shirts might be too East Coast for the Crystal Cove crowd, but retailing for $450, the pants are selling well at the store.
