I came in to window shop and the workers were so sweet and helpful! It was a bit pricey but I think…read moreit's totally worth it

I love this gift store for so many reasons. The main one is I never have to think what I'm going to…read moreget someone for a birthday, Christmas, wedding, any occasion present The owner, Linda, is incredibly helpful. I've traveled a lot and always seem to be looking for some little gift to give someone when I'm away but then I remember Linda's gift store and think why bother I can find anything I need there in fact when I was out of town, a Friend's birthday was coming up and I had to get it by the time I got home. I knew the store would be closed so I called Linda and asked her to please get this particular item and please wrap it and I will pick it up when she opens. I gave her my credit card. She wrapped it, and the problem was solved immediately. I am so grateful the store is literally in our backyard. I could see her very easily opening another store in one of the Hawaiian islands. She would be a tremendous success, but then I would miss her. Thank you for your careful choosing of the items you carry in your store. As a former owner, I know the hard work pays It takes to have a store like hers . Again , thank you for your service to our community.

I truly cannot believe my luck that we have a store like this in Aptos. It is the perfect place to…read moreshop for a special gift for someone that will land on them as thoughtful and custom. I haven't seen brands they carry anywhere else. Highly recommend stopping in for a quick pick me up (some fun cooking items I may need to go back and bring to my own kitchen) or gift for a friend family member teacher, etc. There is something for everyone and owner is a complete gem and was so sweet and helpful. Excited to go back soon!

Another Banger is the cutest little specialty shop in Aptos Village. It's one of the latest…read moreeditions to the new crop of fine dining/boutiques in the area, and I am here for it! This shop had so many fun gift items that my eyes were salivating, if that is even possible - haha. I loved the ceramic dishware, tile coasters, and flavored gourmet tea drop-ins. I will be returning to get my housewarming and thank you gifts here. I did have some confusion in the early months of what this store was. Based on the name, I genuinely thought it was a burger place at first (I probably just read too fast), so I hope it is obvious to others so that Another Banger gets the foot traffic it deserves because it is an adorable local store!

Such an oxymoron store name. Ice Box would be more appropriate for the stuck up staff and high…read moreprices. Lots of random house stuff to purchase, very expensive and they walk around like they're better than you and expecting you to steal. They do gift wrapping though and that's cute. 3 stars.

Love love this place! A must go to when in the area. Unique gifts, amazing jewelry and a great…read moreselection of comfortable cozy sweaters of all styles. My girlfriends and I always go here when we are in the area. I have purchased great well made textiles here as well.

Awesome plant selections unique and beautiful . Staff helpful and friendly provided help with…read moreplants loading in cars

Ended up not purchasing anything because of the high cost. For me Home Depot is better value…read moreespecially with 10% discount given for being a veteran.

Love this place -Amazong!! Fresh Delicious meals that…read moreartfully crafted and taste DELICIOUS! The Cupcakes are Delicious and Gigantic!!

This place was a true disappointment. For starters, everything is already super overpriced, and the…read morelunch options are very limited. I ordered a turkey sandwich, which seemed simple enough. The woman at the counter was bland and unwelcoming from the start. It honestly felt like we were bothering her just by being there. Customer service makes a big difference, and this was definitely lacking. When my food came out, the sandwich was literally falling apart because they loaded it with an excessive amount of mayo. It made it messy and unpleasant to eat. Overall, between the high prices, limited menu, poor service, and sloppy food, I won't be coming back.

Just bought a fountain from Aladdin Nursery. An all around pleasant experience. From the purchase,…read morescheduling the delivery, and the challenging set up bringing it through my townhouse to the patio. A truly professional operation.

One of the best nurseries in all of Santa Cruz County! Alladin is located on Freedom Blvd, right at…read morethe intersection of Corralitos Rd. My mom has been coming to this place for years, and for good reason! The space is huge, and they have a ton of options! Everything from plants, to fruits and veggies, to water features, sculptures, and more! There is a wonderful gift shop with anything you could want for your garden to help plants grow or keep animals away. They have all kinds of fun gifts and trinkets for the garden and around the house! I wrote a nice review about this place after the first time I went several years ago, but it undoubtedly deserves an update. I have been several times since my first visit, and love it every time! The owner, Gustavo, is a true gem. He is friendly, knowledgeable, hardworking, and an overall joy to interact with. He greets everyone with a huge smile, and is always happy to answer questions and help. He works seven days a week most weeks, and is truly passionate about what he does. This past weekend, they hosted their 17th Annual Christmas Open House. This event features live music, local wine, hot chocolate and cider, and homemade pastries by Gustavo's wife herself! They transform the gift shop into a winter wonderland, featuring around a dozen decorated Christmas trees among other festive decorations! People are encouraged to bring pastries to share, and they definitely did! There was a huge table with cookies, cakes, pies, and more! They also help collect donations for the local food bank by offering a discount on your purchase if you bring a bag of canned or non-perishables. We attended this event on Friday the 6th, and it was a lovely experience! The vibes were amazing, sipping wine and cider listening to live music by some fire pits. This was my first year attending the Christmas Open House, but it will not be the last! Thank you again to Gustavo and all of the hardworking staff at Alladin! IG: @bbnem.eats

Two weeks ago my husband and I were antiquing and came upon this great store at the end of our day…read more Two weeks later we went back to pick up a new headboard, dresser and night table, all of which we are very happy with. The quality of the furniture, the range of choices, the flexibility with colors , hardware choices, and the talented store owner, Anita, made this a very enjoyable purchase. I'd been looking for well over a year for items I found in these two rooms filled with lovely things. And all of them were beyond my expectations. I highly recommend Cowbelles to anyone looking for a pleasant shopping experience seeking antique furniture, thoughtful gifts, great accessories and unique jewelry. We live near San Francisco and it was worth sitting in summer travel over the hill to visit. I believe we would have been hard pressed to find the quality of merchandise, the value of the items we purchased and the genuine helpfulness of the store owner anywhere else. Make sure to add it to your list,you will enjoy it! We plan to go back soon.

From the owner: Eclectic furnishing, accessories and gifts. Decor accents of unusual finds with a timeless and…read morechic sensibility.

Really liked this shop! From the eclectic blend of reasonably-priced merchandise to the friendly…read moreservice. I did read the reviews of the store in Carmel - wowzers. I did not experience the level of horrible customer service that Yelpers complained about at this location. I bought a fun scarf - kind of like a cheap knock off of the striped Missoni-style scarves. They were only $7.50! Acrylic of course. Great spot to buy a unique souvenir or a gift for someone. Highly recommend!

This is the capitola edition of the carmel bay company, located just a block off the beach…read more Parking is street only which sometimes (weekdays in the winter) possible at other times (weekends, the entire summer/tourist season) the rarest commodity on earth. There is a surface lot a block (off of Monterey) away that has all the same problems as the street parking. Generally speaking I like the odds that the lot behind the police station offers, but in peak tourist season you'd best plan ahead for parking. This is a medium ish sized store very typical in layout for the shops that line this block close to the beach. The entrance faces the street, and the stock is laid out through the store with the cashier at the back. It will seem narrow but isn't really. The stock falls into mid range giftables. It's not a super expensive spot where you can blow 500 dollars on a purse but is the kind of spot where you can pick up a decent clutch for 40 bucks or so. Most of the items fall into the home décor category with a mild beach theme. There are inspirational books, wine accessories, all sorts of beach gear, light clothing, candles, leather craft goods, cups, and yes magnets because of course there are. Overall it's a reliable source of better quality gifts then you'll find elsewhere on the esplanade, the kind of things that won't embarrass you when you get home.