Special SectionsThe Pulse (2006)

Oddball inventory brings strange, thrifty consumers to Riverside

From electronica and rap to psychobilly, country and punk rock, Sounds Like in Riverside, Calif., has it all. Music fans can search through hundreds of titles for their favorite musical artists or genres. The store, across the street from the Tyler Galleria, even sells vinyl records, posters, magazines and used video cassettes. / photo by Reina Santa Cruz
From electronica and rap to psychobilly, country and punk rock, Sounds Like in Riverside, Calif., has it all. Music fans can search through hundreds of titles for their favorite musical artists or genres. The store, across the street from the Tyler Galleria, even sells vinyl records, posters, magazines and used video cassettes. / photo by Reina Santa Cruz

Valerie Rojas
Nila Priyambodo
Co-Editors

If reading is not your thing, then worry not. Downtown Riverside also offers a wide variety of eclectic shops to keep your day packed full of fun entertainment.

Edible clowns, seashells, feet, teddy bears and over-sized lips climb a six foot tall wooden column. Tasty suckers patiently wait for some zany candy lover to take them home. / photo by Reina Santa Cruz
Edible clowns, seashells, feet, teddy bears and over-sized lips climb a six foot tall wooden column. Tasty suckers patiently wait for some zany candy lover to take them home. / photo by Reina Santa Cruz

Stores that specialize in antique buying and selling, oversized gifts, designer bags and jewelry, used music, punk rock attire, alternative accessories, vintage clothing and herbal remedies, litter the city of Riverside, making this college area a hip place to hang.

The Galerie de Fleurs, located at 3660 Mission Inn Ave., in the Mission Inn District is a treasure trove for zany gift-givers.

Gigantic stuffed gorillas relax in over-sized arm-chairs, while porcelain dolls find solace, perfectly arranged on a facing wall.

Cappucino cream truffles, chocolate covered pretzels and hazelnut, honey, strawberry cream, boysenberry, blueberry, huckleberry, and blackberry flavored bon-bons sit in a glass case, all covered in brightly covered foil wrappers.

Kooky clocks hanging above the candy count the passing hours, and enormous red roses sit in bundles near the entrance to the flower section of the shop, where owner Leslie Burgess, arranges a number of bouquets on a daily basis.

Burgess owns the shop along with her daughter, Scarlett.

The two rely on the wacky side of the shop for most of their profit, but during slow days they rely on the sale of their flowers.

“I sell things that I like, and the things that I like are not normal,” Leslie Burgess said.

If turkey legs and bodices are more up your alley, you would probably enjoy shopping at DragonMarsh, a renaissance style shop that claims to be Downtown’s most unique store.

Metallic colored candies sit on shelves inside a glass case in the Galerie de Fleurs. Leslie and Scarlett Burgess’ shop, located inside the Riverside Mission Inn District, specializes in wacky gifts and antique finds, but the mother-daughter duo also create floral masterpieces in the second section of their store. / photo by Reina Santa Cruz
Metallic colored candies sit on shelves inside a glass case in the Galerie de Fleurs. Leslie and Scarlett Burgess’ shop, located inside the Riverside Mission Inn District, specializes in wacky gifts and antique finds, but the mother-daughter duo also create floral masterpieces in the second section of their store. / photo by Reina Santa Cruz

Specializing in theme weddings and costumes, DragonMarsh sells all of the creepily odd products you think you would never need, but nevertheless want to shop for, including all the supplies you would need to concoct do-it-yourself herbal remedies, perfumes and bath blends.

The store even sells costumes and accessories for the Renaissance Fair all year long.

They have Renaissance clothing for all social classes (Peasant to Noble), such as skirts, weapons, vests, bodices, kilts, pouches and belts, goblets, feastwear, jewelry and men’s lace-up shirts.

DragonMarsh is located at 3744 Main Street in the Riverside Mission Inn District. It is open everyday of the week from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; it closes at 8 p.m. on Wednesday nights.

If the Riverside Mission District does not float your boat, head on over to the shops located at Off the Mall, which is right across the street from the Tyler Galleria.

Shops like DeeLux, Electric Chair and Sounds Like offer customers an eclectic array of items.

DeeLux, a vintage store that not only sells vintage clothing but also buys it, has been open since 1993, when it was known as the Denim Bank.

Electric Chair, an alternative clothing and accessory store for all punk rockers and gothic hooligans, specializes in body piercing.

Sounds Like, a new and used music store, has a wide variety of bands and artists to choose from at relatively low prices, especially in their 99 cent section.

Like a prop from the movie “Honey, I shrunk the Kids,” a gigantic artificial rose sits in a wooden basket next to the flower area’s main entrance. While most people would find the interesting products a little strange, Leslie Burgess said she enjoys selling merchandise that isn’t necessarily the norm. / photo by Reina Santa Cruz
Like a prop from the movie “Honey, I shrunk the Kids,” a gigantic artificial rose sits in a wooden basket next to the flower area’s main entrance. While most people would find the interesting products a little strange, Leslie Burgess said she enjoys selling merchandise that isn’t necessarily the norm. / photo by Reina Santa Cruz
Valerie Rojas, Editor in Chief
Valerie Rojas
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Nila Priyambodo, News Editor
Nila Priyambodo
Other Stories
Reina Santa Cruz
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