New local design store celebrates its one-year anniversary
About a year ago, Stripe opened its doors at 107 Walnut Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz, and pretty soon after, I walked in, browsed around, and bought something. And so became my weekly habit of visiting the store, and looking for original and fashionable finds that only a handful of other people in Santa Cruz might own. That’s part of the enchanting allure of this store that Obsessive Beauty is quite frankly obsessed with. When owner Suna Lock and buyer Dana Norrell launched the store in 2009, they envisioned something based on the model of Anthropologie, a leading national women’s clothing, accessories, and home store, that offers unique, eclectic, and romantic-inspired items—sort of a one-stop-shop. And Stripe has indeed built this brand, with a store that carries the flavor of Anthropologie, with a heavy dose of modern elements, and a vintage flair. It’s a store that Santa Cruz has never seen before, and as a result, it’s continuing to garner more and more attention.
Here’s why we’re obsessed: Lex Designs T-shirts for $50, leather cuffs by Nuala for $14, the Dear Creatures Rocky Trail Jacket for $118, the Left on Houston Paradox sweater for $122, the Stripe Owl Tee for $32 (the store created its own brand), the bird candles for $6, the five year diary for $25, the extensive jewelry collection, the Melissa Plastic Dreams shoes, and the list goes on, with the work of many local designers featured here. The store offers an array of merchandise at a versatile price range, so you can browse and find a $6 hair barrette, a $16 ring, a $30 T-shirt, a $50 sweater, and up onward, meaning that the store isn’t snooty—there’s something for everyone, from the frugal fashionista to the shopper who’s ready to splurge. We give Stripe a gold star.
Stripe is at 107 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz, 421-9252, stripedesigngroup.com, twitter.com/stripeshop. Christa Martin is the features editor for Good Times. To contact her, e-mail
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