Best Bank
Santa Cruz County Bank
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.
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
Arts and Crafts
Palace Art & Office Supply
1501 41st Ave., Capitola, 464-2700, stores.gopalace.com
RUNNERS-UP Lenz Arts, Beverly’s Fabrics & Crafts
Auto Dealer
Toyota of Santa Cruz
4200 Auto Plaza Drive, Capitola, 462-4200, santacruztoyota.com
RUNNERS-UP Subaru of Santa Cruz, Ocean Honda
-Auto Dealer – Watsonville
Chevrolet of Watsonville
490 Auto Center Drive, Watsonville, 536-4002, chevroletofwatsonville.com
RUNNERS-UP Ford, Watsonville Cadillac Buick GMC
Auto Repair
Specialized Auto
2415 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz, 462-3458, specializedautos.com
RUNNERS-UP Rusty’s Repair, Chandler Automotive Repair
Bank (Local, Non-Credit Union)
Santa Cruz County Bank
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
Children’s Day Care
Simcha Preschool
3055 Porter Gulch Road, Aptos, 479-3449, simchapreschool.org
RUNNERS-UP Happy Days Children’s Learning Center, Capitola Child Care
Computer Repair
Click Away
303 Potrero St., Santa Cruz, 420-1200, clickaway.com
RUNNERS-UP Pleasure Point Computers, User-Friendly Computing
Consignment Clothing
The Closet Shopper
1203 41st Ave., Capitola, 476-1565, theclosetshoppersantacruz.com
RUNNER-UP Jet Set Bohemian, Crossroads Trading Co.
Contractor
Elite Construction Services
225 Ocean View Ave., Santa Cruz, 234-5052, discoverelite.com
RUNNERS-UP Testorff Construction, Bill Hees
Crystals/Rocks/Stones
Mountain Spirit
6299 Highway 9, Felton, 335-7700, mountainspiritstore.com
RUNNERS-UP World of Stones and Mystics, Serpent’s Kiss
Custom Framing
York Framing Gallery
619 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, 462-0313, yorkframinggallery.com
RUNNERS-UP Lenz Arts, Frame Circus
Dry Cleaners
Classic Vapor
285 Water St., Santa Cruz, 423-4646; 809 Bay Ave., Capitola, 479-0650
RUNNERS-UP Master Cleaners, Almar Cleaners
Eyewear
EyeQ
1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz, 466-3937, eyeqsantacruz.com
RUNNERS-UP Plaza Lane Optometry, Site for Sore Eyes
Fabric
Harts Fabric
1620 Seabright Ave., Santa Cruz, 423-5434, hartsfabric.com
RUNNERS-UP Beverly’s Fabrics & Crafts, Santa Cruz Sew & Vac
Feed Store
Aptos Feed & Pet Supply
7765 Soquel Drive, Ste. C, Aptos, 685-3333, facebook.com/AptosFeedAndPetSupply
RUNNERS-UP Mountain Feed & Farm Supply, Westside Farm and Feed
Financial Planner
Alison McClure-Ohana Wealth Management
2901 Park Ave., Ste. B1, Soquel, 216-5519, ohanawealthmanagement.net
RUNNERS-UP Jacob Young, Rachel Wedeen
Flooring
Bay Area Floors
2617 41st Ave., Soquel, 662-3000, bay-area-floors.com
RUNNERS-UP Samaya’s Eco Flooring, Haltom Hardwood
Flower Shop
The Flower Shack
614 S. Branciforte Ave., Santa Cruz, 423-3877, flowershacksc.com
RUNNERS-UP Ace’s Flowers, Susi’s Flowers
Furniture
SC41 Furniture
2701 41st Ave., Soquel, 464-2228, sc41.com
RUNNERS-UP Illuminée, Couch Potato Discount Sofa Warehouse
Garden Supply/Nursery
San Lorenzo Garden Center
235 River St., Santa Cruz, 423-0223, sanlorenzolumber.com/garden-center
RUNNERS-UP Dig Gardens, Bonny Doon Garden Company
Gift Shop
Zinnia’s Gift Boutique
Graham Plaza, 219 Mount Hermon Road, Scotts Valley, 430-9466, zinniasgiftboutique.com
RUNNERS-UP Dig Gardens, Botanic & Luxe
Green Retailer
Ethos
101 Capitola Ave., Capitola, 854-2490, ethossantacruz.com
RUNNERS-UP Staff of Life, Dig Gardens
