Best Business

Downtown’s Wonderland in Sales and Services

READERS’ CHOICE

• Best Shopping Center:7+Fig
• Best Local Florist: L.A. Flower Market
• Best Local Grocery Store: Grand Central Market
• Best Local Furniture Store: The Dock Downtown
• Best Bargain Shopping: Santee Alley
• Best Fitness Club: 24 Hour Fitness
• Best Salon: Candolyn’s Salon & Day Spa
• Best Spa: Bonaventure Club
• Best Hotel for Your In-Laws: The Biltmore Hotel
• Best Pharmacy: Rite Aid
• Best Wi-Fi Hot Spot: Starbucks
• Best Dentist: Dr. Don Mungcal, Downtown Dental
• Best Residential/Loft Complex: Medici
• Best Mom & Pop Shop: La Parrilla
• Best Secret Parking Spot: Joe’s on Hope Street
• Best Place to Blow $100: Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse
• Best Medical Center: Good Samaritan Hospital
• Best Carwash: Downtown Car Wash
• Best Thing We Didn’t Think Of: Multiple WinnersEDITORS’ CHOICE
• Best Acupuncture: Dr. Steven T. H. Chang
• Best Florist: Unique Sarah Total Floral
• Best Massage: Pho-Siam
• Best Smoke Shop: Bloom’s General Store
• Best New Market: Joe’s Downtown Market
• Best Community Activity: Skid Row Walk
• Best New Clothing Store: Stelladottir
• Best Pet Champions: Downtown Dog Rescue
• Best Full Service Pet Care: Bark Avenue
• Best DVD Rental: Old Bank DVD
• Best Local Sports Executive: Elgin Baylor, Los Angeles Clippers
• Best Auto Center: Downtown LA Motors, Porsche, Audi & Volkswagen
• Best Sample Sale: Saturday Sale at California Market Center
• Best Business Booster: The Historic Downtown Retail ProjectBEST SHOPPING CENTER
  7+Fig
  It’s the boss’ birthday and you totally forgot, or maybe it’s the in-office baby shower and you’re the only one about to show up empty handed. So get thee to 7+Fig, the land of protective, circular stairways, nicely decorated platforms and prettily arranged storefronts. The shopping options range from Robinsons-May to Mr. G’s Toys and Expressions to Ann Taylor to VaMara Gifts & Candles. In other words, you’ll find what you are looking for, even if you didn’t know you were looking for it. And you’ll probably be entertained while doing the looking, possibly from the ground-floor outdoor plaza where bands sometimes perform, or possibly from a stop at Arnie Morton’s the Steakhouse (where gift certificates are available). At 735 S. Figueroa St., (213) 955-7150 or 7fig.com.-Kathleen Nye Flynn

  BEST LOCAL FLORIST
  L.A. Flower Market (Readers’ Choice)
  Unique Sarah Total Floral (Editors’ Choice)
  If you are an early bird, don’t ever pay full price for fresh blooms again. Head to the fragrantly perfumed L.A. Flower Market, which opens for wholesale business before the sun rises, and continues to serve the public for a small admission fee ($2/$1 on Sat.) until noon on Monday through Saturday. Enter the sweet-smelling warehouse and your senses are immediately overwhelmed by thousands of white buckets packed with flowers of every color of the spectrum. Wander through the maze-like building and pick up exotic flora: phalaenopsis orchids run about $16 per pot, a bouquet of lilies will only set you back $4.75 and a bunch of red roses costs $7.75. At 754 S. Wall St., (213) 622-1966 or laflowerdistrict.com.
  Specializing in exotic floral arrangements, Unique Sarah is known for incorporating unexpected natural materials into the designs. Branches, mosses and rocks provide dramatic sculptural accents in otherwise green, leafy arrangements or orchid-based works. Some of Unique Sarah’s arrangements play on traditional bonsai tree displays, while others use rocks and branches in place of traditional plant materials. The most popular offering is a seven-foot-tall design featuring a manzanita branch with a green cymbidium orchid, moss and river rocks in a rectangular wooden box ($750). Of course, there are less expensive options, and a typical small-scale arrangement runs about $75. The shop will create a custom piece for your home or business as well as for occasions such as holidays and weddings. At 508 E. Eighth St., (213) 833-0003 or uniquesarah.com.-Lea Lion

