Getting Ready to Put On the Dog in Santa Monica
BIG DOGS UNLEASHED IN A BIG BEACH TOWN: Big Dogs, the company that puts silly, humongous animals on everything from T-shirts to boxer shorts, is scheduled to arrive on Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade in December. The Santa Barbara-based manufacturer, whose crazed-canine apparel advises, “If You Can’t Run With a Big Dog, Stay on the Porch,” reports that negotiations are nearly complete for a Big Dogs shop near Santa Monica Bay.
The store is expected to be much like the firm’s upbeat, ocean-close Santa Barbara emporium, which provides both the complete retail line (insulated jackets, fanny packs, sweat pants, “Underdogs” flannel boxers) and past-season close-outs at reduced prices.
For those who can’t wait until December, Big Dogs apparel can be ordered by phone ((805) 963-8727). There are also Big Dogs retail stores in Barstow, Pacific Heights and Sedona, Ariz.
In the meantime, I suggest that those not fortunate enough to live within shopping distance of Big Dogs’ merchandise lobby their local dog pounds. They could make a bundle by establishing gift shops offering this human counterpart to canine couture.
SHOP IN THE NAME OF LOVE: If you think some space case costumer got comic Pauly Shore into his neo-’60s/Valley Dude look, check this. Before he starred in MTV’s “Totally Pauly” series, Shore was picking up fishnet tops, fake-fur vests, clogs and pajama bottoms (which he wears over bike shorts) at shops like Aardvark’s Odd Ark on Melrose. Plus he raided his mom’s closet--she’s Comedy Store owner Mitzi Shore--for his trademark scarves.
He wears this stuff in private and in public, and it’ll be seen in his upcoming HBO special, “Pauly Does Dallas.” Now that he’s famous, Shore still shops at the same places. “It’s fun,” he explains, “especially now that I have money.”
MERCHANDISE CRUISING FOR THE WELL-DRESSED COUCH POTATO: Sources for cut-price cowboy boots, support hose, wet suits and hundreds of wonderful items far too predictable to mention here are listed in “The Wholesale-By-Mail Catalog 1993” ($15). Published by HarperPerennial, it lists more than 500 companies that sell discounted merchandise with the assistance of the postal service.
