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In Las Vegas, spending your hard-earned cash at the Spearmint Rhino never gets old. That is, unless you’re DJ Crooked, who partnered up with fellow New Yorker, DJ Neva, and kimchi shoe guru Kenn Davenport to open the Knyew (pronounced “new”) earlier this year. “People were telling me to invest in a house,” says Crooked, “But I’m from New York. Who needs a house?”

Crooked pitched the boutique idea to Neva while they were both resident DJs at Sin City’s famed Jet Nightclub, and it struck a chord. “There was nowhere to go out here. It was a void. I would have to fly home to the East Coast for gear,” says Neva. Wasting no time, they set after the guy who could bring the project together.

“I knew them from the sneaker spot I was working at,” says Kenn Davenport of the DJs. “But one day they come in and they’re asking about the light fixtures instead of the new arrivals; that gave it away. I thought they wanted me to consult or get some contacts but really they were recruiting me.” Raised in Seoul, Korea, Kenn was exposed to the burgeoning footwear industry early on, and his impressive collection and knowledge have made him the go-to guy in Nevada’s small streetwear community.

With the people in place, Crooked and Neva parlayed their top-tier position in Lost Wages’ over-saturated nightlife industry. Considered marquee DJs around town and beyond, they are in a unique position, being both highly visible to the constant onslaught of visitors and friendly with the other DJs, whether resident or featured. “We do well because our clientele run in those circles,” Crooked points out. “So we have a network and resources where marketing is concerned. It opens doors to select the brands we want to work with.”

But the Knyew Boutique is not alone is widening the choices in Las Vegas. Stores like Undefeated have recently rolled into town, hoping to plant a little culture in the desert. Though it’s not a contest, Neva is quick to express: “Any boutique you walk into out here, if they are doing it right, you will get a sense of their culture. It’s all about looking fresh, always about style, having swagger. It benefits Vegas overall. We wanted to bring a piece of us to it, bring that New York culture. I mean, Knyew stands for Keeping New York Every Where.”

Located in Chinatown, the shop is just a jump from the Strip, making easy access for anybody patient enough to weather a casino cab line. But that’s a small price to pay to experience something as unique to Las Vegas as the trapeze act at Circus Circus. Filling the niche that it does, Knyew is bound to become LV’s destination for those who don’t rock button downs and hair gel to clubs, or drink “yards” of margarita from long plastic tubes.

Written by Graham Funke


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OK! Exclusive: Inside Pam Anderson's Vegas Wedding

The last time Pam Anderson got married, a little over a year ago to musician Kid Rock, it was an international affair, with several ceremonies spread out around the globe. But this weekend, when the former Baywatch beauty swapped vows with beau Rick Salomon, it was a slightly more intimate setting — despite it taking place inside a Las Vegas resort.

The ceremony itself, with only 40 guests, including Tobey Maguire, My Name Is Earl's Ethan Suplee among others, took place inside a private VIP villa with a private entrance at The Mirage. The villa was heavily decorated in white roses, with petals scattered around the fountain which stood as the centerpiece for the ceremony. Of course, this being Vegas, there were five bottles of Cristal champagne lined up by the altar for post-"I do" toasting. There was also a four-tier wedding cake with “Pam & Rick” written on it. Above it all, the chandeliers were decked out with paper doves.

The ceremony started at 9:10 p.m., as Pam and her escort strode down the aisle to Sade’s "By Your Side." The vows were relatively traditional, and when Pam and Rick, who did not exchange rings, each said “I do,” the guests applauded wildly. In true Vegas style, the whole ceremony took approximately 10 minutes.

Afterward, guests dined on food from Stack restaurant and bar at the Mirage. The menu included pigs in a blanket, crunchy tuna tacos, lobster, miso black cod lettuce cups and mini donut “munchkin” holes. Considering how avid an animal rights campaigner Pam is, it’s not shocking that she didn't partake of this carnivore's delight. The music was supplied by DJ Neva, Jet Nightclub’s resident DJ.

Of course, Pam also had to get back to work, rushing back to Planet Hollywood for her 10 p.m. performance in illusionist Hans Klok's stage show. Talk about a busy night!

Following her performance, Pam returned to the villa at The Mirage, wearing a denim mini dress while new hubby Rick, who had worn a black suit to the wedding, was in an Adidas tracksuit.

"It was a fun, intimate party," one guest tells OK!. "Nothing wild or outrageous.” As for talk that there's something fishy about this quicky marriage, the guest replies, “Whatever anybody may say about these two getting married to each other, it was very sincere."

DJ Neva in OK! magazine article...click here