California

Fitting Watts to a T

AVID CUSTOMER: Uji Ota, left, president of the One O Five car club in Nagano, Japan — it’s named after L.A.’s 105 Freeway — goes over an order with Jordan. He bought more than $1,000 in clothing with the Wattslife logo.

AVID CUSTOMER: Uji Ota, left, president of the One O Five car club in Nagano, Japan — it’s named after L.A.’s 105 Freeway — goes over an order with Jordan. He bought more than $1,000 in clothing with the Wattslife logo.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / LAT)

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Real deal

REAL DEAL: A pedestrian walks past Larry Jordan’s Wattslife Souvenirs. Jordan acknowledges that much of the store’s attraction stems from the area’s reputation.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / LAT)

Long Beach

LONG REACH: Kanako Yumoto of Nagano, Japan, shops for T-shirts at Wattslife Souvenirs. Jordan’s shop is popular among tourists from Japan and elsewhere.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / LAT)

Entrepenuer

ENTREPRENEUR: Larry “Big Al” Jordan sells T-shirts and other Watts-related merchandise at his souvenir store. “People here want to feel proud about where they live,” he says, “and that is what we try to do.”  (Michael Robinson Chavez / LAT)

California

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