La Bomba

They don’t have a store manager, but the owner isn’t in every day.
The help misrepresented information, and lied during a business transaction. I won’t go back.

i’ve been to the pile sale here a few times. each time have found something really great for really cheap. the pile sale is the best thing ever. While the pile sale can be dirt cheap, the stuff inside the store can be pretty expensive like the other stores nearby.

Perhaps my second favorite vintage store on Retro Row in Long Beach! The store has some hip items!
Loved how they had a good assortment of men and women’s items. they had both very vintage to recently vintage. They had Western ware to contemporary chic. They had 1950’s Happy Days items to Nat King Cole era clothing! The female employee was super nice and friendly. The place is welcoming!
Everyone was telling me about the giant pile of clothes, but I didn’t find it during my visit. I did see a black door in the back of the store, but didn’t bother to open it or to ask where it would be! My loss.
I’d come here again! Love it!

I love this place. I recently discovered this place 2 years ago and never got to witness the crazy amount of clothes piles. I’m a big Pendleton lover and purchased two of my Pendletons for under 30 dollars. They were in excellent condition and they had many to choice from. They run for as much as $ 130 now so I couldn’t pass up getting them. The lady that works there is so sweet. I wish I remembered her name but she never fails to play good music and greet us as we walk in.

Went in to purchase a dress a month ago, girl at the counter said I can buy it cheaper off her website. Sounds weird and also unprofessional. Does the owner know? Bought some cute boots instead, love them! Great price compared to other Vintage shoppes.

Have you ever wanted to search for buried treasures in a giant pile of clothes? If so you really need to check out the pile sale that happens at La Bomba. Most people don’t know this, but a lot of vintage stores buy large lots of clothing in bulk, and pick out the good pieces to sell. Where does the rest go, you’re wondering. Well it goes in this giant pile in the back of the store that seriously gets bigger every time I go in there. I heard there was a small child that got lost in the pile in the 70’s and now the child haunts the store at night. If you pass by and gaze into the windows you can sometimes see him playing within the racks of beautiful vintage apparel. I highly recommend La Bomba, not just for the history and the only ghost I know of that lives in a Vintage Clothing Store, but for all the great deals.

As one of the characters that help write the story of 4^th Street, this fascinating vintage store mixes in the beauty of the old with the used. From the moment you step in, you get the vibe that grunge is in the mix, as much as coffee would be saturating the atmosphere at a coffee shop. The smell of age waifs in the air and light shines off the glass counter containing knick-​knacks and patty-​whacks from times previous. They sell clothes, hats, shoes, and even costumes when the season’s right. But the thing that really draws your eyes is the door leading to the back and a huge pile of clothes filling up the door frame.
For you see explorers, La Bomba contains an open space in the back that houses not a pile, but a MOUNTAIN of clothing waiting to be discovered. I’m talking take-​your-​shoes-​off-​and-​jump-​right-​in kind of thing. Don’t be ashamed, people all around are doing the same. It’s like the thrift stores of lore, except in pile form. You’ll feel like an archaeologist, digging through the strata of cloth and thread. Look, I’ve uncovered a Member’s Only jacket! And here, my hands have brushed out a Marty McFly vest! OMG! A baby blue moo-​moo! Things are the things you’ll be Unilocaling to your friends with each new discovery. And like a twisted, gratuitous jesture, the price is right. Most clothes hover around the $ 5 mark, enticing many with an itch for the vintage to spend vicariously through themselves. You’ll see many smiling faces along your excavation, yours included.
So whether on a nice stroll through 4^th Street or on the hunt for time pieced clothing, La Bomba is the place to be. It’s «the bomb»!

Needed a pair of cowboy boots for a costume. They have a huge selection, all different sizes, styles & condition. Needed something that looked worn. Found a perfect pair for only $ 25
This store will be only my go to list for Anything western or vintage. Cool clothes too!

Definitely a small store, but I’m giving it 4 stars because the prices are WAY more reasonable than the other stores on 4^th street.
I was looking for vintage dresses, and they had a whole wall full. I didn’t find anything today, but they definitely have a good range of stuff.

We were in a rush to get a cute 50’s style outfit for my daughter the day before her school dance (because she waits until the last minute to tell me) After going to like 5 stores on 4^th Street Retro we finally get to La Bomba. Tiffany was so helpful and pointed us in the right direction. Found the cutest outfit at a very reasonable cost. (esp. since it’s a 1 time use kind of thing). Very happy with the selection and extremely happy with the customer service!!! Never once did I feel «pressured» or rushed. Oh very important we walked through the door 5 minutes before closing and stayed 30 minutes past closing. So the «not feeling RUSHED» statement is very important!!! :) Happy Shopping.

Like all «vintage stores», it’s a hit or miss each time one visits.
La Bomba has a WIDE range of clothing so I always have fun digging through in search of finding something else to add to my closet.
The staff is really friendly and willing to help. The clothing (for the most part) is reasonable priced. I always stop by whenever I find myself in the area!

Yep… they get 5 stars cuz the clothes are HIGH quality and the prices are LOW! One of the other «vintage» stores on that same street had Levi jackets for $ 90+ in used condition. This place had some really nice Levi jackets for $ 25. Considering they pay probably $ 1-​$ 2 a piece for them and resell to the public I appreciate that they give us a good discount as well! Lots of leather jackets, lots of shoes, lots of super cool retro stuff … just wish I had more money! This place is one of the standouts along «retro row» in LB. Start your shopping here… you won’t be sorry.

