If you love art and design, you've probably heard of Poketo. It's our go-to, one-stop-shop for beautifully styled and functionally designed everyday goods. A true made in LA enterprise, their philosophy is "art for your everyday."
We caught up with Ted and Angie, husband and wife co-founders of Poketo, on their entrepreneurial journey, what art and design means to them, and their LA secret spots.
THOUSAND: Tell us a little bit about Poketo and why you founded it.
TED & ANGIE: Poketo started out accidentally in 2003. We were surrounded by artist friends who couldn’t sell their artwork in traditional gallery settings since the people in attendance were friends in their 20s who had no money and so we thought, what if we created something with their artwork that anyone can afford and had on them always. So we thought of making a wallet with their artwork. So we threw an art show/music show one weekend and the wallets completely sold out the first night and before we knew it, we were working full time on this accidental business. The name Poketo came from my grandmother’s mispronunciation of pocket since our first product was a wallet. We liked the way it sounded.
T: Poketo’s philosophy is “art for your everyday.” What does that mean to you, and how do you like to bring art and design into your everyday life?
T&A: Art Every Day can mean different things. It can be going to the museum, to nature, to travel, and to enjoy little things in life. We like to bring art and design to everything that we do, from designing our in-house products, how we curate and display the goods in our stores to all the art and design workshops and events that we curate for our community. It’s encouraging people to be more creative every day and lead more creative lifestyles as creativity makes your life more enjoyable and fulfilling.
T: What are some of your favorite LA spots that no one really knows about?
T&A: I’m not sure if no one knows about them but we’re big foodies so we enjoy little holes in the wall in Koreatown for awesome Korean food.
T: What about LA specifically inspires you?
T&A: We love the creative energy that’s coming out of LA right now. The design and art scene in LA has really take off and everyone is watching and paying attention to what’s happening here. The designers and artists that we collaborate with that are our friends are leading the way.
T: Who are some of your favorite LA based designers, artists, and entrepreneurs?
T&A: Eric Trine, an old friend of ours, who we’ve been working with for years. He’s basically furnished our whole house with his furniture. Stephen Kenn is another good friend and a crazy talented, multifaceted designer from accessories, bags, to furniture, who’s popping up at our newest shop, Poketo Project Space at ROW DTLA. Sean Knibb, the designer behind the Line Hotel, is a genius. Love the design duo, Airi Isoda and Ryan Upton of Wrk-Shp and another duo of Sing-Sing Studio, Adi Goodrich and Sean Pecknold.
We’re proud to partner with Poketo for the Poketo x Thousand Los Angeles Art Guide, complete with a weekend itinerary, bike routes, and our favorite places in LA. If you're in LA, stop by any of Poketo’s locations in Little Tokyo, Culver City, the Arts District, or Koreatown to pick up a copy. Whether you’re here for a weekend getaway or you’re a lifetime Angeleno, our Los Angeles Art Guide is full of hidden gems to help you spend time thoughtfully exploring LA and discover a newfound love for our city.
