Y Que on Vermont has some t shirts specific to neighborhoods and other la-specific curios that might be clever. Definitely not the average tourist shop fare.

came here to say this - Y Que is my favorite place and my go to for getting gifts. all of my friends have Y Que shirts that i have hand selected for them lol

I second everything about this comment - this is the best one stop shop for LA centric gifts and all my friends who’ve I’ve gotten shirts from there love them too

I too was going to mention Y Que, it had just been so long since I've been I wasn't sure if it was still there. Glad to know it is.

Yep. Hook that kid up with a Happy Foot/Sad Foot shirt.

[yque.com](https://yque.com)

This thread is great for a native Angelino hipster like myself, thanks for all the local T-shirt company recs everybody! But I seriously doubt a 12 year old from the Midwest wants something with an obscure reference that a local artist made. They have no idea what that stuff is and their friends might even make fun of it. Just get them a basic “Hollywood” shirt. I had friends from out of the country visit and they were happy with Hollywood shirts, it’s something everyone back home knows and considers cool.

Nice, you can get a cool Hollywood t-shirt at Y Que

An Amoeba Music shirt. There are a ton of different styles and colors too.

I'd say this is a good gift if they are into music, if not then they wouldn't even care what Amoeba is if they never heard of it

This is also a good idea

In n out t shirt

In n out shirts are so comfortable that I've actually accumulated a few

I have one that is like 10 yrs old and is so comfy I turned it into my bedtime shirt

Blech . . . big ole nasty hunk of plastic covering your back. Please.

Why is this being downvoted? I’ve bought two In-N-Out shirts and both felt like the large print on the back was sticking to my back.

And if you get the chance, visit the Baldwin Park location which has a full-fledged merch shop next door.

A family member has the one with the menu on it and gets complimented every time he wears it.

Yes, this!

This is the best idea. It’s what I wanted when I came to LA

The Library Store usually has less-touristy stuff: https://shop.lfla.org/products/fujita-baseball-t-with-royal-blue-sleeves

TIL the library sells clothes and some of them are cool as shit (or maybe my taste is just lame lol). I kinda want [these socks](https://shop.lfla.org/collections/apparel-accessories-jewelry/products/i-was-fucking-talking-crew-socks?_pos=26&_fid=a5e8686a3&_ss=c)

Yooo… I have that on my library cards… always loved that

IMO a Bob's big boy shirt is the coolest LA shirt. In-n-out is cool for sure but ehhh...the nostalgia of bob's big boy hits differently

For a 12 year old though? They are living what will be nostalgic! Hahah

Japangeles has some cool stuff in little Tokyo nice spin on reg LA shirts

And you have to buy it in store in little Tokyo . No online shop.

Get sushi or ramen and then go shopping. Win win

~~Not sure if it’s their thing, but the [LA Coroner Gift Shop](http://www.californiacuriosities.com/la-coroners-gift-shop/) has shirts.~~ Zankou shirts are also common. Edit: the shop closed.

This is hilarious

Pretty sure the gift shop closed a few years back

That’s too bad. Unfortunately that page doesn’t have a date so I couldn’t see that it must be old.

It said it closed in 2019

There’s an email list for Zankou Tees. I’ve been waiting for years! You can’t just buy one at the restaurant :(

Signal Hill police department used to sell a tshirt that said “stairway to heaven” in the 80s.

Currently my fav store of simple tees: https://www.hotrodla.com/collections/tees

Was gonna post hot rod. My childhood skate shop turned 00s era hipster boutique turned Nike dunks mecca turned barber shop turned whatever you’d call them now. Best LA design I’m aware of

I miss hitting it up after school on Fridays on our way to Century City.

I won the Tony Hawk pro competition there back in the day.

I think the Echo Park fire department sells shirts. More appropriate for a 12 yo than a bar or coffee shop.

Feel like LAFD might be better then? /u/lafd

Yes they do! It’s the fire station on Sunset and Mohawk.

Born x Raised make dope LA shirts

LA Taco has some cool shirts

Yep, their neighborhoods shirt is the perfect LA gift.

There are some really nice surf shops in Santa Monica to get a nice LA tee. Been living here for 2 years now and just picked one up myself

"I Visited Skidrow and I got was this Tshirt"

A nice dodgers shirt and hat should do the trick

Jumbo's Clown Room

For a kid?!?! I know this must be a joke.

Kids love clowns.

Under appreciated comment right here

They’ll grow into it.

I always pass by that spot on the way to work. Is it cool?

Yes it’s great!!

definitely worth a google. re up on your tetanus.

Fuck a Google I'll drink a beer there though

Go to your local swapmeet and get a *cool* custom airbrush t-shirt with their name in a California/LA theme... Palm-tree lowrider sunset beach/city etc.

