By Heather Posey
Production Manager
As travelers gear up for the summer season, things are winding down for local Hawaiian apparel store Paradise Bound. A longtime fixture in Long Beach, its latest two-year run in Bixby Knolls will be the last for the vintage clothing boutique.
Named in 2005 as one of the top 101 best things in L.A. County by Los Angeles magazine, Paradise Bound, owned by Stephen Gih, has been around since the 1960s, selling its specialty products in areas such as Orange County and Belmont Shore. Yet due to changing fashions and increased competition, Gih says that he is now feeling the struggles small-business owners go through.
“Things are changing so fast,” he said. “For the first 25 years we were basically in the same place, but it seems like in the last couple of decades, every two or three years we would have to change locations. They keep building new centers, so it’s hard for a small business to stay open these days.”
And the colorful, creative shirts and apparel at Paradise Bound have also seen waves in popularity. Initially a must-have item for any tropical traveler, Paradise Bound filled the niche for those dressing up for their upcoming vacation, luau party or just a casual Friday.
“Hawaiian shirts became popular again in the 1990s during the dot-com era, with the computer geeks in their Hawaiian shirts. It was the craze back then, but soon it became so pervasive,” said Gih. “Everybody started carrying them. Tommy Bahama became a household name, and the aura of Hawaiian shirts kind of just went away.”
According to Gih, Paradise Bound was among the first to introduce brands such as Reyn Spooner, Tommy Bahama, Jams World, Tori Richard, Nat Nast and Crocs to the area. With designs and material made to last, Gih claims that many of these shirts are like a unique piece of artwork in itself.
And to make owning a piece of Paradise even more tempting, Gih is having a blowout closing sale with everything in stock marked down 50 percent off and an extra 20 percent off for those who buy three items or more. The sale lasts from now until April 30.
Paradise Bound is located at 3920 Atlantic Avenue in Bixby Knolls. For more information, call (562) 490-4620.
