West Hollywood’s Design District is hot! The sizzling stretch of Melrose Ave. from La Cienega to Doheny has emerged as the most trendiest shopping street in Weho. The streets are wide, clean, walkable and there are no ‘unhoused’ persons sleeping on the sidewalks.
The growth of “Melrose High Street” can be traced to Ben Soleimani. The influential developer owns the majority of the commercial property along Melrose Ave. between La Cienega and San Vicente. Over the years Soleimani has donated generously to the campaigns of city council members. His power cannot be underestimated. Recently he was single-handedly able to overturn years of community input and design schematics to clear the streetscape of trees at Weaver’s Walk.. https://wehoonline.com/trees-planned-weavers-walk-chopped-half/
Soleimani calls this stretch of Weho, ‘Melrose High Street’, although the City of West Hollywood has not officially adopted that name. Soleimani continues to brand “Melrose High’, as seen above on one of his property storefront windows.
Today there are 5, yes 5 great places to have that cup of Java in the morning. Verve coffee, Alfred Coffee, Strings of Life, Urth Cafe, and daily lines at the ‘Community Goods’ kiosk at the Pacific Design Center. By comparison along Santa Monica Blvd in the same stretch there is only Starbucks, or Bottega Louie to grab your morning coffee. On Sunset only a Coffee Bean and close by Dialog Cafe.
Many of the trendiest fashion retailers adorn this small stretch of Weho LuLu Lemon, Ragg & Bones, the Real Reel, Hoka as well as the Restoration Hardware flagship retail location.
Soho based Glossier, the makeup company occupies a huge showrrom and retail space at Melrose between West Knoll and La Cienega. Farm Rio, Hale Bob, le Pere, Cutler and Gross, 8920, Maxfield Blue, Christopher Guy, are more upscale fashion retailers along ‘Melrose High’ to name a few. When my sister came to town we walked the district. As we passed the corner of La Cienega and Melrose she exclaimed, “Allison Olivia, my favorite shop, I’m wearing her top to the party tonite.” There is global appeal to the brands who have chosen this stretch of Melrose Ave. in West Hollywood to call home.
The best restaurants in Los Angeles are located along this small swatch in WeHo. Craigs, Catch and Cecconi’s attract a celebrity clientele. Butcher’s Daughter and Gracias Madre are two of the top vegetarian restaurants anywhere in the world and both call West Hollywood home. There is a Zinc and a Zinque. And don’t forget the city’s only Joe and the Juice. New businesses continue to open in this hi-end part of West Hollywood. It’s the shiekest part of town. 
The design district is also home to the paparazzi, many who plant themselves along the blvd and hope to catch a glimpse of your favorite celebrity. Eva Longoria, Kim Kardashian, Hailey Bieber, Sophia Velgera, Brittany Spears, Drake, Justin Bieber are some of the patrons who come to WeHo to eat, shop or play. The valet parking attendants tell the story. This is the new Weho.
Today the design district is a cultural destination for high caliber design, art, fashion, dining, beauty and more. Trends start here.
for more info visit https://www.westhollywooddesigndistrict.com/
Larry Block – did Soleimani pay you for this, as he paid the Weho city council members to get them to go against the public’s plan for weavers walk park? What a load of sh-t this article is. Soleimani’s buildings along Melrose are all empty. Further none of them are maintained and there are weeds growing everywhere. And for those of us who live in this neighborhood, there are unhoused people walking Melrose daily, and they are often sleeping and defacating behind Soleimani’s empty building on Melrose and Huntley. Why don’t you write about what a bad dude he is????
No, he didnt pay me. Dont even know him. Just because you don’t like his investments you fling mud all over the place. You might be the bad dude in this equation.
The redesign of this section of Melrose is a disaster. Cars sit stuck on Melrose 24/7 with nowhere to move or park. This is not an auto friendly zone and the awful flashing signage everywhere for pedestrian safety is an eyesore. The store fronts are mostly empty and the stores that are there, like discount retailer Rag & Bone are awful, cheap and not what the neighborhood needs. The restaurants are the saving grace of this street. Whomeever is responsible for clogging this street with cars due to this shite redesign needs to be held accountable and named.
The naysayers below can complain, bitch and moan all they want; Melrose High Street is doing the business in a cleaner, safer and easier to access version of what West Hollywood as a whole was back in the early 90’s. That this area is homeless free is the biggest attraction as to navigate Santa Monica Boulevard and the majority of Sunset Boulevard is a futile attempt at celebrating, dining, cocktailing, or even enjoying the park as its saturated in dirty chaotic homelessness. I for one am tired of paying hundreds of dollars to go out only to be pestered, accosted,… Read more »
To make Melrose High Street even better they should do what the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica did by closing off the entire area to private automobile traffic. Go completely car-free and, keep street traffic limited to environmentally friendly♻ public transit?, bikes??♀️ and, E-scooters?. A number of new progressive cities have gone completely car-free with many highly desirable results.
How many $10,000 sofas can one buy?
Soleimani’s storefront with the “Melrose Hight Street” banner sits empty, as do most of his other properties on Melrose. He single-handedly destroyed the charm on this stretch of Melrose.
A truly delightful commentary on this area.
I must walk it soon.
It’s glossy and spanking new looking now but honestly it’s been nearly 15 years in decline from its actual peak.
It went dramatically downhill around the time Bohdi Tree Bookstore closed, late 2011 hitting rock bottom around the closure of Le Pan.
We’ve traded genuine cool and walkability for a corporate facsimile with insane (completely unnecessary) traffic friction.
Not sure it’s a real improvement from what we once had.
I’ve never walked down this street. Doesn’t even look line West Hollywood.
The proper term is Melrose High Street, not Melrose High. It’s a British description for a shopping district.
This is true and has been updated sir.
Who knew? I need to get out more often.