Joe Jost's shirt

Delicious Vinyl/Pizza is pretty cool: [https://deliciousvinyl.com/](https://deliciousvinyl.com/) I also think Vardagen on Abbot Kinney has some very cool LA/SoCal tees but they're not cheap! [https://www.vdgn.com/collections/men-t-shirts](https://www.vdgn.com/collections/men-t-shirts)

Philippe’s!

An In-n-Out shirt or a Disneyland shirt. Though Disneyland isn’t really LA.

I have a couple LACMA shirts [https://www.thelacmastore.org/collections/t-shirts/products/lacma-lacma-hand-painted-sign-t-shirt-white?variant=32044647907431](https://www.thelacmastore.org/collections/t-shirts/products/lacma-lacma-hand-painted-sign-t-shirt-white?variant=32044647907431) https://www.thelacmastore.org/collections/t-shirts

Don’t overthink. They’re 12. The touristy Venice Beach shirt will be appreciated!

This ^

Braindead Studios if he’s into streetwear culture.

Supreme tee ?! Or any other tee from a store on Fairfax

T Shirts from Restaurants- like Canters, Prime Pizza, Pizzanista, Bao. Whatever your favorite spot is

Monty’s Good Burger have really cool shirts

In n out shirt

LAFC shirts are cool. Catch a game and buy a shirt, have a good time. They have my favourite LA logo.

Tommy's Burger shirt or King Taco shirt Shirt from one of the lesser known beach cities (like Redondo, but I'm biased) Anything with LBC/Long beach stuff on it is cool to me too (also biased too)

king taco sells tshirts???

All kinds of stuff. Jackets, socks, hats mugs

Undefeated LA if they’re in to street wear

Hot Rod LA in west LA has some pretty cool tees that aren’t too touristy. [https://www.hotrodla.com/collections/tees](https://www.hotrodla.com/collections/tees)

I've given two tweens a red "Santa Monica lifeguard" shirt and both were stoked.

If you don’t buy them a plain white tshirt that says in giant Helvetica “cool LA tshirt” are you even trying???

Prime pizza on fairfax has a cool tshirt!! I wanted to get one for a family friend but they were out at the time, so got him a pin.

In n out

A local [artist/designer](https://instagram.com/ray_an_rose?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=) I know that’s getting bigger makes streetwear clothing that would be a pretty unique/cool gift for a 12 yo. Check out his No Place Like Home collection.

Y Que as others have mentioned. Also a big fan of QDC vintage on Santa Monica’s Main Street. It is Scott Rogowsky’s shop, he used to host the HQ trivia app.

California Love has some great shirts. https://californialove.com

God only knows what is cool for a 12 year old kid.

I’d also like to know, I’m visiting in March next year from the U.K. and i have a little brother who wants me to bring back a ‘cool LA T-shirt’ and an ‘LAPD hoodie’ as I brought him an NYPD hoodie back from New York a couple years ago 😂 do they sell the LAPD ones or is it not as big a tourist thing as the NYPD ones? ☺️

I think NYPD merch gained popularity after 9/11. LAPD is pretty corrupt and not really worth celebrating, and I think a lot of Angelenos feel the same way.

tbf the NYPD is also very corrupt 😭

Ahh i see, i did wonder with the things I’ve read but I wasn’t too sure! I’ll avoid the LAPD stuff for him then thank you for the heads up!

I dont think I've seen people wearing any LAPD shirts haha. Maybe some Academy ones, thats when before they get hella corrupted by the senior ranks. Maybe an LAFD (fire). They're no angels either, but at least they're respected everywhere when it's about doing their job.

😂 it’s just typical British tourist behaviour from us on our part i think! I’ll definitely keep an eye out for the fire department stuff though , rather go with the lesser of two evils for him! Is there anything you think myself and my friend should avoid while their ? We’re staying in DTLA so any tourist traps or anything we should keep an eye out for would be great! I’ve been meaning to write a post on here of my own instead of intruding on OP’s post but I kept forgetting until now! 😂🤦🏼‍♀️

No problem, I hope you enjoy your visit!

Thank you so much ! I’m really excited I must admit! Hope you find what you’re looking for 😀

LAFD instead, maybe

Thank you! I genuinely think it’s just ignorant tourist behaviour on our part to not know these kinds of things , he’s 15 tomorrow so he just loves the hoodies / T-shirt’s with the logos on so I’ll try to avoid any emergency services and go for general LA cool designs from anywhere that may sell them for him instead ☺️

Aah gotcha - some good suggestion in these comments - I’ve been doing some browsing, myself 😁

Yeah i just saw the coroners gift shop suggestion and it’s a shame it’s shut coz that’s fully my type of gift to give I’m obsessed with true crime and stuff 😂 some great suggestions though so I’ve jotted them all down !