  BEST LOCAL GROCERY STORE
  Grand Central Market
  Not a grocery store in the modern sense, Grand Central Market is Los Angeles’ oldest and largest open-air market and the definitive place to pick up fresh fruit, vegetables, meats, poultry and fish in Downtown Los Angeles. The market forgoes the sterile aisles and fluorescent lighting of traditional supermarkets for aromatic, colorful displays of food from around the world. Stroll down one sawdust-covered aisle to discover jars of chocolate mole, while the next stand over sells exotic tropical fruits. Another throwback to a bygone era are the prices, which are a fraction of what the same item costs in the supermarket. With almost 40 vendors, many of whom sell prepared food, the market is a mecca for Downtown gourmets. At 317 S. Broadway, (213) 624-2378 or grandcentralsquare.com.-LL

  BEST LOCAL FURNITURE STORE
  The Dock Downtown
  So you’ve just gotten the loft of your dreams, but as you peruse your 800-square-foot space, panic strikes: How will you turn it into that hip pad without breaking the bank? Head down to The Dock. From leather couches to colorful bedding and placemats, The Dock has the eclectic furnishings that can transform your home from sparse to sleek – for well below regular retail price. They buy their furniture and accessories from overstock, and you reap the savings. Their teak selection, which includes dining tables, consoles and China cabinets, is exclusive to the store and comes from Indonesia. The wood is hand-sanded with cardboard and feels like silk. The Dock also offers reupholstering for any piece in stock and has a variety of elegant and original fabrics. Their accessories, which include duvet covers, dishes and even bath products, feature well-known brands from stores like Shelter, Blueprint and Anthropologie. So don’t fret: One quick shopping spree and hip will be your middle name. At 1481 E. Fourth St., (323) 446-0281 or thedockdowntown.com.-KNF

  BEST BARGAIN SHOPPING
  Santee Alley
  Do not go to Melrose, do not stop by the Beverly Center and do not waste hundreds of dollars. Why would you when the Fashion District’s Santee Alley has that exact same embroidered A-line skirt or wide leather belt for a quarter of the price? Buy those shoes that you will only wear once (before you finally learn that five-inch heels are, indeed, impossible to walk in), buy that purse that will only go with one outfit, and buy that outfit that you will only wear on one very drunken night to that very fashionable club that requires very little clothing. Then, turn around and pick up a couple great button-downs for the office and some staple sweats you’ll never take off. And even if it’s not Melrose, don’t worry – a Coffee Bean is still nearby. Santee Alley is between Santee Street and Maple Avenue, from Olympic Boulevard to 12th Street, (213) 488-1153.-KNF

  BEST FITNESS CLUB
  24 Hour Fitness
  Sometimes efficiency is best. Though it is neither the largest nor the swankiest place to work out in the Central City, 24 Hour Fitness’ location at Arco Plaza is a tidy addition to the Downtown Los Angeles fitness mix. By some standards it may be a spartan setting, but all the necessary machines are there for the taking, membership costs aren’t yet stratospheric, and the staff is capable. In other words, it’s a great spot to get down to the business of getting in shape, and in an iPod decade, there’s little more one needs. At 505 S. Flower St., (213) 683-1400 or 24hourfitness.com.-Andrew Moyle

  BEST SALON
  Candolyn’s Salon & Day Spa
  In an elegant setting with mosaic floors, leopard-print fabrics and frescoed walls, Candolyn’s offers a break from the city chaos, and a fix for your broken nails. A staff of professional stylists provides manicures and pedicures, spa treatments and exfoliations. And, if that Los Angeles wind is giving you a bad hair day, you can get a cut, up-do, color tinting, perm or scalp treatment. The salon also offers special bride and groom packages that include facials, massages and light lunches. The soothing setting will make that metropolitan madness float away. At 350 S. Grand Ave., No. D-9, (213) 625-7895.-KNF

