Fun store that's been location in the Main Plaza of Chinatown for decades…read more It is comforting to see these kind of stores when I come to the area because they make for the landscape of this cool part of town. I love to feel the familiarity of the merchandise when I step inside. Lots of fun imports, cute toys, clothes, jewelry, home decor, games, accessories. Reasonable priced, fun to browse, great for your Chinatown visits. I enjoy buying gifts here and a something interesting for myself. Need places like this to stay in the area, they contribute to the charm of Chinatown! So, support them, go and shop for something fun, different, unique!

Old Chinatown classic, its like a crammed variety store. Some of the items I swear have been here…read moresince I came as a kid in the early 90s. If you like hunting for cheap treasures this is the place to go with random things like magnet toys, hell money, fake gag poops, incense, and plastic swords. Located in Central Plaza, its the area of Chinatown that used to be for tourists. Central Plaza was a romanticized take on China with colorful "chinese" buildings and string-lights and lanterns for night. It's survived so long a shame so much has fallen into disarray, I especially miss the wishing fountain. Luckily Import Bazaar is still running strong. The store itself is small with tight aisles packed from floor to ceiling with lots of different stuff. They try to cluster like-items together so it helps a bit. I personally love the chaos and the store frozen-in-time. My kid was so bombarded with the crazy variety of items here he had a hard time choosing what he wanted. The sweet lady working that day gave him a little toy car for free. They have a hilarious variety of fake cigarettes and cigars for you bad kids :)

If I could leave negative stars I would…read more I've been a regular customer at Paper Plant for a while, but my last experience was incredibly frustrating. On my recent visit, I picked out several items and was ready to check out when I asked if I could purchase the paper vase and flower that were on display. It seemed like a simple request--especially since I was already buying multiple things and was clearly a paying customer. Instead of trying to help, the staff asked three different managers, and every single one just said "no." No explanation, no attempt to offer an alternative, and no effort to make the sale. It felt less like customer service and more like rigid rule-following for the sake of saying no. What makes it even more frustrating is that everything in the store is already very expensive. When customers are willing to spend that kind of money, you would expect at least a little flexibility or effort to accommodate a reasonable request. Retail should be about helping customers and making sales, not turning away people who are literally trying to buy your products. Walking out after that interaction was frustrating and disappointing. After that experience, I won't be coming back. Blocked.

Cute selection of stationary, pens and stickers!…read more I love picking up coffee next door and buying my essentials from here. Including any last minute gifts. They will wrap it for you!

Of all the shops dying off in Chinatown and becoming galleries and other things, this one has been…read moregoing strong since 1938 -- when businesses in "Old" Chinatown, near Olvera Street, were relocated into what was then Little Italy, forming "New" Chinatown. Tucked in the Central Plaza, which was opened and dedicated the same year Sincere opened, you can find it across from the fountain where people throw their pocket change, aiming for the receptacles labeled "Wealth," "Health," and "Luck." Tourists love Sincere for the shopping, perusing their stock of fans, lanterns, figurines, porcelain, hats, and other knickknacks after they bang on the gongs at the front entrance for "Good Luck" and "Money" and rub the giant Buddha statue's well-worn belly that greeted them as they entered. I dig Sincere for the things hanging above the shelving -- ceremonial dragon and lion heads, giant Peking opera masks, and massive lanterns -- and the nice people who own the place. It's one of the few shops left that embodies the old spirit of Chinatown.

this is where i shop for folding fans. from decorated paper fans to larger sized nylon beauties,…read moreyou can pick up a fine variety of self-propelled cooling mechanisms. the nylon fans have a plastic armature that is remarkably sturdy and long-lived. i have at least two of these fans from an era when i was commuting across los angeles without air conditioning during the usually hot to witheringly-hot summers. sincere hails from the golden age of chinese 'gift' stores in california. and to this day stocks low-priced items ranging from tiny plastic swords, to more regular-priced things like paper lanterns, kites, parasols & wind chimes. i lament the disappearance of tiny spy cameras that used to be a staple item. sincere is also satisfying when you want to shop, but not somewhere spendy. [jumbo bargain on sunset near echo park ave. also serves this purpose well.]