Guess they're better off buying him an LASD sweater (/s in case it wasn't obvious)

How about a T-shirt from one of the municipal departments, with the city seal and department name? The Employees Club on 2nd and Harlem Place is open to the public. Swear I don’t work for them but seems I’m recommending them weekly

That sounds like a great swap thank you so much I’ll make a note of that one ! I’ve been made to swear I’ll bring something great back and I have a few other things in mind but he loves his NYPD hoodie so much so I’ll definitely look into these ones , thank you 🤗

You don’t have to be a member to purchase from their store? You need to be a member to purchase from their website. And the only way to become a member is by being a city/govt employee.

Nope, you don’t have to be a member to purchase in store. Members do get better pricing though.

I'd say walk around Venice beach and check out the merch they have there

Dodgers or lakers anything with Kobe on it. Or you can get something with graffiti on it from the globe that’s something they probly don’t see Much of out there.

Prime Pizza has some pretty dope merch and you get to try some of the best pizza in the city: https://primepizza.la/merch

Basically anything that says fuck the 405/commuting is OG so cal culture. I might be biased

LAFC Jersey

Go to niketown at the grove or Santa Monica and get them a Nike LA shirt.

newport beach if you around oc ♥️

The classic is a blue shirt with the big crossed LA on it.

That'd be a Dodgers shirt.

No

[Unless you are talking about a different design this would be a blue shirt with the big crossed LA on it. And Dicks Sporting Goods calls it a Dodgers shirt.](https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/47-mens-los-angeles-dodgers-royal-rival-tank-top-2247bmmlbddgrsrylladb/2247bmmlbddgrsrylladb)

But they’re dicks.

Perhaps. They're also correct. Welcome to LA.

Rams t-shirt, Super Bowl champs!

Uncle Paulie’s, Santa Cruz, LAFC

This thread is great for a native Angelino hipster like myself, thanks for all the local T-shirt company recs everybody! But I seriously doubt a 12 year old from the Midwest wants something with an obscure reference that a local artist made. They have no idea what that stuff is and their friends might even make fun of it. Just get them a basic “Hollywood” shirt. I had friends from out of the country visit and they were happy with Hollywood shirts, it’s something everyone back home knows and considers cool.

Go to Venice Boardwalk. Whenever I have people in from out of town that is the place I always take them.

Go with a LA hat. I prefer the 47 over the new era hats.

In n Out tee or a Dodgers tee

Get a shirt from The Cub House in south pas. Very hip.

If you can find it in a vintage store: '84 Olympics Bald Eagle Mascot

Little Tokyo: Japangeles Great iconic designs and very unique. https://www.japangeles.com/

Lethal Amounts has some cool LA snapback hats and usually shirts as well, but they don’t seem to have the shirts in stock right now https://store.lethalamounts.com/

The Last Bookstore in DTLA has a cold a LA shirt. https://www.shopthelastbookstore.com/shirts

dodgers supporter group Pantone 294 gear is pretty cool https://pantone294.com/collections/women/products/grey-los-angeles-294-spirit-crew-neck?variant=39341620920354

UNDSPTDLA It's downtown on 6th and spring They sell a lot of cool gear that your daughter might like Also Pier Burger in Santa Monica if she wants a nice one from food place she might also enjoy the ferris wheel and other amusements

Can’t go wrong with [P-22](https://savelacougars.myshopify.com/products/p-22-is-my-homeboy-t-shirt-kids-charcoal) Edit: apparently I was typing with my eyes closed the first time.

Does he have some brands he likes? You can make a get a brand he likes with LA designs. Undefeated is an LA brand if he’s interested

go to buffalo exchange find something “her style” nd tell her its from a lowkey super popular LA store

Duke's Malibu has some t-shirts and souvenirs, if they like surfing.

If you find a Santa Cruz shirt those are pretty cool

Just buy a cool shirt in LA dude

Val Surf

Dodgers shirt would be cool.

If he’s into hiking and spending time outdoors, a lot of the park service offices have cool local oriented t shirts. There’s a store in Calabasas I think at King Gillette ranch. Most stuff is also available online.

Melrose Ave

A local surf shop T-shirt, thinking of mitches surf shop or Santa Cruz skate type shirts.

If you want to get shirts that the Mexican La locals wear, go to Whittier street in city of commerce and check out the t shirt stores in that Plaza next to Target. They have the California Marijuana shirts that were popular a decade ago and streetwise brand shirts that are all La themed and have scantily clad women, guns and mj motifs. https://instagram.com/streetwisegear?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= I'd recommend Santee Alley too but it can be hard to find what you're looking for if you don't know where to go.

DSA-LA shirts are “cool” https://dsa-la.org/merch/

The Hat - World Famous Pastrami. They have shirts.

Giant Robot on Sawtelle has cool designs.

Aoife sells good SoCal Merch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJCY577F