You’ll find something special on Crenshaw and Slauson. The birthplace of the hustle for a man who shares that same name. This past October on the West Coast Weed Tour we had an “off” day in Los Angeles. Nipsey Hussle is someone we’re all fans of…so we had to hit The Marathon Clothing Store.
Hasselhoff, our LA connect, directed us from our Air BnB in Hollywood to the Crenshaw store. Driving into the neighborhood you can feel an innate sense of community. The area feels up-and-coming but not from the gentrification we see in Seattle, but rather from being built from the ground up. Neighborhood Nip is pouring everything back into the community he came from.
An All Money In Brinks truck sits front and center in the small strip mall parking lot showing that keeping the money in their community is clearly the goal. For at least six blocks each way you couldn’t find a homeless person without a Crenshaw or Marathon hoodie on. I’ve never seen anything like this.
Once inside the store, you’ll find a set-up that resembles high fashion brand activations on Fairfax Ave. Those on the outside may ask why he wouldn’t have chosen to invest in a shop within a more traditional retail district. It’s clear that Nipsey Hussle isn’t here to compete with anyone, he’s here to build infrastructure.
