The galaxy of stars that shopped at Heaven included a veritable who's who in music, art and film: Elton John, Tina Turner, Tim Burton, Mick Jagger, Rosemary Clooney, Andy Warhol, Cary Grant, Hugh Hefner, Sarah Vaughan, George Harrison, Donna Summer, Sharon Stone, Brooke Shields, Bette Midler, Bruce Vilanch, Elvira, Lily Tomlin, Pee-wee Herman, Divine, Dustin Hoffman, Lauren Bacall, Sammy Cahn, Anne Bancroft, Rip Taylor, Marty Allen, Martin Mull, Suzanne Somers, Todd Rundgren, Little Richard, Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Blake Edwards, Cher, Raquel Welch, Marlon Brando, Ray Bradbury, Morgan Fairchild, John Ritter, Linda Blair, Tommy Chong, Mary Wells, Journey’s Steve Perry, Queen’s Freddie Mercury, The Monkees' Mike Nesmith & Micky Dolenz – plus The Bangles, The Go-Go's, Cheap Trick, Devo, and Hollywood's original “scream queen” - the beautiful Fay Wray - star of the 1933 classic, horror film King Kong… to name just a few!
Only a few treasures in this life can be described as "a little slice of heaven."Equally rare is when you discover "a little slice of Heaven" to call your own.
Equally rare is when you discover "a little slice of Heaven" to call your own.
WELCOME TO HEAVEN
Heaven: The Supermarket of Pop Culture debuted on the exciting eve of the 1980s, but unlike most retail establishments, the Los Angeles phenomenon truly helped define the most dazzling decade through its outlandish style, celebrity appeal, retro flair, and cachet with some of the most iconoclastic creatives of the era.
By 1983, Heaven expanded to 25 stores across the USA, Japan and Australia. Southern California was home to 6 of them.
It's been said that Heaven changed retail forever. This is an incredibly bold and outrageous statement! But considering the true stories and actual facts, and acknowledging bad imitators and copycat retailers… once upon a time, Heaven did significantly change the "boutique" retail scene for many years. When the first store opened in Century City, the Heaven "pop" concept and ever-evolving mix of kooky merchandise was an instant success. Heaven's playful way of doing business and the quirky, cheeky attitude of the store and window displays assured us that Heaven always had something new, exciting and different to offer. And that's why it was so special and so loved.
Looking back: Heaven was not only about the '80s, but the '50s & '60s, too.
46 years ago, Heaven was first to bring back the 1950s and 1960s during the 1980s...and first to merchandise Halloween to enthusiastic grown-ups (adult consumers, not their kids). "Halloween in Heaven" became a fun, annual event, second only to "Christmas in Heaven." Both holidays saw lines of eager customers waiting outside for their chance to explore inside the busy, crowded store. The Heaven staff wore Halloween costumes for many weeks before October 31st. And at Christmastime, they would don Santa Claus suits. "Heaven's Elves" really enjoyed dressing for holidays!
The Heaven workforce was amazing! They were a great group of young adults, mainly between 16 and 25 years old, who actually loved working at the store. They were very proud to be part of the "cool" Heaven world and really relished their jobs. Some worked after school (high school) and others worked part-time, while attending college. Store hours were long, 10 am to 10 pm weekdays and 10 to 6 on weekends--lots of time to shop! Throughout the year, Heaven employees would wear white jumpsuits with the Heaven logo emblazoned across the front and back so the customers could distinguish them from the other shoppers. The Heaven uniform was an interesting concept for that time because most '80s retailers didn't care what their worker bees were wearing--clean and casual was good enough.
The Heaven garment was based on photos of 1950s auto assembly line work crews. Heaven had novel ideas! Heaven became a brand. The logo was printed on anything and everything: tee shirts, album covers, beach towels, coffee mugs, posters, key chains, skirts, jackets, underwear, hats, aprons, notebooks, tank tops, jeans, tote bags, sweatshirts and sneakers. Heaven became a popular trademark all over the globe. You couldn't pay for that kind of publicity or promotion...it just happened! Partnering with Art Clokey (the creator of Gumby), Heaven was first to bring back Gumby & Pokey. And Heaven sold more Kit-Cat Clocks than anyone in the world. Heaven also helped popularize '60s girl groups, including The Ronettes, The Shirelles, The Chiffons, and The Shangri-las.
Another first... Heaven had its own luncheonette called Pop Cuisine. The counter, booths, and kitchen were located in the back section of the store, just beyond the really tall, candy counter called Sweets. The high candy counter was created to make everyone literally feel..."like a kid in a candy store." Heaven's small cafe was designed and built to resemble a 1950s diner...with a jukebox at every table and '50s style car seats in every booth. Pop Cuisine served the best burgers and chili fries in town! All menu items were named for close friends, illustrators, pop artists and celebrity patrons. Andy Warhol was the "soup du jour," Roy Lichtenstein was the sauerkraut hot dog, and Pee-wee Herman was a corn dog. Robert Rauschenbergers and Claes Oldenburgers were also on the Pop Cuisine menu. Bon Appetit!