  BEST SPA
  Bonaventure Club 
  So tired you want to crawl under your desk and go to sleep? Are your eyes so puffy and back so slumped that even your desk might reject you? That’s when the Bonaventure Club Spa & Fitness can help the most. With elegant Euro-Asian design, the 15,000-square-foot spa in the city’s largest hotel offers a relaxing getaway you can run to at any time of the day (it’s open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.) for a quick massage fix or daylong treatment binge. From sauna and steam baths to body scrubs, skin care and Shiatsu massage, your aching frame can get the attention it needs. So get going, because there’s no way you’re going to get a massage sleeping on the floor. At 404 S. Figueroa St., (888) 629-5880 or bonaventurehotel.com.-KNF

  BEST HOTEL FOR YOUR IN-LAWS
  The Biltmore Hotel
  Send your hip friends to the Standard, but when it comes to meeting the needs of your significant other’s mom and dad, the stately Biltmore does not disappoint. The 1923 landmark features 683 elegantly appointed rooms with comfortable beds and high-thread-count linens, along with amenities such as marble bathrooms and satellite television. There is an array of eating options, including the upscale Smeraldi’s, the Japanese Sai Sai and the quick-fix Grand Avenue Sports Bar. There is also a gym, an attractive Roman-style pool and a blazingly hot sauna. The central location makes it easy to get the folks around, the well-trained staff will meet their needs and you can always grab a late-night drink in the atmospheric Gallery Bar. The in-laws will like the Biltmore so much that they’ll never want to stay at your place again. At 506 S. Grand Ave., (213) 624-1011.-Jon Regardie

  BEST PHARMACY
  Rite Aid
  It’s a weeknight and you’re a Downtowner coming down with a major cold. What to do? A little trip to the Rite Aid might be the cure you seek. The Pennsylvania-based drug chain, started in 1962, has 3,000 locations nationwide and three destinations in Downtown, though readers most frequently cited the Seventh Street location. All of the local branches feature a fully stocked pharmacy (open until 7 p.m.), aisles and aisles of food and a one-hour photo center. At 501 S. Broadway, (213) 623-5820; 600 W. Seventh St., (213) 896-0083; and 700 S. Los Angeles St., (213) 614-9574 or riteaid.com.-Chris Coates

  BEST WI-FI SPOT
  Starbucks
  The coffee is hot, the cream is cool and the sticky bun is sweet. Strains of John Coltrane’s greatest hits hover above the whirring sound of an espresso machine. The corner table is open and an abandoned newspaper sits nearby, just waiting to be picked up. Oh, wait, there is one more component to this dream: The Wi-Fi signal is strong and the creative juices are flowing. A caffeine-junkie favorite for its bitter brew and speedy service, Starbucks also provides free Wi-Fi access at almost every Downtown location, though readers especially cited the Second Street and Central Avenue spot. This perk keeps the screenwriters coming in droves, not to mention the novelists, journalists, bloggers and poets. Of course, everyone else is welcome to whip out a laptop and surf the web, too. At 138 S. Central Ave., (213) 613-0393 or starbucks.com.-LL

  BEST DENTIST
  Don Mungcal, Downtown Dental
  Downtown Dental, right in the same neighborhood as MOCA and the Wells Fargo Building, is painless to find. Once inside, Dr. Don Mungcal provides a full range of services, from cleanings to cosmetic procedures (including veneers, teeth whitening and invisible braces). His practice has flourished over the past 14 years, producing smiles that shine brighter than Disney Hall on a summer day. The ease of walking to a dentist may also make you smile. At 255 S. Grand Ave., No. 204, (213) 620-5777.-Michael X. Ferraro

