Mr. Homebody

Philips Ly made a bold move during the pandemic by opening his lifestyle store, Homebody, in the San Gabriel Valley, leaving behind his 9-to-5 job as a data analyst. The space has quickly evolved into a cultural hotspot, thanks to Philips' discerning eye for brands that encompass apparel, print, home, and art. It also serves as a platform to showcase emerging artists, photographers, and designers who catch his attention. So, if you're ever in the vicinity of Alhambra, CA, be sure to check out the store, preferably when Philips is hosting an event. You can also grab yourself a Walt's cap, Brainzine, and PRMTVO tee in-store and online while stocks last.

Can you share insights into your family heritage and early childhood memories, considering your birthplace in the Philippines and subsequent move to Alhambra at a young age?

I’m Chinese, but my parents live in Vietnam, and my mom brought me over from the Philippines to the San Gabriel Valley when I was a month old. I grew up here in the 626 with my aunt and cousins in San Gabriel and Temple City, where I spent most of my time outside with my friends, or at their places.

‍What cultural or unconventional interests did you pursue in your teenage years, whether it be in music, art, or film?

I was really into sports, specifically basketball when I was younger. I still am, but I don’t get to play much like before. Besides that, I was into music, which kind of led into my interests in art, design, and films. We never really had "cool" stuff around the house as a teen, being from a first-generation immigrant home, so most of my influences came from consuming things on the internet, friends, and older kids.

Your professional background is in data analytics, but during the pandemic, you made a significant shift by opening your own lifestyle store. Could you elaborate on the reasons behind this transition?

I’ve always wanted to open a store in the San Gabriel Valley because growing up here, and still living here actually, there weren’t many, if any at all shops that I could frequent to find things that I thought were cool and unique. I always had to go west, and I just wanted to have a store for all the people in my area to go to. The pandemic expedited my plans because I thought if I am going to possibly die, I might as well do something I want to do.

‍Could you mention a few of the standout brands available at Homebody that you particularly admire?

Too many to name, and I really could put any of them, but some that come first to mind are Walt’s Bar, b.Eautiful, Sneeze, Russet Burbank, Asterisk, Burgerlords, Commune, Dale Zine, Friend Editions, Lucca Mart, Salt and Pepper, and Actual Source. That was a lot, huh?

Your involvement in hosting events and promoting art, print, and photography at Homebody reflects a cultural inspiration. How does this align with your vision for the lifestyle store?

We want to be a place for the community to gather not just to buy things, but to experience new things, whether it’s finding a new brand, artist, or product, or trying some new food, or hearing some new music from Orange Radio, we want Homebody to not just be a store.

Are there any plans for expanding Homebody, such as new stores, coffee shops, or off-site events?

That’s the goal! We’d love to open more shops with different concepts, and in different realms of business in San Gabriel Valley. A café is definitely on the road map. We’re always open to doing off-site events with people, as long as we’re into it, so stay tuned.

Who are some of the artists and photographers currently catching your attention and earning a spot among your favorites?

Some favorites are Kristofferson San Pablo, Peter Sutherland, Justin Hager, Ed Templeton, and Yutaro Saito.

What music is currently setting the tone at Homebody, and what's on rotation in the store?

We usually play a mix of everything, but it’s usually whatever we’re feeling that day. Some things currently on rotation are Sofia Kourtesis, MIKE, DJ Koze, Wednesday, and Toro y Moi.

Aside from Homebody, what are your top 5 recommendations for people visiting Alhambra?

My top 5 spots in Alhambra would be Almansor Park, Ba Le, Fosselman’s, Yang’s Kitchen, and Sichuan Impression. We have a guide for the best spots in the area available in-store, that we’ll be releasing online soon for the out-of-towners.