Small but adorable store with a great selection of cute products. They have an Inciardi Print…read moremachine and were so sweet to pull a print for us from the back when it went out of stock. Thanks S&A!

Shout and About is a small boutique shop located in Echo Park that sells various gifts and greeting…read morecards. This is the flagship shop opened in 2015 and there are currently three brick-and-mortar locations in Echo Park, Carlsbad, and Encinitas. [Parking]: Parking is very difficult in this part of town. I got really lucky and found a residential street spot on Grafton St. [Merchandise]: The shop offers many cute gifts including home goods, scented candles, tote bags, and a section with items for children and babies such as children's books and random animal plushies. I like some of their greeting card designs, but there is not much of a stationery selection. There is also a mini print vending machine at the front entrance. [Conclusion]: I am not sure whether I would drive out of my way just to shop for gifts here as there are too many random items. It would be nicer if the shop focused on a more specific niche category rather than being a jack-of-all-trades gift store.

Small store, I have been passing by it a million times while in Chinatown. I never checked it out…read moretill my last visit during the New Year's celebrations. I got a couple of gifts here, a bracelet (nice selection) and a cute dragon toy/puppet (I kind of want one for myself) for friends who couldn't make the parade. Cute merchandise, fun to browse, decent customer service, prices are very reasonable. When in Chinatown, have some shopping fun!

We stopped here, to buy fans for my shop. Helen was very helpful, not pushy, and friendly. I found…read moreseveral more fans, inside that I wanted to buy. She also allowed me to try each fan, if they're quality is approved, and functional. After I was done, she gave me a discount, and a Free Good Luck gift, to hang on my door! When visiting Chinatown, we will stop here again.

Got the grands their Chinese clothing wear here couple weeks ago. A girl's Chung sum dress and…read moreboys' Kung Fu pant set with cap. All of which were cute. Can't wait to see them wear it! Friendly and helpful owners Recommend

Cute little place. It was just right outside of where we ate lunch. Loved supporting smaller…read morebusiness. Come check it out. You might see little things that will be nice decor in the house or just fun things for younger ones.

Nice gallery space that features local artists - went there over the weekend to see a an art…read moreopening and it was well attended and nice location in Echo Park.

The best place to visit if your on Sunset across from Bar Flores in Echo Park. They have so many…read moregreat adorable gift ideas or for yourself. They also have a Gallery next door that always has the best curated artist and music. Everyone there is always helpful and super sweet!

30 years ago I remember seeing ornate beautiful dishes and lots of cds! now it seems they have a…read morefun, eclectic mix of stuff. there were practical things (like a veggie shredder & lots of tabi), cool postcards, clothing items & also displays by local artisans... which sort of gave it a gallery-like feel. we ended up purchasing an artisanal hoji-cha & an ear picker. LOL, had to get one.

We had some time to kill and so decided to peruse around Little Tokyo and stumbled upon this shop…read more They had a TON of fun Japanese gift items and decor like stationary, postcards, kitchenware, maneki nekos, origami paper, and so much more. They also had a lot of traditional items/supplies for tea ceremonies, calligraphy, and kimonos. I had fun looking through all the items as it brought me back to our summer in Japan. Apparently they have a long standing history in LA, having opened in 1946 after World War II. The shop occupies the site of the first Japanese-owned business in Los Angeles, circa 1890's. Pretty cool! I have a soft spot for everything animal shaped and soo.... I picked up a fun/odd felt tiger Christmas ornament, a cat pen, and a super cute bronze cat shaped spoon that hangs on the side of your cup. Did I need it? No.... but it's fun and makes me happy. Haha! Overall, great shop to browse around and find some unique gift items. They even wrap up your purchases in paper bags like they do in Japan. I LOVE IT!