Lucky You Resale Boutique Reopens; Crash Damage Closes Second Store

Idrea Lippman had been out of a job and looking for work when her luck stepped in at the right moment.

The 58-year-old had worked at  in Valley Village for three months a while back, and when the previous owner, Dina Kimmel, offered to sell the store to Lippman, she jumped on the opportunity.

When a into , the boutique’s second location on the same block specializing in children’s clothing, the damage to the structure and inventory made it difficult for the previous owner to keep the business afloat, Lippman told me.

Both spaces were eventually sold, and the children's store will be replaced by Sandbox Rebel, another kid's clothing and accessories boutique.

The new Lucky You re-opened February 1, 2012, and I stop in on the store’s first day of extended hours.  Outside is a sale rack of clothing for 70 percent off, and when I walk in I'm greeted by giant framed posters of James Dean, Audrey Hepburn and other classic Hollywood stars.

There's a good selection of denim, ranging from little-known brands to designer names like Lucky Brand and 7 for All Mankind; evening gowns from LBDs to fancy beaded dresses; and casual wear from BCBG, Calvin Klein, Bebe and many other contemporary labels. In the back, there's more clothing alongside trendy shoes, bags and accessories.

As I'm browsing, Lippman and her employee Alla (who preferred to give just her first name for this story) are busy pricing new merchandise. The two argue playfully like an old married couple, and it seems like they're longtime friends who know each other like the backs of their own hands. I find out later that Alla had only been working at the store for a few weeks.

Alla, who lives just down the street from the store, told me she was on her usual morning walk when she “felt compelled” to take a different route. She found herself walking into the store, and that’s how she and Lippman “just found each other.”

It’s easy to see why one would be compelled to visit Lucky You. Lippman’s positive energy is undeniable, and it shows on the walls of her boutique, literally. 

“Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world,” reads one wall, quoting Marilyn Monroe. There are other inspirational passages throughout the store, and Lippman says she hopes her boutique can serve as a haven for women. 

“If I could rename it, I'd call it Lucky You Haven Boutique!” she jokes.

Both women have experience in the fashion industry – Lippman, a former plus-size model, owned a plus-size women’s clothing boutique called Great Changes in Studio City for 14 years; Alla’s background is on the manufacturing side of fashion. This isn’t the first time Lippman has been on Patch – she was for her work as aerobics instructor at Body Women Only Fitness Center.

On the day I visit, a long-time customer is there selling her clothing. Lippman ends up buying two pairs of Marc Jacobs shoes, a black velvet floral Betsey Johnson dress (which she later shows off on the store's Facebook page), a black evening bag and a few other items from her. The woman tells me she used to live down the street, and that she's been coming to the store for 12 years. She's seen the store change hands a few times, she says, and despite moving to Sherman Oaks, she still loves stopping in every once in a while.

After the customer leaves, Alla and Lippman start pricing their latest buys right away. The Marc Jacobs shoes are priced reasonably, and Lippman says most of the items in the store are under $50.  

She wants all women to be able to get fashion at an affordable price, she says, adding that she didn't want Lucky You to simply be a thrift store. Anything that doesn't sell after two to three weeks from the sale rack outside is donated to the shelters downtown. Her mantra?  "Women who have money love a bargain; women who don't... need one!"

is located at 12441 Magnolia Boulevard in Valley Village. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.