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10 Newish Highland Park Spots You Should Check Out
Mark McGuires plays at The Church on York (Photo by @thechurchonyork via Instagram)
With new openings seemingly every month in the hip Northeast L.A. neighborhood, we take a look at 10 of our favorites that have opened over the past year and a half or so.
The Church on York
The coolest new venue in town comes to save a part of the city parched for a live music venue. Already boasting such shows as Vivian Girls' last West Coast concert (on Feb. 14) as well as a regular comedy and music show, the 100-year-old former church has two rooms and serves Southern American-style comfort food. Check it out while it’s still in its infancy.
The Church on York is located at 4904 York Blvd.
The Greyhound Bar & Grill (Photo by The Greyhound Bar & Grill via Facebook)
The Greyhound Bar & Grill
Just opened this January, The Greyhound gives the Highland Park portion of Figueroa St. a much-needed dining and drinking option. Inside, guests can sit in booths or at the bar with a slightly noir-ish interior, while games play on TVs above the bar. The menu is limited and meat-heavy, but everything we’ve tried has been delicious, from the patty melt to the salmon salad. An extensive beer menu with local brews and walking distance to the Gold Line and numerous other cool places help make it a winner.
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The Greyhound is located at 5570 N Figueroa St.
Mount Analog (Photo By Kiril Popov via Facebook)
Mount Analog
Northeast L.A. is suddenly full of great record stores, from Eagle Rock’s Permanent Records to another HP spot, Gimme Gimme Records. Mount Analog sets itself apart with a dedicated goth aesthetic, selling obscure minimal wave records alongside indie rock favorites. It has a lot more than just records, too, also selling books, T-shirts, weird noisemaking devices, video tapes and other paraphernalia to round out your #postgoth lifestyle.
Mount Analog is located at 5906 1/2 N Figueroa St.
La Cuevita (Photo by La Cuevita via Facebook)
La Cuevita
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Formerly known as the Highland Park stronghold Little Cave, La Cuevita underwent a major makeover courtesy of The 1933 Group (Thirsty Crow, Bigfoot Lodge) and reopened in 2012, selling delicious mezcal cocktails in a cool Mexican grotto-inspired setting. Lots of outdoor space, daily DJ nights (mostly punk, goth and ’80s music), free food nights and a happy hour from 7 to 10 p.m. make it worth your time on any night.
La Cuevita is located at 5922 N Figueroa St.
A mid-century sofa on sale at ShopclassLA (Photo via shopclassla.com)
ShopclassLA
Of the numerous furniture stores dotting trendy York Blvd., ShopclassLA is the biggest, friendliest and seemingly most affordable. The year-old store features unique mid-century sofas and chairs, small collectibles and custom pieces, and it also has plans for workshops in the future.
ShopclassLA is located at 5215 York Blvd.
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The Hermosillo (Photo by The Hermosillo via Facebook)
The Hermosillo
Formerly the Hermosillo Club, The Hermosillo reopened in 2012 as a hip, young spot serving craft beers, wine and tapas. Mexican movie posters line the walls, and you can play two games in the back—the always-fun shuffle board or the maddening hook-and-ring game.
The Hermosillo is located at 5125 York Blvd.
Donut Friend (Photo by Donut Friend via Facebook)
Donut Friend
Opened last year, it’s a haven for those of us who love both rock music and donuts. Creations like the Nutellavision (nutella and a dash of olive oil inside, sugar glaze and a dash of salt on top) and GG Almond (gruyere and honey inside, sugar glaze and toasted almonds on top) satisfy both our sweet and savory cravings—as well as our thirst for music trivia puns.
Donut Friend is located at 5107 York Blvd.
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A beginning ceramics pottery class at Ball Clay Studio (Photo via ballclaystudio.com)
Ball Clay Studio
One of the more unique recent offerings in town, Ball Clay Studio offers classes on making pottery ceramics and sculptural clay art. It was opened last year by David Ball, who has created commissioned works for the likes of Disney and Universal. A basic membership is $130 a month, or six week classes start at $240.
Ball Clay Studio is located at 4851 York Blvd.
Namaste Highland Park (Photo via namastehighlandpark.com)
Namaste Highland Park
Beyond yoga classes, from Rasa Vinyasa to Yoga in Spanish, this new spot also has workshops on tea preparation, urban gardening, urban beekeeping, kombucha making and couple’s massage workshops, among others.
Namaste Highland Park is located at 5118 York Blvd.
The Bearded Beagle (Photo by Cristina Dunlap via thebeardedbeagle.virb.com)
The Bearded Beagle
Opened late last year, his new vintage spot on Figueroa sells handpicked clothing at affordable prices. Boots, Mexican blankets, T-shirts, leather jackets and more, plus they buy back a lot of the clothes you don't want.
The Bearded Bagle is located at 5926 N Figueroa St.
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