  BEST RESIDENTIAL/LOFT COMPLEX
  Medici
  Sure, the volleyball courts, lap pool, putting green, tennis courts and golf driving cages are nice, but the in-house washer and dryers are what really make the Medici take home the gold. The upscale apartment complex on Bixel between Seventh and Eighth streets has helped bring a higher standard of living to Downtown and offers its residents everything from Berber carpeting to a fitness center with tanning rooms and steam baths. With all that, there’s no reason ever to leave the building – not even to do your laundry. Need more? Before signing a huge NFL contract, Heisman Trophy-winning USC quarterback Matt Leinart lived here. At 725 S. Bixel St., (213) 627-3901 or themedici.com.-KNF

  BEST MOM & POP SHOP
  La Parrilla
  La Parrilla is so home-grown that its City West location was once a home (and, coincidentally, was once owned by Charlie Chaplin). Sergio Sanchez and Carmen Salas run the 25-year-old restaurant chain, which now includes four locations, and have instilled the food and atmosphere with their personal touches. For instance, the restaurant’s famous margarita mix comes from Salas’ hometown, while Sanchez constantly updates the menu with new and traditional recipes he uncovers. With its eclectic decor, friendly staff and comfy booths, you’ll feel like you’re back home with mom and dad, assuming mom and dad knew how to cook great Mexican food and mix a stellar margarita. At 1300 Wilshire Blvd., (213) 353-4980 or laparrillarestaurants.com.-KNF

  BEST SECRET PARKING SPOT
  Joe’s on Hope Street
  Parking. Nobody likes to do it, but it’s one of the necessities of life and work in Downtown. What makes it just a tad better is having a secret spot to stash your vehicle. Shade and cost are both serious factors, and the enclosed Joe’s at the corner of Hope and Eighth streets provides plenty of the one, at just $6 of the other. The building’s porous concrete walls make for a decent breeze, cooling your ride whether your destination is Macy’s Plaza across the street, the Jewelry District or Financial District a few blocks away, or even the northern edge of South Park. At Hope and Eighth streets.-AM

  BEST PLACE TO BLOW $100
  Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse 
  When those friends from Manhattan come to town just to deride poor Los Angeles for its lack of a skyline, take them to chef Joachim Splichal’s prominent steakhouse. The restaurant’s deck looks out toward the circular towers of the Bonaventure, and if you arrive at happy hour there are treats like a hummus plate and buffalo wings. Of course, if you’re prepared to drop a C-note, you’re probably ordering the dry-aged New York strip or even the 20-ounce, bone-in rib-eye. There are red wine, blue cheese and three-mustard sauces, and sides including garlic-herb fries and roasted cauliflower. If you’re totally adventurous, order the Australian Kobe beef – a five-ounce dish that goes for $52 that you’ll talk about for the next six months. That’ll teach Manhattan. At 330 S. Hope St., (213) 680-0330 or patinagroup.com.-KNF

  BEST MEDICAL CENTER
  Good Samaritan Hospital
  A major research center, a teaching hospital and a genuine cornerstone of the community, Good Samaritan Hospital truly embodies the noble aspects of the medical profession. A Los Angeles fixture for 120 years (and recognized eight straight years by the readers of this paper), Good Sam has no less than eight nationally recognized centers of excellence, including cardiovascular, neurosciences, orthopedics, kidney stone service, gastroenterology, perinatology/neonatology, tertiary retinal surgery and transfusion-free medicine and surgery. Check out the website to learn how to take better care of yourself, sign up for childbirth education classes, or even get your bicycle blessed! (Non-denominationally, of course.) At 616 S. Witmer St., (213) 977-2121, or for a referral to any Good Samaritan Hospital physician, (800) 336-8338 or goodsam.org.-MXF

  BEST CAR WASH
  Downtown Car Wash
  There’s something hypnotic about watching your car pass through a carwash. It’s even better after a fine Italian meal. Thankfully, they’re both possible at the same time at Downtown Car Wash, a hybrid auto center, gas station, restaurant and gift store set in the shadow of Staples Center. Bob Bush started the business here 25 years ago as a way to give customers a place to relax while their autos were getting a bath. Patrons can browse reading materials, get a shoeshine, pick up sports tickets or eat at the two on-site restaurants, Fernando’s Inn or La Bella Cucina. About 300 cars go through a day and Bush counts Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Cardinal Roger Mahony among his customers. At 811 W. Olympic Blvd., (213) 629-1273.-CC

