What in the World
Jai (rhymes with eye) took its name from a word meaning God, dignity, or a variety of other things (depending on what mother tongue you choose). The store stands on one of the few blocks still resembling a South Alamo of yesteryear, before arts and antiquities claimed the southern end of the street.
Walk Through
Jai is divided into a triptych of browsing bliss. First enter an area filled with items hand-picked from L.A.markets by co-owner Liza. Walk deeper into the lair and into co-owner Agosto's domain, where now-one-of-a-kind vintage items hang in anticipation of hip young things yanking them off the hanger.
Feels Great
The back room is dedicated to a stash of odds and ends. Pink flamingos rub elbows with a plastic Mary and Joseph, ready for illumination in an unsuspecting front yard near you. With new wave music popping in the background, Jai makes for a trippy, frenetic clothes-hunt experience.