The Best Bookshop (new) of 2022: Bookshop Santa Cruz.
Best Bank
Santa Cruz County Bank
Santa Cruz County Bank focuses on helping local businesses and individuals.
1. SCCB has been a local community bank for 18 years.
2. Community banks are regional in size and only operate in California.
3. It recently expanded into Monterey County and plans to open a branch in Salinas by the end of the year.
4. Through its work with the Payroll Protection Program, SCCB distributed over $573.7 million during the pandemic and saved 50,000 jobs.
5. Customers are greeted by security guard Jose Rodriguez, one of the most upbeat people in Santa Cruz.
Best Bookshop
Bookshop Santa Cruz
1. A family-owned business since 1973, Bookshop has survived earthquakes, flooding, fires and a pandemic. Independent bookstores are on the upswing but only survive through community support.
2. During quarantine, Bookshop delivered books on the sidewalk to customers who ordered ahead of time.
3. Its most recent bestsellers are Burning Questions by Margaret Atwood and All About Love, bell hooks’ final novel.
4. Event Director Chorel Centers’ current favorite books are Groundskeeping by Lee Cole and My Body by Emily Ratajkowski.
5. At the info desk, there is an emotional-support stuffed animal named Norbert Krunchbucket.
Best Furniture Store
SC41
1. SC41 opened on 41st Avenue in 2008.
2. It takes pride in exceptional customer service and well-trained staff.
3. Owner Michael Baetge says he saw a “pickup in sales” during the pandemic, especially when it came to furniture built for comfort.
4. SC41 avoided many of the supply-chain problems that other furniture retailers faced during the pandemic—it doesn’t rely on China (where many factories shut down) or the U.S. southeast (where freak storms leveled the only two factories producing foam) for materials.
5. The space has been a furniture store since the 1960s and used to be home to the legendary Daffy Don’s.
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Best Green Retailer
Ethos
1. Meredith Keet owns the low-waste living shop and “refillery.”
2. After Keet’s family traveled around the world for a year, seeing first-hand the harmful effects of plastic pollution worldwide, they were inspired to make a positive change back home.
3. Customers, aka “first responders for earth,” look for eco-friendly items that help reduce climate change.
4. Shampoo and conditioner are Ethos‘ best-selling items.
5. Keet sources everything, and almost all items are made in North America.
6. Ethos’ goal: a shopping experience that sparks interest and inspiration to make positive changes.
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Adult Store
Camouflage
1329 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 423-7613, shop-camouflage.com
RUNNERS-UP Frenchy’s, Good Vibrations
Alternative Health Services
Santa Cruz Integrative Medicine
740 Front St., Unit 130, Santa Cruz, 465-9088, santacruzintegrativemedicine.com
RUNNERS-UP Santa Cruz Naturopathic Medical Center, The Healthy Way
Antiques
Center Street Antiques
3010 Center St., Soquel, 477-9211, centerstreetantiques.com
RUNNERS-UP Attilia’s Antiques, Santa Cruz Antique Fair
7775 Soquel Drive, Aptos, 662-6000; 819 Bay Ave., Capitola, 464-5300; 75 River St., Santa Cruz, 457-5000; 2020 North Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 600-4000, 4604 Scotts Valley Drive # 10, Scotts Valley, 461-5000; 595 Auto Center Drive, Watsonville, 761-7600; sccountybank.com
Bank (Credit Union)
Bay Federal Credit Union
3333 Clares St., Capitola; 48 Rancho Del Mar, Aptos; 2028 Freedom Blvd., Freedom; 420 River St., Santa Cruz; 255 Mount Hermon Road, Scotts Valley; 1481 Main St., Watsonville; 479-6000, bayfed.com
RUNNER-UP Santa Cruz Community Credit Union
Barbershop
Get Faded Barbershop
907 Cedar St., #3801, Santa Cruz, 600-8958, getfadedsc.com
RUNNERS-UP Waves & Fades, Guidos Barbershop
Boat Tour
Chardonnay Sailing Charters
790 Mariner Park Way, Dock FF, Santa Cruz, 423-1213, chardonnay.com
RUNNERS-UP O’Neill Yacht Charters, Stagnaro Charter Boats
