In 1769, when California was part of Mexico and Don Jose Gaspar de Portola was the first governor of provincial California, and his associates arrived in the area, considered it holy because of its precious commodity, water, and the abundant food supply it provided. They named the site, Gathering of the Waters, which translates to Spanish as “El Rodeo de las Aguas.”
An early feminist, Dona Maria Rita Valdez de Villa was granted the deed to the area in 1838. She operated El Rodeo de las Aguas until she sold it in 1854 to Benjamin Wilson and Henry Hancock.
In 1906, Burton E. Green and his investors purchased the area, naming it Rodeo Land and Water Company and the main street was named Rodeo Drive. However, the anchor for Rodeo Drive today was Georgio Beverly Hills. Georgio opened in the early ‘60s, as an exclusive boutique with amazing designer clothing sought after by the aristocrats of Beverly Hills.
Rodeo Drive Today
Probably the wealthiest and most famous shopping district, Rodeo Drive is marketed as the most glamorous place to shop in the world. Only three blocks long, it constitutes the most famous shopping district.
Rodeo Drive is home to the most famous and celebrated clothing designers in the world such as Armani, Gucci, Christian Dior, Coco Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Valentino… The jewelry stores boast names like Cartier and Tiffany. Other nearby stores include I. Magnin, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Yves Saint Laurent, and Pierre Deux. In fact, Rodeo Drive is home to the single most expensive store in the world, Bijan.
Additionally, Beverly Hills presents a small outdoor mall, Two Rodeo. Two Rodeo creates the illusion of freestanding storefronts, some brick, others are stone or marble…all joining together for a movie set effect. Two Rodeo features Tiffany, Cartier, Charles Jourdan, Jose Eber, Christian Dior and Valentino along with extravagant cafes.