On Nov. 1, Outlandish will open its doors at 1228 Third Street Promenade, but the e-commerce and in-person retail hybrid has already been humming with sales. The location bridges the connection between the two experiences, hosting businesses and online content creators in livestreaming booths where they can sell products to a global audience, while also keeping their stock ready to purchase in-person.
The two shopping styles will work hand-in-hand on the Promenade, Outlandish CEO and Creative Director William August said, by bringing local foot traffic into the store where brands sell products in nearly every sector. At the same time, he added, the branded booths serve as a home base for livestreamers on the TikTok social media application.
"So previously, you either did e-commerce or in-person," August said. "Right now, we essentially not only offer the space, but also the operational services for brands, if they’re a local brand, [to] sell to a global audience through live stream. Or if they’re a global brand, sell in-person experiences, retail experiences in-person."
While businesses selling online products through livestreaming is now picking up steam in the United States, August saw the potential during his decade-plus in China, where he became one of the first Westerners to connect with Chinese social media audiences. Using the Mandarin language to build a following, over 3 million across various platforms, August translated that skill set into helping grow the Chinese media presence of heavyweights like Starbucks and FedEx.
Through this time, he noticed selling products via livestreams "absolutely skyrocket," and became enamored with the new age of entrepreneurs. August worked with TikTok to launch a United Kingdom TikTok Shop, another first for the CEO as one of the few to market livestreaming e-commerce outside of Asia. He then established Outlandish in Los Angeles in 2021, using his platform as one of the first TikTok certified store partners to put a physical-online hybrid retail space in action.
When deciding where to land Outlandish, August considered Melrose Ave., but considered it "a bit too sparse" and wanted something with more foot traffic. He then thought back to his first Los Angeles trip, eventually finding the answer on his location’s future.
"When I came down here, the first time I came to LA, I went [to the Promenade]," August said. "This is just the place to go, it’s on everyone’s map."
In his early conversations with August about the site, City of Santa Monica Director of Community Development David Martin wasn’t sure if the non-traditional retail endeavor could exist on the Promenade, but credited City Council direction on "more creative, different types of uses" at the outdoor shopping mall for making Outlandish happen.
"We were able to just say yes and welcome them to the Promenade, and we really see it as a great use of the space as something that will build on our Silicon Beach reputation and just bring people to the Promenade, which will then benefit the restaurants and the existing more traditional retail," Martin said. "All of that will work together and really help, especially [on the 1200] block."
A creator or business can lease one of Outlandish’s 20 livestreaming booths by the hour, typically renting a space for 3-4 hours of a stream where they sell products directly to the live audience, as well as take in-person shoppers. August noted that many of the brands are "very big on social media," but Outlandish is giving them their first taste of brick and mortar business. These include health and wellness brand Goli Nutrition, FHI Heat hair care products and Nature Spell skincare. Well-known brands such as Crocs footwear have also taken up early space at Outlandish.
Personality also plays a big role in selling products, with Outlandish also setting up streams in other locations, including a Tuesday special stream with comedian and actor Kevin Hart. August hopes to bring more prominent influencers into the space, so that when they are live streaming, locals and tourists alike will rush to Outlandish to take part in the special events.
"We want there to be lots of engagement … [customers] can join the live stream, have fun, talk to the live host, walk around the space, touch and feel everything immediately in-person, and then see their favorite creators or businesses in-person in the space," August added. "And every time you go in, there’s something different."
Calling the upcoming opening "exciting," August’s sentiment was shared by Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. CEO Andrew Thomas, who is ready to embrace the new wave of commerce and see new brands exposed at the Promenade space.
"I think it speaks to the appeal of Santa Monica and the Third Street Promenade … we’re home to a diverse array of businesses and we have traditional retail and restaurants and cool experiences, but this is something that’s completely unique, it does feel like the future … I think it’s real difference maker for us," Thomas said.
For more information on Outlandish, visit outlandishdigital.us
thomas@smdp.com
