A new hybrid retail‑and‑community space called Mesmer Mesmer is set to open on Holly Street in Pasadena, blending a lifestyle and apparel boutique with arts programming, events, and a nonprofit mission rooted in the local community.
Founder and owner Dr. Tyke O’Brien, a 16‑year-Pasadena resident, said the concept grew from her background in both the music industry and education. “From an early age, I made sure that culture and creativity were at the heart of everything I did, which includes both my careers in the music business and then later as a department chair and classroom teacher,” O’Brien told Pasadena Now.
O’Brien said her many passions and years of experience led her to create a third space — a welcoming gathering place that builds community.
She realized last year it was time to launch the business, and that Pasadena was the right place for it. “Especially after the Eaton Fire, I wanted to create something that was more than a great store. It had to be a welcoming hangout spot and a lab for creativity and imagination. It brought out this sense of urgency. The time is now,” O’Brien said. She left her career in education and began building the business from the ground up.
The store carries products from independent designers, artists, and makers, many of them local to California. Much of the merchandise is handmade, and many of the brands are women‑, BIPOC‑, or LGBTQ‑owned. “I am always drawn to those who are not bound by corporate or mass‑market pressures, and seek slow fashion — especially lines and pieces with a design‑forward and original eye,” O’Brien said.
The retail selection includes clothing for all ages and genders in inclusive sizes, along with shoes, jewelry, art and design objects, a fragrance and beauty bar, and a book collection focused on arts, culture, style, film, esoterica, horror, and metaphysics. O’Brien described the “book lounge” area as “a haven for the curious with a lot of weirdness sprinkled in.”
Beyond retail, Mesmer Mesmer includes an open‑plan event area with a retractable screen and rollaway stage for programming such as music nights, open mics, book talks, wellness rituals, gaming, salons, pop‑ups, workshops, and speakers. A separate enclosed space, called The Light Room, will host rotating exhibitions and be available for private community rentals.
The store’s name traces back to O’Brien’s graduate studies. She holds three degrees in English literature and said the name came from a passage in Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita, in which a character considers changing his name to Mesmer Mesmer — a nod to Franz Mesmer, whose theories inspired the word “mesmerized.” The store’s logo was drawn by O’Brien’s husband, based on a font from a vintage horror magazine she found in an antique shop.
O’Brien, whose son is a junior active in the performing arts at Blair High School, also operates a nonprofit within the store called Mesmerized, dedicated to creative education in the local community. Among its partnerships is a collaboration with ArtCenter’s Creative Careers program to provide space for student work and support navigating opportunities in the marketplace.
She said Holly Street is the ideal location. “Holly has always been my favorite street to shop on in Pasadena because I’m drawn to independent, small shops of all kinds,” she said. She compared the street to a mini version of what Abbot Kinney used to be and said she looks forward to collaborating with other businesses on the block.
Mesmer Mesmer’s festive opening weekend is April 25 and 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A grand opening party is planned for late summer. Regular store hours will be Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store will be closed on Mondays. Programming and event rentals are expected to begin approximately one month after opening.
Mesmer Mesmer is located at 65 E. Holly Street in Pasadena. For more information, email info@mesmermesmer.com, visit mesmermesmer.com, or follow on Instagram at @mesmermesmerthestore.