  BEST THING WE DIDN’T THINK OF
  Multiple Winners
  The list could go on for pages, but some of the most prominent vote getters include Metro’s Red, Blue and Gold lines. Here, in the city that dare not speaketh the name of Public Transportation, the light rail/subway systems passing through and beneath the city’s center are slowly catching on. Others cited the architecture of the Caltrans District 7 Headquarters, complete with computer-controlled sunlight screens and an address number visible from space. Not bad for $165 million, a remarkably tight budget for such a large building (100 S. Main St.). Also mentioned was Pacific Resource Credit Union. Founded in 1936 as Rio Grand General Office Employees Federal Credit Union to serve what eventually became the Atlantic Richfield Company, Pacific Resources boasts two Downtown locations (333 S. Hope St. and 800 Wilshire Blvd.) with early hours, online banking and more nationwide ATM access than Bank of America. Why didn’t we think of that?-AM

  BEST ACUPUNCTURE
  Dr. Steven T. H. Chang
  Sitting at his desk in the back of a Chinatown general store, Dr. Steven T. H. Chang has seen many Downtowners through their worst. With his background in both acupuncture and herbal medicine, he helps to relieve aches and pains, colds and infections, insomnia, diabetes and arthritis, among a long list of ailments. A consultation is just $10 and he prescribes herbal remedies as well as acupuncture treatments. Sure, you may have to boil bits of flowers and leaves, or feel a slight pin-prick here and there, but with his 17 years of experience, loads of recommendations and humble demeanor, you can trust that Dr. Chang knows what he’s doing. At 835 N. Broadway, (626) 855-0082.-KNF

  BEST MASSAGE
  Pho-Siam Thai Spa
  Chao and Ratchanee Suethae started Pho-Siam five years ago in Hollywood, built a clientele and then did what some thought was unthinkable: They moved to a new $2 million, 8,000-square-foot location on the edge of Downtown. There, relaxation-minded patrons can find reasonably priced massages ($40 an hour!), words that seldom go together. Next year, the Suethaes plan to expand into a 12,000-square-foot building next door to offer Jacuzzis, steam rooms and saunas. But today, from the muted flat-panel TVs and bubbling fountain in the lobby, to the 32 rooms of relaxation, Pho-Siam screams class. Although, if there’s screaming in a massage spa, somebody’s doing it wrong. At 1525 Pizarro St., (213) 484-8484 or phosiam.com.-AM

  BEST SMOKE SHOP
  Bloom’s General Store
  If Groundwork Coffee Co. or Zip Fusion disappeared from Traction Avenue, the Arts District would chug along. If Joel Bloom did the same, the art community might have to pack up and move across the river. Sure, Bloom’s General Store stocks everything that goes into a good tobacconist’s nutrition pyramid (“Remember to smoke your browns,” mom always said. Or was it, “Chew 26 times”?). But the store does so much more. Bloom himself sweeps the streets at a time of day when most of the district snoozes, and hosts parties in the back room well into the night. In between, the shop sells paper towels, milk and bread, among other goods. The door is always open, an embrace offered to the shunned smoker who, it’s been argued, gives Downtown a street life. Bloom’s cigar-store chief doesn’t count. At 716 Traction Ave. or (213) 687-6571.-AM

  BEST NEW MARKET
  Joe’s Downtown Market
  Dappled outside the Toy Factory Lofts, you will often spot cool-looking residents with better haircuts than you. Infinitely more comforting is what you’ll find inside Joe’s Downtown Market: fancy cheese, fresh-baked baguettes, an ATM, organic yogurt, the New York Times, good wine and more than 150 imported beers. Plus, this little oasis in the Industrial District is open when you need it to be: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and to midnight on the weekends.  Proprietor Joe Rayes has been around the Downtown block, operating markets on Bunker Hill and the Fashion District, with another in the works across from Staples Center. “I didn’t want it to look like a liquor store,” Rayes said. “We’re going towards organic and natural stuff. These are high-end lofts, and these guys are picky.” At 1855 Industrial St., Suite 102, (213) 612-0248.-Kristin Friedrich

