Across from her beloved boutique, Third Gallery, Kelly Hoose arrives with a cardboard box brimming with old photographs—sepia snapshots and curled Polaroids telling the story of generations deeply rooted in the South Bay. She spreads them across the table and smiles softly.
“There aren’t many of us left who go back this far,” she says. “But this town—it’s my family’s story.”
Kelly’s family history runs deep. Her father grew up on the walk streets of Hermosa Beach, “swimming 365 days a year until he couldn’t walk across the sand anymore.”
Her grandfather commuted daily by bus from Hermosa to Downtown Los Angeles, where he worked as an FBI agent. And long before that, her great-great-grandfather, James Harmon Hoose, a philosophy professor from New York, moved west in the 1890s and helped establish what became the Hoose Library of Philosophy at USC. His name is still carved into the building today.
“There aren’t many of us left who go back this far. But this town—it’s my family’s story.”
“My dad was the cutest guy,” Kelly laughs. “He’d tell stories about running errands for all the moms on the walk streets—walking to Mickey’s Deli for Knudsen sour cream, only to come back empty-handed because he didn’t realize it started with a K.”
For the Hoose family, life in the South Bay was as simple as it was beautiful. “Back then, there were schoolteachers and flight attendants living on the walk streets—just regular, nice people,” she says. “Everyone looked out for each other.”
The story of Third Gallery began in the late 1970s, when Kelly’s mother, Susan, a stylish and strong-willed creative, joined friends Carolyn Konduros and Natalia Theodore to take over a local gift shop owned by Vern and Tootie. “It was this hippie-chic spot—think God’s eyes, incense and handmade treasures,” Kelly explains.
The trio reimagined it, reopening in January 1980 with fresh energy and focus. “At first it was all gifts—mugs, trinkets, Gladys Goose lamps, Fiorucci-style finds,” she recalls. “Then in 1989, it evolved into clothing and gifts. My mom was always ahead of her time.”
Third Gallery soon became a community fixture—a stylish, welcoming space that reflected the spirit of Manhattan Beach. Kelly grew up among the racks, wrapping gifts at Christmas and helping during the shop’s famous holiday open houses.
“There would be a line around the block,” she remembers. “My mom insisted on serving real food, so we’d be in the back tossing Chinese chicken salads while everyone else was handing out candy.”
Her mother’s energy defined the store. “She was unfiltered, passionate and strong as they come,” Kelly says. “If she loved you, there was nothing she wouldn’t do for you.”
By the 1990s the mother-daughter duo expanded their vision with Dolly Rocker, a playful boutique known for Juicy Couture tracksuits and the latest California trends. “Dolly Rocker was the young, fun sister,” Kelly says. “Third Gallery was the more elevated one.”
Their two boutiques became staples on Manhattan Avenue—fashion destinations that doubled as gathering places, where customers became friends and friends became family.
“We watched kids grow up, go to college and come back to shop for their own kids,” she says. “That’s what made it special.”
When Susan passed in 2023, Kelly fully stepped into the role her mother had built for her. “She taught me everything—how to buy, how to create an experience, how to take care of people. She was strong and powerful, and it was hard to watch her lose her independence to Parkinson’s disease.”
Over the decades, Kelly has seen Manhattan Beach transform from a sleepy surf town into a high-end destination.
“Where Free People is now was once a gas station. There was the La Mar Theatre, where I saw all my first movies,” she says. “You could walk into Dr. Star’s vet clinic anytime—everyone had his number. It was small-town life. Now it’s banks and chain stores. Everyone’s in a hurry.”
When her longtime landlord sold the building to a developer, Kelly decided to move. It marked the end of an era—but also a new beginning. “That’s what’s happening here,” she says. “Some people buy into Manhattan Beach for profit, not community. What made this place special were the mom-and-pop stores—the people who built it.”
Still, Kelly believes the heart of the South Bay endures. “There’s this tribe of South Bay kids who grew up here and never left. Even if we didn’t hang out back then, we’ve all found each other again. There’s a South Bay loyalty—we just get each other.”
Third Gallery’s new location may be fresh, but its soul remains timeless. Kelly continues to curate pieces that reflect the laid-back sophistication of coastal California. “Retail is tough right now,” she admits. “You never know what people will want from one year to the next. But I still love connecting with people. I’ve had some customers for 40 years. That kind of loyalty doesn’t exist everywhere.”
When she talks about the South Bay, her voice softens. “You can’t go to a funeral or a fundraiser without it feeling like a reunion,” she says. “Everyone’s just so happy to see each other. Their faces light up when you walk in. It’s comforting.”
And that’s what keeps her here: the community, the roots, the shared history. “Manhattan Beach has changed so much,” Kelly says, glancing toward her boutique across the street. “But for me, it still feels like family. That’s what the South Bay is—it’s home.”
