Phukaw

Always a great place to find unique clothing and accessories. I have put many miles on my leather shoes (all 3 pair) from here. And the icing on the cake… The owners are wonderful!

If you’ve been to Thailand you know every item in the store you can get for $ 5 or less (except maybe the gold). Let’s say you can buy 2 yards of handmade silk fabric for $ 13 in Thailand. In Phukaw it costs $ 180 for 1 yard. Markup is incredibly high. I don’t know how they stay in business. It’s always empty.
My mom is from Lao so she speaks Thai. We walked in there fully expecting to get a souvenir for her. We’ve been there before and she’s bought a shirt from a nice lady. The staff was younger and completely different this day. Mom asks in English how much a shirt on a mannequin costs. The lady helping us asks another lady in charge and they discuss the amount in Thai. By the time the price gets to my mom it’s missing information like cost of the tailor. She just gives my mom a flat amount which was not what the other lady quoted. My mom just gives them a blank stare and says no and we walk out.
So bad service and overpriced.

I came down from Bay Area with the thought to come take a look at the unique items posted from other Unilocalers.
Came in to buy and Opted to browse bc there was too much to look at. Eyeing a few interested pieces i finally got to the back of the store and there was a woman eating, another chatting with a younger woman. I saw a very interesting costume on a mannequin and preceded to investigate the fabric on skirt more closely. The Younger lady told me, «no no no honey don’t touch» and preceded to explain that they don’t want anyone to touch that particular dress because its so delicate. Im not a kid but i did apologize and point out i didn’t see anything saying I couldn’t touch it. A wiser women would have just put it in a glass case to view and not right in front open to all types of abuse. After she point out she did have a sign… she actually found it laying flat on top a 7 foot tall cabinet. No wonder i didn’t see it… nobody would have.
I came there specifically to buy a Thai outfit. But left the store empty handed after that odd situation. A wiser person would have just apologized for not having the sign within view. But the amount of chatting and gossiping they were doing they probably didn’t want my business anyways.
I will never come back here again. And I suggest you buy Thai clothing from an authentic online retailer from Thailand. They are all very beautiful pieces. Just have your measurements ready. :).

I went in to look for a dress for my work luncheon which is Asian Theme. Since I’m Thai, I wanted to go as a Thai princess. However, the dress was out of my budget range :(So I opted for a shirt that I can pair with pants or skirt. The owner was so sweet and super helpful. Her daughter was also helpful and her sons were adorable. Great store. I now know where to go next time I need Thai clothing.

Wish they had more everyday Thai clothing wear, lighter stuff like tanks and one pieces or even dresses. I liked the fact that the accessories weren’t that expensive. ($ 3 ~ 20 were prices written on some of the rings/​bracelets). Wish they had more with elephant, rosace, and/​or meditating Buddha elements.
Thought the cutoff denim jeans were cute, but just that I didn’t want to pay 50 bucks for it. For summer, I was surprised they had a lot of heavy stuff still for sale, heavy I mean… the fabric is thick, like potato sack or rug (thicker material).
Also, Pearl the store manager says the existing Phukaw FB page is unofficial because it isn’t run by them; it was made for them by someone else.

I randomly found this GEM and it is one of the most BEAUTIFUL, UNIQUE and MAGICAL boutiques I’ve ever seen! The store owner, Yaya, and her daughter, Pearl are so helpful and were a pleasure to meet. I walked out with hidden treasures that are ONE OF A KIND. I’m so excited to wear the jewelry and gorgeous garments I bought today! I will be back for sure! This store is THAI MAGIC!

Lots of great stuff! I probably would if bought a lot more if I had more time ;) wished the lady in the store would of been a little more helpful. Parking very limited, ended up paying $ 5 to park in the same parking lot!?! (Valet???) geez,

i love phukaw!!!

«Phukaw» (pronounced Pu-​Kao) means hill top or mountain. As the Songkran Festival was approaching, I stopped by this new shop in Thai Town to try on traditional dresses and grab some cultural items. The shop is truly incredible! I didn’t know what to try on first because everything was so beautiful. There are also lots of cute hill tribe hats and clothing for babies and toddlers, hair accessories, handmade jewelry pieces, and unique tote bags. Both the store manager and owner helped me and my friend choose traditional pieces. The owner, Yai (aka Yaya), is from Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, and she makes frequent trips to Thailand to purchase new items. She also studied the history of traditional Thai clothing, so she knows how to properly dress you and not make you look ridiculous. She also offers appropriate traditional jewelry for rent and sale, as well as custom orders. If you’re looking for specific styles of dresses or jewelry, she will be more than happy to assist you.
The store moved from its original location in Santa Monica to East Hollywood, and I am so glad that it’s close to where I work. I will be at a booth during the Thai New Year Songkran Festival, and I will visit the store during my break to buy more handmade accessories!
If you often visit Thailand, you probably think that you don’t have to buy things here because the items are quite pricey (compared to the Thai price tags). However, most of the items here are one of a kind, and you wouldn’t be able to find them even if you lived Thailand. Yaya designed all the handicrafts, clothing, textiles and accessories herself.
I hope Phukaw stays around forever because it is now my most favorite clothing store in Thai Town. The owner and the store manager are the friendliest and most honest sellers I have ever encountered. If you’re into traditional or hill tribe merchandise, Phukaw is THE place to go to. You will not be disappointed.

I also found this store while strolling on MAIN St. waiting for my girl finish her nails at the nearby salon. I really loved the many different things they have to offer. This is the perfect store to buy something for the person us has everything. Nice sales people. I hope they make it in the sagging retail economy.

I was, and still am, very much in love with tribal-​wear, from all over the world. I could not have been more surprised to find this store in Santa Monica.
I was on a recent trip to Vietnam and the markets and stores there provide many similar styles of clothing, except the pricing was MUCH cheaper. Of course, seeing how these items were all handmade, how shipping must have been very expensive for such a small store, and how much MORE it would cost to buy a plane ticket to Southeast Asia to find such items, I was more than willing to pay the price while I was shopping there that day.
They have a great selection– dresses, pants, shirts, shoes, sandals, jewelry, handbags, linens, etc. I’m definitely returning once I find the time.
I checked the website earlier and it seems to be down (?). Please have it back up soon!

I found this store while strolling Main Street and nearly had a panic attack upon seeing all these beautiful treasures! Oh my, it was just too much. Jewelry, bags, hair pins, belts, clothing. It is a belly dancer’s dream.
If you like your beautiful treasures funky and colorful, you must visit this shop. Everything is made in Thailand. Also if you are into tribal belly dance like I am, you will definitely want to check this place out for unique accessories. The owner Yaya is very sweet and is a belly dancer herself! I got a pair of jingly earrings there and have gotten tons of compliments from people and I really love them. Prices are decent– some jewelry is 10 $ or so, but some bags which are very ornate were around 90 $ and up.