  BEST COMMUNITY ACTIVITY
  Skid Row Walk
  For the past year, the Central City East Association, the Midnight Mission and the LAPD’s Central Division have led all comers on an hour-long monthly foot tour of Skid Row. In a city where most view walking a block as soooo 1938, the Skid Row Walk seems almost a desperate measure. But these are desperate times, and during the stroll eyes open on both sides of society’s economic and mental health divide. That it should be so shocking a meeting – marked by a few handshakes, some kind words, a few probing questions – is the only shock. Bigger questions are, in a year, will it seem equally so? Will awareness increase, driving change? If you have not gone yet, then go. The walks begin at 6 p.m. the first Wednesday of every month at the Midnight Mission, at 601 S. San Pedro St. or centralcityeast.org.-AM

  BEST NEW CLOTHING STORE
  Stelladottir
  Stella Dottir is a longtime clothing designer. She’s also a dreadlocked Icelandic psychic. She left her home and boutique in New Orleans right before Hurricane Katrina and moved Downtown before the onslaught of upscale retail. Her clothes – formal and semi-formal dresses, menswear, long jackets, suits and wedding gowns – are infused with a 1920s vintage flow and a dash of Goth drama. Her usual material is silk, but she’s flexible, and if your size, or a design you’re not in love with, isn’t on the rack, flip through her books and talk to her. She’ll take your measurements and sew something in a few days. Dottir is convinced her clothes “bring out a woman’s beauty better than plastic surgery.” Psychic abilities aside, she might be right; Old Bank District denizens are appearing in custom made Dottir party dresses, snapped up for a couple hundred bucks. At 430 S. Main St., (213) 623-8464 or stelladottir.com.-KF

  BEST PET CHAMPIONS
  Downtown Dog Rescue
  Unlike the Bush administration, Downtown Dog Rescue is no-kill and non-profit. Although based in North Hollywood and also operating in South Central and Watts, the service Lori Weise and Richard Tuttlemondo started seven years ago does most of its work in and around Skid Row. They sponsor spay and neuter clinics, vaccinations, microchipping and other services for pooch owners who can’t afford to pay for proper care. On average, DDR spays or neuters 500 dogs a year, and adopts out another 200 hard-luck cases. Since many of the hounds homeless people give up are pit bulls, adoption can be a challenge, and that pesky no-kill policy can make for some long-term friends. And yes, Weise and Tuttlemondo have a soft spot for cats, too. At (818) 407-4145 or downtowndogrescue.com.-AM

  BEST FULL SERVICE PET CARE
  Bark Avenue
  Downtown has gone to the dogs: There’s Buddy the golden retriever in the Douglas Building, Buster the bull terrier in the San Fernando Building and myriad others. Good thing then that Bark Avenue stepped in two years ago to meet the needs of the local populace. Owners Jay and Melanie Blumberg offer shuttle van pick-up and drop-off. Doggie daycare is $25 per day and includes two play areas for napping, swimming or running an agility course. For cats, $15 a day rents a kitty condo with hiding nooks, scratching posts, climbing trees and even music or television. There is overnight boarding and, for stressed-out pets, sessions in the hydrotherapy whirlpool or rubdowns with a professional masseuse (both $10 and up). At 3016 S. Hill St., (213) 748-7485 or barkavela.com.-KM

