Aahs! Will Close Westwood Store on November 3
The retailer will shutter its long-standing location after selling the property to UC Investments.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Openings & Closings
Live Poll
Do you prefer shopping at small local businesses over large retail chains in your area?
Aahs! The Ultimate Gift Store will officially close its Westwood location on November 3, 2026. The move follows the business selling its property to UC Investments in September 2026.
Why it matters
The closure reflects broader commercial challenges in the district, where retailers face declining foot traffic, competition from surrounding business closures, and limited parking. These headwinds have forced a strategic exit for a tenant that anchored the corner of Kinross Avenue and Westwood Boulevard for 43 years.
Aahs! operated at the Westwood location for 43 years, while other local tenants like Urban Outfitters and Espresso Profeta operated for 22 and 20 years respectively. The site is part of a larger 14-property consolidation by UC Investments.
The players
Aahs! The Ultimate Gift Store
A long-running retail business that operated in Westwood for 43 years.
UC Investments
An institutional investment entity currently consolidating property holdings in the Westwood Village district.
The details
To manage the exit, the business is currently liquidating remaining inventory with store-wide discounts ranging from 30% to 80%. This closure marks a significant shift for the commercial district as UC Investments continues to assemble property holdings within the Westwood Village Collection.
Timeline
Aahs! opened at the location in 1981.
UC Investments acquired the Westwood Village Collection in July 2026.
The store sold its property to UC Investments in September 2026.
Aahs! will officially shutter on November 3, 2026.
Market Landscape
The shuttering of Aahs! follows a pattern of long-term business exits in Westwood, including the recent departures of Urban Outfitters and Espresso Profeta. These closures illustrate a shifting retail environment within the district as property consolidation accelerates.
Operators in the area should monitor the ongoing consolidation of the Westwood Village Collection by UC Investments for changes in lease terms or property availability. Retailers should also assess their own foot traffic and parking accessibility metrics against the district's broader trend of business exits.
The takeaway
The exit of a 43-year anchor tenant signals that even long-term incumbents must reevaluate their viability when district-wide traffic and access constraints intensify. Owners should track the duration of their remaining lease against local commercial vacancy rates to determine if an early exit or liquidation strategy is preferable to long-term decline.
Further reading
For more on shifts in local retail, visit Los Angeles Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Daily Bruin.
Live Poll
Do you prefer shopping at small local businesses over large retail chains in your area?