And... Heaven played the hippest music ever! From Ellington to The Beatles, Hendrix to Sinatra, Classical to Psychedelic, Swing to Soul, Blues to Jazz plus Surf, Exotica, Spy, Noir and Spaghetti Western Soundtracks. The Motown Sound, The British Invasion, and many Strauss Waltzes were also in heavy rotation during busy days and evenings at the '80s pop shop. Heaven was a kaleidoscope of Colors, Patterns, Sounds...and Smells (Pop Cuisine).
Anyone reading this can see why Heaven was really pleased with its fun, persuasive motto: "More is more--less is a bore!" That says it all. That is the concept. Heaven was always representing ever-changing and endless possibilities on their cool planet of modern retailing. Buying and Selling and Merchandising and Marketing… Everybody Truly Loved Heaven!!
Heaven was known for constantly pushing the limits, raising the bar, and blazing a trail. Creative and innovative, resourceful and influential, Heaven was always trying something new and different. Their unconventional, but imaginative store and window displays were striking, flamboyant and eye-catching. Even though the interior looked "high tech" and Heaven was a hip, modern retailer...most of the inventory and designs were inspired by past decades. Many young shoppers didn't know that--they just liked everything they saw! In some unexpected way, Heaven spoke to everyone...all people...all ages!
During the ‘80s, Heaven was a true pioneer for distinctive commerce, art, and design. Heaven was consequential in the creation of new formats for boutique and specialty retailing. Heaven was fundamentally a small, unique department store with a great variety of cool, fun, bizarre, wonderful stuff for anybody that enjoyed "the art of shopping."
Speaking of department stores… In the early 1980s, Heaven was approached by Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Gimbels asking to license the “Heaven Style” for their popular stores. Ultimately, Heaven made a deal with Rite Aid to develop a chain of Heaven stores throughout the USA. After many months, Heaven finally opened its doors to thousands of new customers in numerous cities around the country.
Heaven had a great relationship with Japan and was first to import Japanese "pop art" and "pop culture" products to the USA. Toys, art books, magazines, and beautifully printed tinware became popular Heaven items which were never exported by Japan before. Heaven also designed and manufactured a myriad of goods in Hong Kong. Jeans, shirts, sweaters, tees, crazy masks, ray guns, snow globes, and all kinds of custom-made clothing and novelty merchandise was featured and sold nationwide through the Heaven stores in the 1980s.
Heaven's unusual, yet trendsetting logo and trademark goods drew the most notable artists and designers to the joyfully, jam-packed variety store, which served as much as an avant-garde gallery as the coolest "in" place to browse, grab a bite of Pop Cuisine and check out the leading edge of witty, wondrous and whimsical wearables. Heaven was first to create signature shirts for celebrity characters Pee-wee Herman, Divine, Little Richard and Elvira, who were Heaven friends, as well. Since its inception, April 1979, actress, model and fashion icon Brooke Shields was a very generous and lovely Heaven friend. Brooke modeled Heaven shirts for Heaven ads...and it was her favorite L.A. store. Brooke loved Heaven's trademark tee shirts, tank tops and sweatshirts. Martin Mull, actor, musician, and painter, designed graphics for Heaven tees. Bruce Vilanch, writer-actor extraordinaire, was a Heaven friend and devotee. Bette Midler, a wonderful Heaven friend, created amusing greeting cards for Paper Moon, the groundbreaking and highly influential art card company in partnership with The Supermarket of Pop Culture. Heaven had fantastic fans and fabulous friends. Most of its loyal customer base clearly understood and appreciated the concepts and ideas that shaped the successful, retail space. And that's why the trendy tees continually sold out. Heaven was very, very lucky!
Those popular shirts have been sought after by collectors since Heaven's heyday in the Neon Decade, but finding the sort of fashion-forward items seen at the store has been a challenge in recent years.
Until now: The mastermind behind Heaven, Paper Moon greeting cards, and the Grammy-winning, Ultra-Lounge music series is unveiling a very cool line of clothing and goods that pick up loads of inspiration from original Heaven concepts, designs, and products.
Welcome back to Heaven! ~ The Supermarket of Pop Culture rides again! Heaven ~ Conceived in 1977 ~ Established in 1979 ~ Reimagined in 2025. Creating marvelous merchandise from the fascinating 1980s pop boutique.
CLASSIC & CURRENT ~ TIMELESS & TIMELY ~ WHERE YESTERDAY MEETS TODAY & TOMORROW.
Heaven is a playground of pop with a touch of vintage and a touch of modern, a nod to the future and a blast from the past, a world of wonders and a barrel of fun. The Heaven tee shirt collection is an eclectic mix of interesting words, clever sayings, compelling images, amazing art...and a lot of Heaven logos!
Whatever your lifestyle, social movement, tribe, subculture or community... Heaven creates irresistible products for you and yours, and everyone else!
Check out some of the bright, brassy and bold shirts now, casual clothing that boasts just the right combo of quirk and cool…plus more than a heaping helping of sheer Heaven. That's Some Kind of Wonderful! That's Pop! That's The '80s!!
Over 4 decades ago, Heaven would strive to reimagine the typical novelty shop as a grand, pop culture emporium...a special salute to American retail from the past and a big wink at the possibilities for its future... Heaven was truly heaven!
So… Now that we're actually in the future… Let's try it one more time...
READY. STEADY. GO!
