Artisans & Agency is one of my favorite shops in downtown Santa Cruz. If I'm downtown, there is no…read moreway I can walk by without stopping inside, regardless of how much time I have! They have plentiful unique gift items, like jewelry, cards, local art, candles, bags, wood pieces, etc. My eyes are always too busy moving around to scan the store for all the cool new items that it's a wonder I've never tripped. The people who work there are also authentically friendly where you can actually ask them a question, and they won't judge you or ignore you! Love this store. Prices can be high, but I also think the quality of the products they carry are also high.

Artisans & agency is truly a treasure trove. With the holiday season quickly approaching, this is…read morethe perfect location to find a one-of-a-kind gift. This boutique is filled with an impressive selection of locally-made goods including pottery, beautifully designed greeting cards for every occasion, locally sourced spices and honey, and bold statement jewelry. I ended up taking home a variety of teas for myself and friends. They're located in central downtown, next to a ton of other great shopping locations. Parking is pretty easy to find since it's a high traffic area. Whether you're a local or passing through, you won't forget this Santa Cruz business.

Has gotten a new shop at the Tannery where it's possible to touch, see and try on some of the…read moreleather belts. Not to forget the amazing smell of real leather. Journals are amazing as well as the wall pictures. Check out the new store down at the Tannery.

We need more stores like this in every town: eco-friendly, sustainable, carbon-neutral, and…read moreplastic-free! They sell a variety of household goods, skincare and beauty products, and so much more, with the emphasis on good-for-the-planet and good-for-you. I had run past this shop and driven by many times, always saying to myself that I needed to drop in when it's open (which by the way is 11am-6pm), and finally got a chance to during the Capitola Art & Wine Festival. There's so much more in this store than I expected, and it's a lot bigger inside than it looks from the outside. Not only do they sell a lot of specialty and everyday items from quality and earth conscious brands, they also are a refillery so you can pop in armed with your own bottles/containers to refill with everything from body lotion to laundry detergent! It's awesome! Ethos is also a Certified B Corp, donates some of their proceeds to environmental nonprofits, is locally-owned, and women-owned! So many positive reasons to support and check them out! Do it for your health and for the planet! :)

I came here for a specific sunscreen after a friend recommended. (If curious it's Avasol.) I wanted…read moresomething that had clean ingredients and easy to apply for the kids. There are a ton of clean options and bulk refills for your reusable bottles. I ended up grabbing a chapstick too. It's a great shop and a fun change of the typical shops in the village. The only downside is getting through the village. I would love if they opened earlier in the summer to grab some things before it gets busy.

I went on a treasure hunt during the beginning of Shelter in Place for two articles of clothing…read morefrom a hard to find Scandinavian brand called Just Female, as couch shopping and traveling were all that one could do for awhile. I was pleased to find one half of the outfit online at Cameron Marks Boutique. I giddily added to my cart and it was at my door before I knew it, and carefully packaged and shipped. Love supporting small, curated boutiques who source interesting things, and Cameron Marks seems to fit that bill. The other half of my outfit came from a shop in Toronto, Canada, so I definitely think I'll be visiting Cameron Marks first as I live in the Bay Area. Thank you for getting me out of my yoga pants and into something a bit more fashionable.

Definitely a cool shop at the Swift Street Courtyard. I love small boutique stores like this…read more Beautifully and carefully curated collection of goods ranging from office to kitchen to skin care to outdoors. Pricey but fun! Malin & Goetz, Aarke, Baggu, hand crafted pottery / ceramics & jewelry, candles, Aesop... the list goes on. I love their greeting card selection - creative & witty & one of a kind. A little on the upper scale for home goods but very unique finds. Fun place to browse and kill time because you'll find very interesting items. You bet we didn't leave empty handed. Putting this under the "there is something for everyone" store category.

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.

Mme is my go-to shop for unique pieces for gifts and my closet. Elise, the owner is amazing.read more

If I never buy a clothing piece other than at MMe, it just won't matter. Everything I have…read morepurchased there is in my "I will never discard and I will wear till I'm 90" pile. Somewhat classic with a bohemian twist, very Santa Cruzian. Only negative, is that I walk by the shop at least 2x a week. And I literally have to run past otherwise I am pulled in and even with the "I'll just go in to look attitude"....well I usually walk out with a treasure. I am a Mme groupee. Elise is a delight. Oh, and the pieces are just great for any size, even us curvy girls.

I would give Riva 10 stars if I could! An absolutely fantastic company from start to finish. We…read morereplaced Corian countertop in the kitchen with Granite. After going to a local company and being told they couldn't do it for 3 months, we went down to Riva. Best decision EVER!!! We were greeted by Angela & after discussion she told us to walk around the yard to see if we saw anything we liked. Luckily I brought a cabinet door with me and within a few minutes I found what I wanted. Angela then contacted her suppliers and found slabs at Bedrosians in San Jose (also an amazing company). A few days later I went there to select the slabs. From start to finish it was about 5 weeks! Riva is a fantastic company and a company is only as good as the people that work there. Our gratitude & thanks goes to Mark (the owner) Angela, Dario, Peter, Mike, Ricardo, Paco, Carlos & the great guys that came on install day to carry a 400lb slab up stairs & around a corner!!! An absolutely amazing feat!!! If you're looking for a company to install your new counter tops (they also have other solid surface material) I highly recommend Riva!!

Went to Riva for an estimate on two small bath vanity countertops and was told they would email an…read moreestimate in a few days. Two weeks later I called and was told that they were very busy but I was "in the queue". A month and a half later still nothing. I contacted a small er fabricator and had an estimate the same day. If Riva doesn't want to do a job they should tell you up front instead of ghosting you. Time is money even for the little guy. By being dishonest and unprofessional they cost me both. Don't let them do it to you.

Amazing craftsmanship and customer service. I walked in 10 minutes before closing and walked out 5…read moreminutes later with my ring resized and fitting perfectly.

Javier and his wife are amazing! I have taken my jewelry here for years and he is always time…read moreefficient and exceeds my expectation! The professionalism and skill displayed by Javier are truly commendable. His dedication to delivering outstanding results is evident in the quality of his work. I am consistently impressed by his time-efficient approach, which allows me to have my jewelry serviced without undue delay, and the final outcomes are always beyond what I could have hoped for Thank you for all you do!