  BEST DVD RENTAL
  Old Bank DVD
  Longtime Downtown residents Mark Schumacher and Erik Loysen met on a golf course. But give two friends enough time at the Pete’s patio, and enough beer, and plans begin to form. Last Christmas Eve, the pair opened Old Bank DVD. “I just got tired of wondering when somebody was going to put in a video store,” Schumacher said. “I’m tired of driving to Silver Lake.” Now Charles Bukowski’s Born Into This and TV on DVD (“Six Feet Under,” “The Sopranos,” “Family Guy”) are hot rentals. But the selection is wide, and the owners are not snobs; for every Criterion edition of a classic, there’s a cheesier must-see (here’s a shout out to you, Xanadu). The owners also have movie snack moxie: popcorn, Swedish fish, Red Vines and Moon Pies. “You want to microwave those for five seconds,” Schumacher said. “That’s some new Moon Pie technology I’m happy to reveal.” At 400 S. Main St., (213) 613-9654 or oldbankdvd.com.-KF

  BEST LOCAL SPORTS EXECUTIVE
  Elgin Baylor, Los Angeles Clippers
  These days, when people praise General Manager Baylor for turning the league’s former laughingstock into a legitimate power, they start by mentioning his trade for Sam Cassell and a first round draft pick, giving up only the deadwood named Marko Jaric. But don’t stop there: Baylor plucked rising center Chris Kaman out of the NBA draft, let go an overpriced Bobby Simmons and just upgraded the bench by bringing in sharpshooter Tim Thomas when Vladimir Radmanovic jumped to purple pastures. Indeed, many forget that Baylor also pulled the draft-day deal that brought Elton Brand to town. All told, Baylor, who finally has the green light to spend owner Donald Sterling’s money, has built L.A.’s most entertaining sports team. And with the main players inked to multi-year deals, they’ll likely only get better. At 1111 S. Figueroa St., tickets at (888) 895-8662 or clippers.com.-JR

  BEST AUTO CENTER
  Downtown LA Motors,
  Porsche, Audi & Volkswagen 
  Even if they won’t admit it, everybody loves fine German engineering. With the recent opening of a string of identical buildings hocking three tiers of horsepower, aficionados can test drive their dream car before reporting next door to buy the car they can actually afford. The 75,000-square-foot dealership, with its structures designed by Whitfield Associates, is the Shammas Group’s first step in creating a suburban-style auto mall at the north end of the Figueroa Corridor. Admittedly, suburban style has never been much of a Downtown buzzword, but with sales and service in a single location, Shammas is betting that the two concepts can merge – at least atop alloy rims. At 1900 S. Figueroa St., (213) 745-7200 or downtown-la.porschedealer.com.-AM

  BEST SAMPLE SALE
  Saturday Sale at the California Market Center
  There’s too much great clothing in the world to resign yourself to generic, fashion-phobic duds. And, with the deals at the Saturday sample sales at the California Market Center in the Fashion District, there are no more excuses about not being able to afford a premium style. The weekly event offers designer apparel at wholesale or marked-down prices, and factories and showrooms from around the city join the vendors at the CMC to shed their stock. Get there early – doors open at 10 a.m. – and hit the racks. Designer labels such as Rampage, BCBG, Polo and Timmy Woods are up to 85% off and there’s no telling what other big names you’ll find. Now there’s no reason not to be the best dressed person in the room. At 110 E. Ninth St., (310) 837-6788.-KNF

  BEST BUSINESS BOOSTER
  The Historic Downtown Retail Project
  Since the end of 2003, the Valley Economic Development Center has embraced Downtown Los Angeles with its Historic Downtown Retail Project. Some 222 businesses have taken the VEDC up on its offer of an array of services. Some are storied neighborhood haunts like Clifton’s Cafeteria, which bought its own building after renting for 71 years, but 23 are brand new ventures like Café Café (shown here), wine and tapas bar 626 Reserve and the Golden Gopher, looking to rewrite their own small stretch of Downtown frontage. With Project Director Warren Cooley at the helm, the HDRP has ponied up some $3 million in loans. The success of its work in Downtown and elsewhere in Los Angeles has VEDC President Roberto Barragan quietly pondering changing the acronym to its official title, a move to reflect the organization’s role in an increasingly interconnected city. At 315 W. Ninth St., (213) 488-3599 or downtownlaretail.com.-AM

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