Sportie L.A.

Sportie L.A. gets a little crowded. Employees say the weekends are armed with a dozen or so sales staff, but that means bupkus when swarms of Sporty Spices want their size eight now. Thankfully, they've expanded. What used to be the size of a walk-in closet now has a long, vertical space attached to it, making it an L-shaped boutique. In the back lives all the brand-spankin'-new arrivals. The classic-looking sneakers are usually priced modestly, but the fancy ones include some fancy price tags: Reeboks with teal sparkles go for $225, and gold lam Evisus are priced at $160. Take a step back; the shoe selection runs the gamut from Adidas adorned with tiny graphics to Pharrell Williams' hard-to-find Ice Cream brand to classic Keds and UGG and Frye boots. The store celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2005, which prompted Puma and Reebok to design Sportie L.A.-edition footwear. Limited, of course, so hurry fast! —Lien Ta

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