Palisades Village facts for kids
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| Location | Pacific Palisades, California |
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| Coordinates | 34°02′51″N 118°29′26″W / 34.0475109°N 118.4904307°W |
| Address | 15225 Palisades Village Lane |
| Opening date | September 28, 2018 |
| Developer | Caruso Affiliated |
| No. of stores and services | 42 |
| Total retail floor area | 125,000 sq ft (11,600 m2) |
Palisades Village is a special shopping area in Pacific Palisades, California. It's located in the heart of the neighborhood, which locals call "the Village." This is where the shopping center gets its name! It's a place where you can find many different stores, restaurants, and even a park.
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About Palisades Village
Palisades Village is a modern shopping center designed to feel like an old-fashioned downtown. It has 42 stores and covers about 125,000 square feet. The developer, Caruso Affiliated, opened it in 2018. It's known for its unique design and being very eco-friendly.
History of the Village Area
Early Days: 1923-2015
The community of Pacific Palisades started in 1923. Early planners wanted a special downtown area. They created a small park, now called the Village Green. Architects designed the business center to serve the new community. The main business area was around the historic Business Block building.
Building Palisades Village
Before Palisades Village was built, many popular stores thought about opening there. These included well-known grocery stores like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. The goal was to create a lively new shopping spot for everyone.
Grand Opening Celebration
Palisades Village officially opened on September 28, 2018. A big party was held on September 20, 2018, to celebrate. Many famous people attended, like John Legend, Charlize Theron, Mindy Kaling, and Michael Keaton.
Kevin Nealon, a comedian and actor who lives in the area, was the host. He made jokes about how excited everyone was for the new village. Later, John Legend performed a concert, and there were even fireworks! It was a huge celebration for the community.
Fun Events: 2019 to Today
In August 2019, Amazon Studios held a special event at Palisades Village. It was to promote their TV show, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. For one day, many stores offered items at "1959 prices" (the year the show is set). For example:
- The Bay Theatre sold movie tickets for only 51 cents.
- See's Candies offered 1-pound boxes of candy for just $1.50. All 250 boxes sold out quickly!
- Gornick and Drucker gave haircuts for $3.
- Hank's sold Reuben sandwiches for 85 cents.
- McConnell’s ice cream shop sold a single scoop for 25 cents.
This event was a big hit and brought many people to the village.
Shops at Palisades Village
Palisades Village has many different stores. As of February 2021, here are some of the shops you can find:
- A.L.C.
- Alo Yoga
- Amazon Books
- Anine Bing
- Bonjour Fête
- Brandy Melville
- Brunello Cucinelli
- Buck Mason
- Carbon38
- Chanel Beauty
- Cuyana
- Elyse Walker
- Erewhon Market
- Faherty
- Flannel
- Frame
- Gornik & Drucker
- Jennifer Meyer
- Lululemon
- Madewell
- Paige
- Reformation
- See's Candies
- Sephora Studio
- St. Frank
- Tamara Mellon
- The Little Market
- Towne by Elyse Walker
- Veronica Beard
- Vince
- William B
- Zimmermann
Dining Options
If you're hungry, Palisades Village has many places to eat. As of February 2021, these are some of the restaurants and eateries:
- Alfred Coffee
- The Bay Theatre by Cinépolis (This movie theater also has food!)
- Blue Ribbon Sushi
- Edo Little Bites
- Erewhon Market (They have a cafe too!)
- Hank's
- Laduree (a pop-up shop)
- McConnell's Fine Ice Creams
- Ombra
- SunLife Organics
- Sweet Lauren Bakery
- The Draycott
Former Shops
One shop that used to be in Palisades Village was General Porpoise. It was a Seattle-based doughnut shop that opened on the first day. They sold different kinds of filled doughnuts. However, it closed after about six months in March 2019 because sales were lower than expected.
Design and Look
Palisades Village was designed to look like a downtown area that grew over time. Each building was designed by a different architect. This means no two buildings next to each other look exactly alike! The designers studied famous shopping streets in other cities to get ideas. They wanted to create a "California Coastal" style with balconies and open patios.
All the walkways are paved with special brick pavers, which was a first for Los Angeles. Even the street lamps were inspired by lights seen in St. Tropez, France. This careful design makes the village feel unique and welcoming.
Eco-Friendly Features
Palisades Village is very environmentally friendly. It's the first business district in California to earn a "LEED Gold" certification. This means it meets high standards for being green.
- During construction, a lot of soil was reused for the Village Green park.
- The parking garage uses LED lights, which save 90% of energy. It also has chargers for 30 electric cars, with space for more.
- Special systems clean and store rainwater under the Village Green. This helps save water.
- A large solar array (solar panels) on the roofs generates about 800,000 watts of power every day. This power goes back into the local electricity grid.
Services for Visitors
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Palisades Village offered cool services. They had a bike share program where shoppers could borrow bicycles. There was also a concierge service that would deliver packages to people's homes or cars.
The Village Green Park
Park Overview
The Village Green is a small, private park right in the middle of Palisades Village. It's located at 15280 Sunset Boulevard. The park has trees, benches, a fountain, and a grassy area. It's cared for by volunteers and donations. The park also hosts community events and has 77 different types of trees and plants.
Park History
The Village Green is on the site of the first public park from 1923. But in 1945, the land was leased to Standard Oil for a gas station. For many years, local residents wanted their park back.
In 1968, the Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce started talking to Standard Oil about closing the gas station. A group called "The Village Green Committee" was formed to buy the land back. Famous people like Bob Abernethy, an NBC News correspondent and then-Honorary Mayor, were part of this group.
In 1972, the committee started a fundraising drive. In less than three months, people in Pacific Palisades raised almost $70,000! This huge amount of money allowed them to buy the land and start restoring the park.
The park was designed with walkways, benches, trees, and flowers. It was meant to be a beautiful place to enjoy. The Village Green officially opened to the public on August 17, 1973. Even today, the Village Green Committee still owns and manages the park with volunteers. Palisades Village was built around this historic park, making it a central part of the shopping area.
Celebrity Sightings
Since it opened, Palisades Village has become a popular spot for celebrities. Many movie stars have been seen shopping there, including Adam Sandler, Jennifer Garner, John Legend, Kevin Nealon, Billy Crystal, and Kate Beckinsale.
