Jacob Maged is the owner of Marvelous Magoo’s on Swarthmore.
Residents might wonder about the crowds of teens that seem to descend on a new store, Marvelous Magoo’s on Swarthmore. What’s the draw?
As owner Jacob Maged, 24, said, “My goal [with Magoo’s] was to create a space that a younger me would have dreamed of being able to go to in town.”
This space, besides having some really unusual brands, such as Balenciaga (Spanish luxury fashion headquartered in Paris), Mason Margiela (a Parisian haute couture house) and Chrome Hearts (unadulterated streetwear, music-obsessed kind of brand), is simply fun.
It is a happy space, and Maged said, “Any kid can come in and find something they can afford.”
But, wait, this has to be an expensive place to shop, right? No, this is a buy/sell/trade sneaker and clothing store.
“We have everything from super affordable to super expensive,” Maged said. “We have something for everybody.”
A clerk added, but “we have everything that’s ‘hot.’”
There are new and used items for kids and adolescents. Some of the items are so desirable, a guard quietly sits by the door.
As one elementary student, Emmett, who is a regular in the store told CTN, “The employees are really nice, and they give you good deals.”
That’s part of the uniqueness of the store, any price, on an item, can be negotiated. “Negotiating is the fun part,” Maged said.
Since the shop opened at the end of April, shoppers can peruse a selection of Yeezy, Jordan, and Nike sneakers and the prices vary on the exclusivity of the model.
This is Maged’s second brick and mortar business. He had just finished his junior year at Arizona University in 2020 where he was studying business, when a space became available in Boulder, Colorado. His business in this college town was hugely successful, but he wanted to open a store in Pacific Palisades.
Although he grew up in Connecticut, his family had a home here and they spent holidays and the summers in the Palisades. Maged started collecting and selling cards and shoes when he was 12.
He negotiated a lease on the store that housed Black Ink, vacated by Patti Black in 2023. He closed the Boulder store, moved to town in March and opened this store in April. Maged said he felt that “Palisades did not have a place for teenage boys to shop.”
He still spends time in Boulder, because his two younger brothers go to college there and his best friend Shilo Sanders plays football with the Colorado Buffaloes.
“I go back for all the games,” Maged said. “We do promos and sponsorships for the ski mountains.”
Items change frequently and one might not be able to get the shoe you want in the size you need, because this store carries consignment or special edition or limited additions that include Yeezy, Jordan and Nike sneakers.
Maged is promising surprises for Black Friday.
“In December I’ll have lots of deals, lots of discounts,” he said. “There will be one free item everyday leading up to Christmas.”
Maged said“for Christmas I always give a surprise.”
When asked what it was, he said, “You’ll have to come in and find out.”
“The more fun we make it, the more fun for everyone,” Maged said.
The store is located at 869 Swarthmore and hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Closed on Mondays.
The Marvelous Magoo’s is a different kind of business for Pacific Palisades.