Los Angeles Retailer Ron Robinson to Close Physical Stores

For over 40 years, Ron Robinson has been a driving force in Los Angeles retail with his fashionable boutiques (in Fred Segal) stocked with unique and exquisite items that shoppers couldn’t find anywhere else.  When you shopped at Ron Robinson, you knew you would have something that is hard to find in retail today customer service and great customer experiences.   His Los Angeles stores featured events, not just shopping or sales.   Over the years, Los Angeles customers were invited in for yoga, “meditation morning,” “Fitness Saturday, ” beauty demonstrations and book signings.  You could spend the whole day at a Ron Robinson store, and I should know, as I spent many happy hours there.

Ron Robinson surrounded by his staff at the recent LA Mart seminar.

Last week at a session at the Los Angeles Mart, Ron announced that he is closing his brick & mortar stores, but will keep selling online at his RonRobinson.com website. The Melrose store will remain open until early 2020 and there’s still time for shoppers to do their holiday shopping there.   Although Ron emphasized that the closing on his physical stores is a “happy ending” it really is the end of an era in Los Angeles shopping.

“I do believe that life is a journey and time has a purpose. I’m immensely proud of our team and our achievements in this wonderful business, both our worldwide recognition and most importantly in Los Angeles retail,” said Ron Robinson. ” We have achieved a milestone at 41 years in retail and a pinnacle within our industry. We are doing this while at the top of our game, and that is a super way to remember it.”

Inside the Ron Robinson store.

“While the decision to move beyond our original Melrose Avenue and flagship Santa Monica locations may come as a shock to some, the decision was not forced, it’s not something that I just thought of; it is something that I have been planning for a while. Time and life came together as best as could be for this decision,” says Ron in a statement on his website.

The good news for consumers is that Ron Robinson will still be providing unique merchandise via his online stores. Holiday shoppers can benefit from sales of up to 70% off via the RonRobinson.com.  On Nov. 7th, in-store customers can expect sample sales at the store on Melrose.  I’ll be posting more details on my sale page when I have them.

While the online store will remain open, what’s missing will be the superior face to face customer service, the butterflies on the ceiling of the boutiques and the thrill of wondering through all the beautiful items on the sales floor.   You won’t be able to smell the candles or the unique fragrances, or page through the special books that the store always carried.   I will miss all the beautiful things and will be stopping in as much as possible for holiday shopping in 2019.

Ron Robinson Store for Children’s Apparel Source: LA Times

I’ll be posting more on Ron’s tips for retail success from the recent QA session at the LA Mart. It’s a fascinating store of how Ron built a business with his team  and found all those terrific items that his store carried.  Remember those Missioni candles ?