Babyletto, Cabbonet open up shop as Soulmate, Pink Taco close

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The retail landscape of West Hollywood has been experiencing significant shifts with both exciting new openings and some surprising closures in recent months.

On the design front, British designer Andrew Hays has added to the city’s burgeoning design scene with the opening of Cabbonet at the Pacific Design Center.

Specializing in luxury kitchens, closets, and furniture, Cabbonet’s West Hollywood location marks the latest expansion of the high-end European brand. The store was launched in collaboration with Steven Cooper, a Los Angeles-based kitchen design legend and owner of Cooper Pacific Kitchens.

Together, Hays and Cooper are set to deconstruct the traditional concept of the fitted kitchen with Cabbonet’s distinct approach, blending aesthetics and functionality. The company, founded in 2019, has already made a name for itself in markets such as New York and Colorado, and now aims to elevate the Los Angeles design scene with its blend of British elegance and modern craftsmanship.

This opening continues a trend of European design brands establishing a presence in West Hollywood. Earlier this year, fellow U.K.-based luxury brands Christopher Guy and Clive Christian Interiors unveiled a new joint showroom on Melrose Avenue, further cementing the area as a key hub for high-end design.

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While the design scene in the city is booming, the restaurant sector has been hit with some high-profile closures.

One of the most shocking was the abrupt closure of Pink Taco, a beloved Mexican restaurant that had been a fixture on The Sunset Strip for 12 years. Despite recently celebrating its 25th anniversary with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and special menu offerings, the restaurant shut its doors on Monday, leaving many patrons surprised and disappointed.

A sign posted on the door confirmed the closure, and the restaurant has since been marked as permanently closed on Yelp. Pink Taco, founded in 1999 by Harry Morton, became a nationally recognized chain known for its lively atmosphere and vibrant Mexican fare.

Although its West Hollywood location is now gone, Pink Taco’s East Coast locations remain open.

Another recent closure in the city is Soulmate WeHo, a restaurant known for its sprawling open-air patio and Mediterranean-inspired menu crafted by chef Rudy Lopez. Soulmate quietly shuttered its doors at 631 N Robertson Boulevard earlier this month, with no official announcement or reasoning provided.

The restaurant, which opened in 2021, was a popular dining destination, especially for those seeking a stylish yet casual outdoor dining experience. Its closure adds to the growing number of vacant spaces in the area, joining other recent departures such as United Shoes and Lily Lodge flower shop.

Despite these setbacks, there are new openings bringing fresh energy to West Hollywood. Babyletto, a Los Angeles-based brand specializing in modern nursery furniture, has opened its first-ever brick-and-mortar store on Melrose Avenue. The store offers a concierge-style shopping experience, allowing parents to explore over 25 pieces from the brand’s award-winning collection, as well as receive personalized design guidance.

Babyletto’s commitment to sustainability is evident throughout the store, with educational resources about the brand’s eco-friendly certifications and a newly introduced white-glove delivery service to further enhance the customer experience. Founded by Teddy Fong, Babyletto has been a staple in the modern parenting world since its launch in 2009, and this new store serves as a hub for expectant and new parents in the community.

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Joshua88
Joshua88
2 months ago

“a fixture on The Sunset Strip for 12 years…”
Since when does only 12 years make it a fixture?

Davedi
Davedi
2 months ago
Reply to  Joshua88

Right! Everyone knows 13 or more is a fixture.

Friendly Neighbor
Friendly Neighbor
2 months ago

FYI that Babyletto is in Los Angeles, not West Hollywood.

lolha
lolha
2 months ago

I wouldn’t call ‘HIGH END’ designer showrooms game changing especially when dealing with the local market and our already outrageous prices for everything. Most of these new businesses that are opening brick and mortar are because the designers and the lines they carry mandate having a physical location..