Dispatch 26: Creativity, Community and a Great Haircut // A Conversation with AllSwell Stockist Kristen Shaw of Cabin West

We caught up with boutique and salon owner Kristen Shaw over in Venice, CA this past weekend to talk about her latest adventure, Cabin West. Recently relocated from Downtown LA to Venice, Cabin West is a place for the creatively minded to hang and explore. Shaw’s expert eye has curated an enviable selection of hard to find periodicals, rare books, home goods, pretty-with-and-edge jewelry and beauty products from small batch brands. Shop here and you’ll look good, smell good, be inspired and have plenty of banter on tap thanks to her smarty-pants selection of printed matter.  

Name: Kristen Shaw, Cabin West

Trade: Beauty . Boutique . Creative Community

Tell us a little bit about your latest project, Cabin West: This new location on Rose Ave. in Venice embodies a place to call home, filled with artisans making things by hand. A general store, bookshop, and hair salon, our goods that we sell and the teams who work within our walls are specially curated, along with the events we’ll have throughout the months at this pop-up location. With plans to host summer movie nights in our front lawn, musicians playing secret shows, magazine hosted events, book clubs and more…I believe this is going to be an incredible summer to bring everyone in the community together and really showcase the cool projects people around us have going on. And of course, get killer hair by incredibly talented stylists and colorists in Venice.

What role does creativity play in your livelihood as well as your personal life? It’s always there – I think when you are creative it’s just something you are, not something you have to think about. The projects you do with that creativity, those are the things I have to think about especially this one with cabin west, where we are bringing together people through beautiful, artisan goods and literary world.

We hear your new space will boast a library. How important do you find the written word is in our increasing digital age? It’s really relevant right now. I’m really inspired by all the people putting together magazines, books, stories of everything they are seeing! If anything, the digital world is providing a platform for people to really spread the tangible, touchable, beautiful print they are making!

When was the last time you went analog? I wish I could say yesterday, but no the last time I got away with that was back in October when my guy and I took off for the Grand Canyon. We made a weekend of it and retired the phones. We really wanted to just enjoy being with each other. That, and when I draw. I can really only capture what I’m seeing while completely submerged in my work.  

What are your hopes for the future of Cabin West? I want to see people in our community excited to support each other’s talents. And of course, venture out one day and bring people together in other areas of the world. We will see where it goes!

@thecabinwest . www.thecabinwest.com . @theshawness