The Grove
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The Rick Caruso-owned Grove is the Platonic ideal of LA mall culture: proudly artificial, relentlessly charming, and always camera-ready (see: its annual Christmastime “snow” provided by bubbles — ah, Hollywood!). Made to resemble a quaint Anywhere, USA town square — complete with lawn, trolley, and movie-set vibes — it’s less about shopping than about spectacle. Yes, there’s Apple, Nordstrom, Nike, and a nostalgically defiant Barnes & Noble, but the real sport is seeing and being seen before an AMC movie or a lap through the adjacent Farmer’s Market. Peak LA, no notes.
The Beverly Center
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With its vaguely Pompidou-esque exterior, the Beverly Center was once LA shopping royalty — and a magnet for feral teens killing time after school. Today, despite its prime La Cienega address and a roster that spans Prada, Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton (plus Zara and Uniqlo), it feels oddly hushed. It’s more a nostalgia trip than actual shopping destination, a reminder of a pre-Instagram mall era—still impressive, just quieter.
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Malibu Country Mart
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Tucked just off the PCH and steps from the Pacific, Malibu Country Mart is less mall, more lifestyle affirmation. Channeling the area’s haute-hippie ethos, it delivers $18 smoothies from SunLife Organics, casual-luxury staples from John Varvatos and Double RL, a Pilates studio, a shaman (!), and Chrome Hearts for rock-star punctuation. Food options are notably clutch in this sparse stretch of coastline — and celebrity sightings (Cher, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Garner) are practically part of the ambiance.
The Americana at Brand
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Fresh off its cameo in Hacks and immortalized by the beloved @AmericanaAtBrandMemes, this Glendale fixture is both a mall and inside joke. Also developed by Caruso, it offers Grove-like polish with more breathing room, a dramatic fountain, and luxury upgrades including Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Tiffany & Co. Upstairs apartments add to the fantasy, while the Glendale Galleria across the street keeps things youthful and just a touch chaotic. Ideal for fashion-forward Angelenos who prefer their luxury without the Grove-level scrum — added bonus: an easy kid drop-off.
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Westfield Century City
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Once a pit stop, now a flex. After a $1 billion nip and tuck, Westfield Century City sprawls across 1.3 million glossy square feet, anchored by a triumvirate of department stores (Bloomies, Macy’s, and Nordstrom) with Equinox, Eataly, and a genuinely excellent food court sealing the deal. Speaking of deals, its proximity to CAA and Fox Studios keeps the place thick with industry types, while the breezy outdoor layout and central location make it equally ideal for power lunches, stroller meet-ups, and “accidental” run-ins.
Berlinger is a freelance writer based in Brooklyn. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, the Los Angeles Times, the Business of Fashion and others. He’s probably wasting time on Twitter right now
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