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At first glance, a high-end urban lifestyle boutique seems out of place above the Kennedy Fried Chicken on Junction
Boulevard in Corona.

The wafting odor of fried chicken and the high-pitched sounds of electronic toys of the Chinese wholesaler next door could easily distract from what’s in between: a minimalist 10-foot-wide brick wall painted black.
Two brass-potted shrubs flank the glass entrance, and except for a black-and-white flag on the building’s second floor, All the Right boutique is almost invisible.
Owner George Landin said All the Right has transitioned from a record store with a recording studio and barber shop to a high-end apparel boutique in accordance with hip-hop’s four elements: DJ (disc jockey), MC (Master of Ceremonies), B-boy (break dancer), and graffiti.

Since 1998, All the Right has been a fixture in this working-class, mostly Latino neighborhood, attracting local rappers and graffiti artists and generating buzz by word of mouth as far away as Japan. Landin, who grew up in Corona, is now in the process of expanding All the Right’s vision and vibe to Los Angeles where he is scheduled to open another store in late February.

“I’m 36 years old, I’ve seen it, I lived it, I went to the clubs, I was a DJ, it’s natural,” said Landin, who sported a midnight blue oversized leather jacket, baggy Levi’s jeans, Air Jordan sneakers and a black baseball cap. “My whole movement, my whole life is hip-hop.”

His wedding band’s three diamonds flashed as he spoke with his hands about cherry picking limited items of exclusive men’s and women’s apparel and sneakers. His loyal customers often climb the narrow staircase to check whether the new shipments have arrived, or to pick up graffiti supplies from Japan and Germany and pre-released hip hop albums.

According to Landin, the hip-hop lifestyle component isn’t
part of some corporate branding strategy. At a time when clothing stores emphasize lifestyle and the shoppers’ experience, All the Right has always embodied the way Landin lives.

“[It] comes from here,” Landin said, patting his chest. “I do it out of love; I don’t do it because it’s hot.”

Ulises Rivera, 20, of Corona, stopped by to hang out for three hours before work at the T-Mobile store on Junction Boulevard. Rivera has been a customer throughout All the Right’s phases – hair cuts, vinyl records, and now, clothes and sneakers.

“George looks out for people, it’s not just a sale,” said Rivera. “It’s like your father’s barber shop, with more of an ambiance; it’s more than just a place to shop.”

And to Landin, All the Right goes beyond being an offbeat shop ahead of the fashion curve. It’s part of his “hood” – an often overlooked place where rappers from Corona influenced and shaped hip-hop.

“This is like headquarters to certain people, we chill,” said Landin, whose friends and customers stop by to listen to music, strike up conversations on upcoming rap albums and little-known fashion lines, or create pieces on the store’s outdoor graffiti wall or ceiling tiles.
“This ‘hood has a mixture of everything – good, bad, ugly,” said Landin. “A little bit of everybody, somewhere, somehow.”

But with the boutique’s high ticket items like a $1,300 custom-made, chrome, low-rider bike, $500 Nike sneakers made out of tennis ball material, and designer denim that costs up to $400, who shops here?

“This is an exclusive shop in Queens,” said Che Williams, 30, of Flushing, and founder of Rotten Apple Wear urban street apparel. “You usually have to go down to SoHo. That’s why [Landin] gets all my money here.”
Johnny Castellanos, 20, said he drives an hour and 40 minutes every two weeks from Brentwood, L.I. to shop at All the Right.

“I wear anything that goes with my sneakers,” said Castellanos, who said he owns about 70 pairs. “I have to leave with something every time.” He purchased jeans and a black, turquoise and purple sweatsuit, which matched his Air Jordan sneakers.

After almost 10 years in business, All the Right is planning to elevate its exclusive urban vibe out in L.A., where a still-unnamed 2,000 square-foot-store near Rodeo Drive would sell home accessories, apparel for men and women, vintage eyewear, and random vintage items like an old sewing machine, according Landin’s partner, who goes by the name Moonshine.

Landin and Moonshine said the West Coast store would represent the same All the Right customer – the hardcore graffiti artist and skater, but more refined and grown up.
“[Our L.A. customer] still likes the cool T-shirts but now he wants a cool lamp for his living room. He now owns an apartment,” said Moonshine. “You have to be able to connect to your customer; we connect because we live the same lifestyle.”

And for Landin that means keeping All the Right rooted in his hometown of Corona with no plans to open another store in the five boroughs.

“I try to show people it’s not only Manhattan, Uptown or Brooklyn,” said Landin. “Why go that far when I’m here?”
All the Right is located at 35-61 Junction Blvd. in Corona. Call (718) 899-7685.