Shopping Local Around SoCal
Shopping small is always important, but even more so around the holidays. That’s why we tapped some of our friends to show us their go-to spots in their own neighborhoods around Southern California. Here are their favorite places to eat, shop, and drink along with some of their personal recommendations.
Maggie of Burke Mercantile
Arts District Downtown Long Beach, CA
Ani, owner of Hellbent Silversmith, is my newest neighbor in the East Village, and I’m so glad to have her next door. She sells her beautiful handmade jewelry along with merch and products made from other LB small businesses and offers silversmithing workshops every week (which I’m hoping to be able to attend myself soon - but they sell out quick!)
Julie and I celebrated our grand openings together in the East Village and I feel so lucky to be her neighbor! I can credit BYO for inspiring me to get my Green Business Certification and helping me greatly reduce my use of plastic. Some of the things I refill at BYO on the regular are hand soap, laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, toilet paper, toothbrushes, cleaning sprays, and more!
I am also lucky to be next door to East Village Cafe! It’s got a bit of your old-school coffee house nostalgia to it with classic barista drinks and bagel breakfast sandwiches, but Emelida and her staff are always working to bring fun new and seasonal items to the menu, too. My go-to's are the Veggie and Vegan wraps for a perfect lunch, or a fruit smoothie or Açaí bowl!
Michelle’s shop, 6th And Detroit, was one of the original draws for me to bring my business downtown to the East Village! She curates the most amazing vintage furniture and home decor from many eras, and the way she constantly evolves her shop space is inspiring. Some other talented women also sell their vintage goods here, including Ay Que Vintage, Pilgrim Vintage, and Back Alley Finds.
Susan aka @wildd.foxx
Temecula, CA
I love this spot! They make delicious coffee and pastries, roast their beans in-house, and use homemade syrups for your coffee. A cool fact about their building is that it used to be a hotel during the stagecoach time. It’s a little piece of history and the baristas are the sweetest. My favorite drink to get here is their brown sugar caramel latte.
This restaurant is so good, the food and ambiance are amazing! Everything is made from scratch. My favorite thing to order is their gluten-free hatch chili honey chicken pizza, Greek salad, and a mocktail.
Locally grown and hand-crafted in small batches, this shop has something for everyone. Home and Kitchen, bath things, skincare and so much more. When I’m here, I like to purchase their body lotion, body wash, or lavender syrup.
Coral aka @coral.peters
Carlsbad, CA
Surf Ride in Oceanside is by far the cleanest, most put-together surf shop in the area with the largest variety of surfboards in the country. It has three levels inside with different things on every level and the best staff (say hi to my sister Shelby if you go) and the cutest shop dog named Clifton.
Swami's Cafe in Carlsbad is my favorite brunch spot with a wide variety of food, they even serve breakfast and lunch all day. They have the BEST acai or pitaya bowl, I love the Swami’s Salad with their basil dressing, and the pancakes are a can’t-miss.
Captain's is a coffee shop & curated thrift shop all in one. It’s decorated so cute and there's always good vintage finds. I highly recommend the matcha or the chai latte and the avocado toast. It’s located on Coast Highway in Oceanside and the staff is cool & very sweet.”
Brandy of Handy Dandy Brandy
Long Beach, CA
Good Time is my favorite local coffee shop. They also serve food and have an awesome selection of natural wine and beer. Plus there’s a plant shop inside and they have an extensive collection of their own merch, as well as featuring other local artists you can shop.
They are always throwing fun and inclusive popups! They even let me throw a market here for my birthday!
Bamboo Club is one of my favorite local bars! They have a huge outdoor dog-friendly patio perfect for enjoying happy hour. But if the nightlife is more your scene they also have exciting events happening almost every night of the week! The drinks are festive and take you to another place and their food is amazing. The mac salad is a must for me whenever I go. They also have a ton of vegan options to choose from!
Old Gold is a woman-owned vintage shop located on 4th Street Retro Row. Bridgette’s perfectly curated boutique houses styles from many different eras. She’s got clothing for all genders, home goods, and an extensive sunglasses selection. Her shop has new drops every Saturday and has fun popups every 4th Friday. Check her shop out if you’re in the area!
If you’re local to any of these spots, make sure you stop in and give these recommendations a try. And if you’re not, get out there and shop the small businesses in your own neighborhood. Shopping local isn’t just good for business, it helps each community thrive.
Leave a comment