Women’s Store Expands Stock but Keeps Prices Low

In 1984, when Jonathan Rick tired of hauling sweaters around in a pickup truck and hawking them at Valley beauty shops, he opened a hole in the wall in an alley just off Oxnard Street and Reseda Boulevard and called it My Fair Lady.

Word spread that the merchandise and prices were great, and upscale Valley women began to make it a regular stop.

Other merchants rented space and the area soon became the Alley in the Valley.

But things have evolved and now My Fair Lady has a wide selection of women’s apparel--still at low prices.

Like so many underground shopping sources, the store doesn’t want the labels mentioned--to keep peace with vendors. But this is quality merchandise with many of the newest names in fashion. One can still rely on a good selection of sweaters at My Fair Lady, and trust Rick to have a supply of the latest craze--twin sweater sets.

A chenille set that retails for slightly over $100 is $59, and in silk it’s $69. Some designer suede suits that sell elsewhere for $500 are $225. We loved the velour suits (retail $220) for $129 and the corded velvet outfits for $69.

All the above is in the main room. Wait till you see the prices in the “blowout room,” an area Rick set up for the reduced items. Here you can count on prices that reflect from 50% to 75% off originals.

If that isn’t cheap enough, try the room behind the “blowout room,” where everything is $19. Adding to the shopping experience, Rick loves to entertain his customers by ringing a bell to announce some ridiculous price on selected merchandise that usually induces a feeding frenzy.

My Fair Lady, Alley in the Valley, behind 6000 Reseda Blvd., Tarzana. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m-4:30 p.m. Major credit cards; (818) 881-1651.

*

Weekend Super Sale: One reason October may be declared National Dollhouse Month is to fill the lull before holiday madness begins. Smart shoppers can take advantage of this at Cathy M. Miniatures and More, where many items are reduced from 10% to 50%, and select deluxe dollhouses are deeply discounted. All month, furniture kits are 20% off. Stock also includes hand puppets, marionettes, paper dolls, snow globes, etc.

12731 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m; (818) 760-7825.