Back to school shopping has always been mostly a non-event to me. Unless you had a massive growth spurt over the summer, your clothes still fit. Plus, as my mother always said, “wait to see what everyone is wearing first.” As of today, it seems like everyone of school age in my orbit is back to school. Summer is “over” and the mindset is shifting. I never underestimate the psychological momentum to be gained by having something brand new to kick off the start of an academic year. The Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, CA is one of several malls in the Los Angeles area. It’s one of my favorites because it is so big and has so much to offer. I run to this mall all year long for things my kids need. Here is my rundown of some of my favorite stores this year for back to school.
Starting at the south side, Sears is where I go for kids Land’s End shoes, clothing and outerwear. The Land’s End
department is located on the main level. Down the escalator is the children’s department which is a good source for licensed products like superhero sweatshirts and cartoon character undies. Heading north in the mall, is the Vans store, famous for their uber-popular slip on sneakers…A good way to get around having to tie laces! Continuing along the first floor, there is an elevator and escalator to transition up to the second floor.
This level is where the majority of stores are found and is a good access point for Macy’s. At about the midpoint of this level, we find the food court. I love the lemonade at Hot-Dog-on-a-Stick and the chicken strips at Chick-fil-a. Here is also where the mall makes a left and a right turn in short order. Around the second corner we have Build-a-Bear Workshop which always has something new to commemorate any occasion and just past that, The Disney Store. Disney is a fun place to pick up themed lunch totes and water bottles. At the end of the hall is a large Old Navy. Here I keep an eye out for boys shorts and underwear and girls leggings and tank tops. Old Navy is also a great destination for school uniforms as well as trends you don’t want to “invest” in because you think the trend will be over by Halloween. For example, brightly colored denim is a major trend this Fall. My son found a pair of green jeans, although “full price” they were still only $19.50. Turning the corner to the right, you have Stride Rite for kid’s shoes on the right and further down, also on the right, is H & M kids. I seem to always find fun girls’ socks and tights here. H & M is one of the best choices for keeping up with fashion trends. They have inexpensive accessories like neon colored hair clips.
Just past H & M is a set of glass doors leading to the newest part of Del Amo, the two-story outdoor Promenade. Here I recommend two of my lifelong favorite stores, Marshalls and TJ Maxx! You never know what you’ll find at these places but the treasure hunt for the deal is so much fun. I tend to score shoes for kids at Marshalls with great regularity as well as team logo baseball caps, shirts and sweatshirts at both stores. Also located out here is GapKids/BabyGap (combo store) which is a great source for all kids’ basics. Some items I like here for boys are: khakis, cargoes, polos and light jackets. For girls: casual cotton dresses, yoga pants, fleece tops and long sleeve t-shirts. Finally, Skechers is a family favorite for footwear.
Having covered the whole mall, everyone is probably ready for a break and something to eat. Del Amo has many restaurants to choose from. I recommend Lucille’s Smokehouse BBQ and applaud them for their spacious booths, kid’s menu and biscuits. Out in the Promenade, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse with a menu that has something for everyone, Stacked where kids have a blast ordering from the table’s iPads and Lazy Dog Café which offers a vast kid’s menu with lots of healthy choices and a fun outdoor patio with fireplaces.
Info & disclosure: The Del Amo Mall is located at 3525 Carson St., Torrance, CA 90503 at the intersection of Hawthorne Blvd. and Carson St. Exit the 405 freeway at Hawthorne Blvd. Barnes & Noble bookstore and Crate & Barrel are located on the mall property along Hawthorne Blvd. Get connected via: DelAmoFashionCenter.com, Twitter.com/DelAmoFashion and Facebook.com/DelAmoFashionCenter. To facilitate my review, I was provided at $50 Simon Malls Giftcard. All content and opinion is my own.
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