Ojai, a scenic little agricultural city, has for the better part of a century lured individuals pursuing spiritual enlightenment and artists seeking inspiration and calm. Now a new crop of makers and merchants is traveling the 90 miles north of Los Angeles to bask in Ojai's groovy, quirky sensibility while introducing contemporary tastes and broader aesthetic points of view. Fortunately, this fresh retail mix meshes with Ojai's long-standing supportive community of art galleries and independent boutiques. Most of the shops are clustered on or near the main drag of Ojai Avenue. <\/p>\n
Carolna Gramm <\/p>\n
Given that the town vibe can evoke a patchouli-soused era, it might not seem an obvious destination for an Italian-raised former model who starred in a Chanel No. 5 commercial directed by Ridley Scott in the 1980s. And yet Carolna Gramm has felt at home in this city of 8,000 for 13 years. While managing the Regalo Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tasting Room, which she has filled with accessories culled from her own collecting and interior design work, she opened her own shop, Carolna Gramm, in the historic Spanish Colonial Revival arcade on Ojai Avenue. \"I can't let antiques go. I need to be surrounded by things,\" she explained. <\/p>\n
P Space <\/p>\n
Ojai's open-mindedness allows a range of styles to flourish. At P Space, graphic designer and former CalArts professor P. Lyn Middleton sells her one-of-a-kind serving platters, dishes and other ceramics that feel both earthy and modern. Master potter Larry Carnes completes Middleton's asymmetrical pieces in his high-fired gas kiln down the road. The bright storefront, shared with an architecture firm, is east of the arcade and in front of Hip Vegan Caf, which makes wraps filled with tempeh, beans and vegetables; salads and bowls; and juices and teas. <\/p>\n
Modern Folk Living <\/p>\n
Also in the spirit of cooperation, Middleton's goods are mixed in among the irresistible displays at Modern Folk Living. Wanda Weller Sakai, previously director of design for Patagonia, creates what she describes as a \"digestible\" retail environment nestled within an erstwhile Buddhist center meditation room. Sakai's tastes favor eco-sensitive and domestically produced accessories, including boldly graphic hand-painted ceramics from Kat Hutter and Roger Lee of Los Angeles' Mount Washington neighborhood, candles from Le Feu de L'Eau, and pillows emblazoned with feather and arrow motifs from Coral & Tusk, along with clothing. <\/p>\n
Tipple & Ramble <\/p>\n
Around the corner on North Montgomery Street, Sun Goldsteen transformed a cooking school into Tipple & Ramble, a \"hybrid space\" stocked with household and food-oriented accouterments: flatware, Turkish towels, patterned virgin wool blankets from Mexico and oversize pillows covered in vintage Pendleton blankets and made by Goldsteen. Customers soon will be able to lounge in Acapulco chairs from Aniceto Polanco in Compton and dine at Granada Tile-topped tables that Grayson Beckner crafts in Ventura when Goldsteen launches wine-and-cheese service and pop-up dinners in the smartly appointed alfresco area. <\/p>\n
Fig Curated Living <\/p>\n
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