Opting for an Out-of-Mall Experience : L.A.’s Santee Alley Offers Shoppers a Change of Venue

You don’t have to follow the well-worn grooves of shopping mall mazes. There’s a more adventurous shopping expedition available in the Santee Alley.

It is an actual alley, three blocks long, sandwiched between Olympic and Los Angeles streets in the city’s downtown warehouse district. Shopping here is alfresco and reminiscent of the street shopping in Mexico, China or Hong Kong. It’s a refreshing alternative to enclosed mall environments.

Both retailers and wholesalers set up shop along Santee. Some have crackerbox-size storefronts. Others fill folding tables to the rims with bargain-priced merchandise. You can find everything from baby socks to car lighters.

Sometimes, several vendors share a single table. And while many are in the same place every day, they don’t operate under a business name. You’ll need to jot down notes as to the proximity of your favorite table vendors if you think you’ll want to return or recommend them to friends.

Good deals abound. A black velvet suit with a peplum jacket and a slim skirt sells for $42 at Numero Uno. Printed cotton socks for children are priced at six pair for $5--buying in bulk is everywhere along the alley. For $25 to $35, you can select one of several mock crocodile handbags in au courant hexagon and horseshoe shapes in fashionable shades of pine green and cran-apple red.

Label-conscious shoppers will notice familiar names here, but not necessarily authentic labels. Athletic shoes emblazoned with “Reebok” and “L.A. Gear,” as well as leather goods stamped “Les Must de Cartier,” are sold at reduced prices. But while vendors tell shoppers the merchandise is real, others say at least some of it is bogus.

“It’s possible that some of the merchandise is counterfeit,” concedes Lt. Fred Reno, who heads a division of the forgery branch of the Los Angeles Police Department. He advises skepticism on the part of buyers who find “name” brands outside reputable stores.

Besides boning up on caveat emptor (the legal term, or let the buyer beware), you’ll need to make a few preparations. Unless you are lucky enough to find flat-rate parking, you’ll need about eight quarters for metered parking. Twenty-five cents buys 10 minutes. Save the remaining two quarters for the bathroom. There are no free facilities available. Since most business is conducted on a cash only basis, secure your purse, and leave your checks and credit cards at home. Dress casually. It’s an alley, not Rodeo Drive.

If you shop Santee Alley on weekends, wear your comfortable shoes. And be prepared: elbow-to-elbow shoving is not uncommon. No matter when you venture through the area, be prepared to dodge trucks. Don’t consider the trucks’ factory-direct shipments off-putting. Something you’ve been looking for could be inside.