It’s true — Pasadena does have something Santa Monica does not: Majestical Roof — pro-local, pro-handmade store that serves as a hub for artists, craftsters, and the neighborhood fans who support them.
Getting to The Majestical Roof is in itself a pleasant adventure. This eco-conscious boutique is tucked inside a cozy courtyard, decorated with colorful murals and shady trees.
Once inside the store, explore carefully – because each item is a one-of-a-kind, handcrafted gem. “No MPP (no mass manufactured products)” brags the poster for Majestical Roof’s recent Alternative Art Market event.
Recycled fashions make a big comeback in this boutique: vintage ties recrafted into cellphone holders, funky purses made from repurposed fabric, and even cute doggie clothes revamped from old sweaters. This shop prides itself in supporting local crafters and artisans who create everything from handmade jewelry to bamboo T-shirts.
A few more highly recognized eco-brands, like No Sweat sneakers and ecoist purses made of recycled gum wrappers, also share the boutique’s space. And if you want artwork for the apartment, the walls here double as a gallery of sorts for unique paintings by local artists.
When I stopped by about a year ago (why does it take me so long to write these posts?) I ended up buying a unique book by a local artist called Joey Chou. The title: Crazy by the Letters: Mental Problems From A to Z.
This Edward Gorey-esque book has whimsical drawings of little kids suffering from psychological maladies. U, for example, is for poor little Urian: “Urian’s dream is to be a quality inspector in the factory like his dad. He doesn’t know it comes with the side-effect of Underload Syndrome.”
Crazy by the Letters now sits on my coffee table for my crazy friends to leaf through and self-diagnose their ills. Find out more about Majestical Roof in this short video by Pasadena.com — then pay the little store a visit!
The Majestical Roof. 88 N. Fair Oaks Ave. Ste 102., Pasadena. 626.844.8886. Tues-Sat 11:30 am – 8 pm, Sun noon – 6 pm. Closed Mon.
This looks cool. Man, Pasadena’s got this, Ten Thousand Villages, … makes me think that it’d be a better place to live (but on the other hand, it’s also got lots of Republicans, not quite OC-level, but the SGV is more conservative than the westside).
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Comment by Don Hosek — June 15, 2009 @ 10:55 am
Somehow I have completely missed this store despite working and walking around in this area for many years. That’s one bad thing about the little courtyard areas in Pasadena — they are super easy to pass up without ever realizing how far back they go and what stores and treasures are hiding in them. I’ll have to try to find it later on when it’s open.
Comment by M — June 15, 2009 @ 12:19 pm
M — Your point about the place being tough to spot is very very true! If I hadn’t specifically been going to look for the place, I would never ever have found it. Majestical Roof’s like the Pasadena version of the hidden L.A. bars / clubs you have to get in through an alleyway and only know about via word of mouth — though I suppose the heyday of those spots have kinda come and gone –
Comment by Siel — June 15, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
What a fun shop! Thanks for sharing!
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Comment by Rosemary — June 15, 2009 @ 8:54 pm
what a cool little shop. pasadena is cool, I always remember this little cafe that I fell in love with. I go absolutely insane with anything with bags. I wanna visit LA soon again :D
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Comment by meligrosa — June 15, 2009 @ 10:38 pm
Come visit!
Comment by Siel — June 17, 2009 @ 6:54 pm
I stopped by this store earlier this week and it really is awesome! (Thanks for posting about it!) It seems like the kind of place that is fun to visit fairly frequently because of the variety and unique items. It also sounds like they have a fair number of events in the courtyard area outside. This weekend they have a free Water for Darfur fundraising activity with a variety of musicians artists and other entertainment. The store is only a short walk away from the Memorial Park Gold Line station.
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Comment by M — June 18, 2009 @ 8:32 pm
The women working there are nice and beautiful in a very soulful way. Can they make thongs from a recycled tie? can you bring them items to recycle? can wait to see the wares that are offered
Comment by Jay Lord — June 19, 2009 @ 12:20 am
M — Glad you were able to stop by! :) I wonder if there’s some way to attract organic foot traffic (vs. people who specifically seek out the place cuz they already know about it) to the store — I think it could be really popular if curious passersby were able to discover it –
Comment by Siel — June 24, 2009 @ 5:58 pm