Bookshop (New)
Bookshop Santa Cruz
1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 423-0900, bookshopsantacruz.com
RUNNERS-UP Two Birds, Kelly’s Books
Bookshop (Used)
Bookshop Santa Cruz
1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 423-0900, bookshopsantacruz.com
RUNNER-UP Two Birds, Bad Animal
Butcher
Shopper’s Corner
622 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, 423-1398, shopperscorner.com
RUNNERS-UP El Salchichero, Point Butcher Shop
Car Wash
Whalers Car Wash
2001 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, 423-0676, whalerscarwash.com
RUNNERS-UP Cruz Car Wash, Scotts Valley Car Wash
Carpet Cleaning
Connoisseur
476-9721, santacruzclean.com
RUNNERS-UP Quality Carpet Care, Aptos Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning
1060 River St., Studio #103, Santa Cruz, 600-6055, devipridephotography.com
RUNNERS-UP Kendra Stone-Hinds, Jana Marcus
Pre-Owned Auto Dealer
Argus
905 Water St., Santa Cruz, 457-1900, thearguscompany.com
RUNNERS-UP Auto One, Santa Cruz Motors
Produce
Santa Cruz County Farmers’ Markets
RUNNERS-UP Staff of Life, Sunnyside Produce
Real Estate Agency
Sereno Group – Santa Cruz
720 Front St., Santa Cruz, 460-1100, sereno.com
RUNNERS-UP David Lyng & Associates, Sol Property Advisors
Real Estate Agent
Lauren Spencer – Coldwell Banker
818-3723, coldwellbankerhomes.com
RUNNERS-UP Shemeika Fox – eXp Realtor, Thomas Brezsny – Sereno Group
Real Estate Team
Sereno Brezsny Associates
720 Front St., Santa Cruz, 818-1431, brezsnyballantyne.com
RUNNERS-UP Kroft & Hulsey Team, My Santa Cruz Real Estate
Record/CD Store
Streetlight Records
939 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 421-9200, streetlightrecords.com
RUNNER-UP MetaVinyl, Grey Bears
Roofers
Daddario Roofing
930-4445, daddarioroofing.com
RUNNERS-UP Turk The Roofer, Knox Roofing
Seafood (Market)
H&H Fresh Fish
439 Lake Ave. #A, Santa Cruz, 462-3474, hhfreshfish.com
RUNNERS-UP The Fish Lady, Stagnary Bros
Senior Home Care
Safe at Home Senior Care
820 Bay Ave., Ste. 101, Capitola, 462-3500, safeathomeseniorcare.com
RUNNERS-UP Lifespan Care Management, Aegis Living Aptos
Senior Residential Community
Dominican Oaks
3400 Paul Sweet Road, Santa Cruz, 462-6257, dominicanoaks.com
RUNNERS-UP Sunshine Villa, A Merrill Gardens Community
Solar Company
Alterra
207-B McPherson St., Santa Cruz, 425-2608, allterrasolar.com
RUNNERS-UP Sandbar, Solar Technologies
Tattoo Studio
Heavy Water Tattoo
22606 E. Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, 854-7849, heavywatertattoo.com
RUNNERS-UP Good Omen Tattoo, F U Tattoo
Thrift Store
Goodwill
2550 41st Ave., Capitola, 462-1300; 204 Union St., Santa Cruz, 423-1078; 224 Mount Hermon Road, 430-9029; 470 Main St., Watsonville, 722-2376; ccgoodwill.org
RUNNERS-UP The Abbot’s Thrift, Caroline’s Thrift Store
Tires
Lloyd’s Tires
303 River St., Santa Cruz, 219-4122; 311 Capitola Road, Santa Cruz, 346-1897; 5310 Scotts Valley Drive, Unit C, Scotts Valley, 777-5711; lloydstire.com
RUNNERS-UP Big O, Pasillas
Toy Store (Kids)
Wonderland Toys
19 Rancho Del Mar, Aptos, 316-7261, wonderlandsantacruz.com
RUNNERS-UP Childish, Mini Mint
Veterinarian
Adobe Animal Hospital of Soquel
1600 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz, 462-5293, adobevets.com
RUNNERS-UP McConnell Veterinary Service, Scotts Valley Veterinary Clinic
Video Game Shop
Level Up
113 Locust St., Santa Cruz, 295-6329
RUNNERS-UP Gamestop, Hadbro Toys
Vintage Clothing
Moon Zoom
813 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 423-8500, facebook.com/moonzooom
RUNNERS-UP Tomboy, Little Red Door
Waxing
The Skin Bar
500 Soquel Ave., Ste. A, 295-1277, facebook.com/TheSkinBarSC
RUNNERS-UP European Wax Center, Simply Skin Esthetics
Women’s Clothing
Pacific Trading Company
1224 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 423-3349; 504 Bay Ave., Capitola, 476-6109
RUNNERS-UP Amber Moon Boutique, Stripe
Women’s Shoes
Sockshop & Shoe Company
1515 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 429-6101, sockshopandshoeco.com