Holy pile of shit. And by shit, I mean good shit.
This was my first visit to 4^th street (thank you, Unilocal!newsletter) and I’ve got to say, the pile sale was absolutely the highlight. What could be better than burying yourself in a pile of polyester? It’s truly unbelievable. Definitely going back.
The store itself was awesome too, and not terribly overpriced and full of nonsensical items like some of the other 4^th street vintage shops. I grabbed a necklace for $ 10 and a scarf for $ 8.
Check out a more comprehensive overview on my blog in addition to seeing the stellar items I managed to score!

This may seem horrible, but I’m leaving the exact same review for a few places on the shop strip in Long Beach because they are basically ALL THE SAME, just with different names outside.
All overpriced «vintage» clothes. Why pay nearly full price for a used jacket or shirt? Yeah right.

The Pile Sale is completely mad! A friend and I were only able to roll around in the insanity for an hour and we loved it. She is very mini, and thus able to find a ton of adorable things. Be prepared to spend a good chunk of your day at La Bomba if you are taking on The Pile. I was able to find a sweet dress, vest, winter coat, and men’s coat for my hus at The Sale. Each item is between $ 2 and $ 5. Besides clothing, there are shoes, but they are not so abundant and look rather sad strewn about the back patio.
Inside, there are several racks of clothing and walls full of shoes, boots, hats, purses, and many other wonderful vintage things. There are also cowboy boots. Many pairs of good-​looking cowboy boots in good condition. It’s a good thing I was all shopped out from the Pile Sale at closing time, or else I would have bought a pair.
Wonderful thrifty vintage shopping experience.

It’s all true — that pile sale is no effin’ joke. It’s a giant mountain of clothes ranging from a generic Mossimo top to a rad, unique 60s vintage dress. Here’s the thing though: it takes a whole lot of damn work. And balls. Digging through that pile can be scary times, god only knows what’s hiding under the next blouse. .but generally the payoff is worth it.
I’ll add that the front of the store ain’t too shabby either. They’ve got a surprisingly large selection of dresses, all organized surprisingly well, and all surprisingly low priced. It’s altogether… surprising.

This is my favorite place to shop in Long beach without a doubt! i only go for the pile sale once a month but I come out with enough to tide me over until the next month. what’s cool is the guy at the register remembers me.
Imagine needing only10−15 bucks. everything is less than 5 dollars and you need to have a 10 dollar minimum so if you only find one thing (which is impossible unless you don’t have the patience) you pay 10 bucks. One week I came out with 2 cashmere sweaters from banana republic, a long dashiki, and 2 unique shirts for 12.
when you come, plan to spend at least an hour because it’s overwhelming at first but you can’t beat the prices. I’m probably the oldest one that comes there (thank God I don’t look my age) but you can find a few kids items too. Check it out every third weekend and enjoy!

PILE SALE! PILE SALE! PILE SALE!
My friend and I were just stopping in to drop off some fliers when we were told there was a pile sale in back: anything we find in the pile is $ 1. Well heck, why not.
I was expecting, well, a pile. Nay! The pile is actually a mountain, probably 10′ tall, ending just far enough below the patio covering that you could sit on top without banging your head, or duck pretty far and wander (well, *I* could, but I’m really short). Go mountaineering! I decided to brave the pile of musty old clothes and scale to the top, throwing down things I thought my friend might like and for her to put aside for me.
Finding things is hard, and you know that you’ll never get very far into the middle of the pile, thus missing out on whatever goodness lies there. The requirement for the pile sale is that you must buy 10 items, and so I was glad I was with a friend, since I only found a few things I liked. I ran out of steam after maybe 45 minutes, but we easily could’ve been there all day, or maybe gone and got a sandwich, then returned when a couple layers of clothes had been tossed aside/​purchased. Hand sanitizer afterward seemed a bit pathetic, since I’d been rolling around in gross clothes; immediate shower upon arrival home.
Generally, I don’t shop at vintage stores because I don’t want to drop a lot of money on something old, even if it’s cute, but the pile sale is a sure winner. PILE SALE!

Nice vintage shorts for 20 bucks! Need I say more? Maybe not, but I will anyway. This place is rad. They have some sort of Pile Sale and while I didn’t get to go it because it was uncermoniously closing as I approached, I will go back and climb on that damn thing and find a prize. Ladyhawk found some Hot Dress Action and I could have bought a lot more, but I’m pacing myself perfectly.
Go here and try on some neat old clothes, just don’t buy anything I like so I have it.

Clearly when I move into a neighborhood the first thing I’m looking for is a place to buy my vintage dresses. (Okay, really the first thing I’m looking for is a place to get coffee to start my day off right, but I already had found that in Portfolio.) Sir Nicholas and I took a break from sitting on the floor in our empty house on Sunday to stroll on down to Retro Row and stumbled upon La Bomba.
I was a little hesitant to get my vintage shopping feet wet because I had heard it was going to be way, way, way more expensive than I was used to in Denver. But, I dove right in once I found a lovely orange dress for $ 18 that fit me perfectly. I also found a new red dress and Nick found himself a nice pair of shorts. All for what I consider fair prices.
The only thing that left me disappointed was the pile sale closed at 3 pm just as we were trying to go outside and get in on that action. So we had to stand there and watch the fun happen without us. Hopefully we’ll get to jump in next time.