For nearly 40 years, Pinnacle Malibu has helped to define the community’s uniquely beach-inspired lifestyle. The family-owned clothing store and boutique is a labor of love that has engaged four generations of the Seelig family.
This week, the big chain stores in and around Malibu will be kicking off holiday shopping with Black Friday sales. In past years, Malibu’s small businesses have banded together to promote Small Business Saturday as a way to encourage shoppers to visit local shopping centers, but Pinnacle isn’t located in a mall and can’t depend on foot traffic. Instead, the boutique’s personal service and carefully curated and reasonably priced selection are its attractions.
Gail Seelig and Leslie Goldstein started the business in 1978 in the old Rindge train shed building across Pacific Coast Highway from the Malibu Pier. The historic building also housed the Rainbow Grocery and an antiques store.
Pinnacle started out with an interior-decorating theme focused on picture frames and pillows. It swiftly evolved into a vintage clothing boutique.
Pinnacle lost its lease in 1980 when the property was sold and demolished to make room for an office building. Seelig and Goldstein scrambled to find a new location, settling on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Kanan Dume Road.
When Seelig retired, her daughter Jillian Seelig took over for her. When Goldstein retired, Jillian stayed on as the sole proprietor.
The Malibu Times sat down with Gail and Jillian to learn how this small mom-and-pop store has succeeded.
“It was born in 1978 and still going strong,” Gail said. “I love that it’s still in the family. Gillian catches different waves, but I love what she’s done with it.”
“I have such memories,” Jillian Sellig told The Times. “I grew up at Pinnacle. Leslie was a second mom to me — her son and I were like brother and sister.”
For many years, Gail’s mother Dorothy also worked at the store.
“She was there on her own every Sunday well into her 80s,” Gail said. She recalled a visit from Elizabeth Taylor.
“It made my mother’s day,” Gail said. “She told Jillian that was the most beautiful woman in the world, and Jillian said ‘I don’t think so, Grandma.’”
Jillian told The Times that the secret of the store’s success comes from being rooted in the community.
“We have what people need and want,” she explained. “A customer once said if you want to know what Malibu is wearing you have to walk in here. It’s Malibu’s closet.”
The boutique is a welcoming place. A comfortable sofa invites customers to make themselves at home, and the store has always employed locals, including two generations of Malibu teenagers.
“We’ve had so many high school girls,” Seelig said. Most were Malibu kids. Now they come in to tell me they are getting married, starting families. That’s the greatest part for me. It’s so fun.”
Courtney Gainer, Jillian’s assistant, is one of the local girls who started working part time at Pinnacle during high school and then returned as an adult.
“I shopped here with my mom when I was little,” she recalled. “Every girl who ever worked here was like a princess.”
Small Business Saturday will be celebrated nationwide on Saturday, Nov. 26.
“I got to be a mom to all of these young people before I had my own children,” Jillian said.
Now Jillian’s daughters, Jones and Jax Rydell, often greet visitors. Jillian says Jax, 6, is still shy, but Jones, 8, loves to help customers.
Vintage has waned and waxed again, but some things remain continually popular: swimwear, beach dresses, Ugg boots and Seelig’s original brand of super-soft Malibu sweatpants.
“Malibu Sweats ship all over the world,” Seelig said.
The newest phenomenon is a custom line of jackets artfully decorated with handmade patches.
Pop star Miley Cyrus was photographed in one with a Malibu mermaid on the back, driving demand for the one-of-a-kind jackets on the Pinnacle website.
Miley’s boyfriend saw it hanging in our window as he drove past,” Seelig said.
The patch artist will be available over the holidays to create customized projects. Holiday shoppers will also find handmade jewelry, and whimsical gifts like handcrafted beach signs and lace dreamcatchers, all created by local talent.
In addition to supporting local artists, Pinnacle has always been committed to local causes.
“I never say no if it involves Malibu,” Jillian said. “I am grateful to be supported back. We depend on that.”
Pinnacle Malibu is located at 28925 Pacific Coast Highway, or online at pinnaclemalibu.com.
