From wedding invites to custom notepads, Sweet Paper in La Jolla is a one-stop shop for finding pretty paper goods and other post-worthy delights. Customers can be choosy when searching the stationery and gift boutique for greeting and business cards, locally inspired presents, personalized envelopes, gift wrap, and other products that make sending mail more exciting. The ways to include your own personal touch are endless. –MK
Not a single Dan Brown thriller in sight. Queer-owned North Park bookshop Meet Cute exclusively stocks romance novels, with particular focus on LGBTQ and BIPOC authors (and an allowance for the occasional queer memoir or nonfiction writing guide). And if you happen to reach for a book at the same time as a fellow hopeless romantic… Well, we know how this story goes. –AR
This 40-year-old, family-owned San Diego business just launched new 3D foot-scanning technology that helps customers with their in-store shoe, sock, and custom insole fitting experience—for free, in less than 10 minutes. Called Fit Finder, the tech provides a comprehensive foot analysis with personalized shoe and gear recommendations, including apparel from their Korsa collection and their popular (as in 12-million-plus sales) R-Gear Drymax socks. –KO
The city’s entire population of Gen Z iconoclasts materializes at this roving market to shop women-, LGBTQ-, and BIPOC-owned businesses. Consider a full-scale, ’90s-movie-style makeover–new pre-loved outfit, new handmade resin earings, new piercings–or simply pick up a croissant-shaped candle and try to recover from the fact that early noughties clothing is now considered “vintage”. –AR
Finally, an answer to the dilemma of what to put on a wedding registry when you already live together and own a Nespresso machine: Ask for prickly pear salt. A newish North Park shop from the founder of Artelexia, Casa y Cocina sources tableware, kitchen items, dry goods, and other home stuff from Mexico and offers registry services. Sure, you have dishes, but a handmade Oaxacan salsa bowl? Didn’t think so. –AR
Angelica B Beauty takes self-care seriously. While picking up beauty products and home décor, guests can browse Angelica B’s line of pleasure products to learn more about sexual wellness. Whether you’re getting your roots touched up or adding color to your sex toy game, this beauty shop in South Park is all about empowering women from head to… use your imagination. –NM
Your home bar called. Your grenadine’s expired. Upgrade your dinner party drink game at Collins & Coupe, a North Park barware store slinging new and vintage glassware, cocktail recipe books, specialty ice, bar tools, and every imaginable mixer (garam masala bitters, anyone?). You’ll have to hit a liquor store for the booze—though they do offer a selection of zero-proof spirits for sober folks craving something shaken or stirred. –AR
In the front, the queer-owned University Heights studio is a fairy garden offering taxidermied critters, fantasy-inspired wire crowns, and Kewpie dolls. The muraled back room hosts more than a dozen artists, each with their own distinctive art style. Browse their Instagram to find the flash that feels most you,from ultra-detailed stick-n-pokes to sketchy, brightly colored florals and spindly abstract sigils. –AR
A step above BFF necklaces and below getting one another’s initials inked. At Liberty Station, the Fuze team welds delicate, claspless chains onto wrists, ankles, and necks. Select your metal and chain style (the shop offers more budget-friendly sterling silver and gold-filled options as well as 14-karat white and yellow gold) and, with a flash, you’re friends for life. –AR
Environmentally conscious consumers don’t have to spend ages reading labels when they visit this zero-waste refillery in Kensington. Shoppers can bring their own containers to Earthwell Refill to buy plant-and mineral-based beauty and cleaning products. With the mission of diverting plastic items from the landfill and local waterways, Earthwell sources natural goods, such as detergent, shampoo, shower gel, and other toiletries, as well as sustainable items like stainless steel razors and bamboo toothbrushes. –MK
Much as you’ll want to, you can’t move into Thread Spun, a sustainably minded Encinitas boutique on North Coast Highway. But you can stock up on beautifully made, thoughtfully curated homewares, apparel, accessories, personal care items, and goodies for kids to turn your own abode into the closest approximation, knowing you’re doing good in the process—Thread Spun donates two percent of its sales to charitable causes. Excellent excuse to pick up a seabuckthorn facial serum for yourself when you grab beaded coasters for your bestie’s birthday.
Best Retail Relocation
REI
Every climber’s favorite store just got fresh digs: North County’s REI moved from Encinitas to Carlsbad in the La Costa Town Square in February. The grand-opening ceremony included free camping mugs, activities, and a ribbon-chopping ceremony (starring an axe instead of scissors)—a fitting debut for an adventure-focused outpost in one of America’s outdoorsiest cities. Stop by for anything you might need to live your best life al fresco, whether that means an off-the-grid camping trip or a day at the beach with a reusable water bottle and a nice, new umbrella.
Courtesy of Architectural Salvage
Best Spot to Source Century-Old Doorknobs
Architectural Salvage
Egyptian doors from the Napoleonic era, North Park street lamps from the early 1900s, and 100-year-old Hungarian workbenches are just a few of the eclectic treasures you’ll find at Architectural Salvage. Walking into the home and building materials shop feels like stepping into a real life I Spy book—a world of whimsy packed with storied relics. Formerly located in Little Italy, the beloved store reopened this past November in a new Barrio Logan location. Whether you’re giving an antique a second life or hunting for a hidden gem, this spot delivers surprises you didn’t know your home needed.
In February, heaven on earth for toy lovers and collectors—Replay Toys—moved from Ray Street into a newer and larger location on University Avenue in North Park. Mom of two Kim Nabours started selling her kids’ old playthings at the swap meet 14 years ago. Her side hustle turned to a permanent brick-and-mortar where kids can pick out new and used toys and grown-ups can chase down rare collectibles and nostalgic mementos.
Get out your grimoire—North Park’s Datura (named after a lovely but hallucinogenic and potentially deadly f lower) carries everything you need for witchy business: candles and crystals, incense and oils, plus more than 200 different dried herbs and plants. Seeking shatavari for boosting libido? Gentian root for better intuition? Frankincense for warding off the haters? It’s all here.
People call Uniqlo the “Japanese Gap” for a reason: It’s an affordable, reliable, wildly popular source of wardrobe staples. So, last year, when the first San Diego location opened at Westfield UTC in La Jolla, the 1,000-person crowd that gathered at its grand opening celebration came as no surprise. The store had a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a taiko drum performance, and even Japanese pastries and tea. Now, the beloved store will unveil an outpost at Fashion Valley Mall later this year. Get in line early.
Courtesy of Maxwell’s House of Books
Best Bookshop That’s Old Enough To Drink
Maxwell’s House of Books
Maxwell’s House of Books’ 22-year tenure in La Mesa makes perfect sense once you learn that owner Craig Maxwell’s grandpa Vernon Wahrenbrock ran the iconic Wahrenbrock’s Book House in downtown for more than seven decades. Maxwell’s packed used book emporium stocks rare editions and budget-friendly finds alike across genres. While you’re digging for your next read, don’t forget to say hi to the shop’s most esteemed bibliophile: its chubby resident cat.
Best Rose-Scented Ode
David’s Daughter
A surefire way to brighten a loved one’s day? Flowers—especially ones as thoughtful and artfully arranged as the bouquets at David’s Daughter in North Park. Owner Chandler Rossi named the chic, welcoming shop in memory of her father, a fellow florist and lifelong inspiration. Offering custom or premade arrangements, floral subscriptions, cute knick-knacks, and collaborative workshops like Pilates & Petals, David’s Daughter purveys everything you need to express sympathy, say thank you to a devoted family member, or help a new romance bloom.
Everything SD
SEPTEMBER 5, 2024 (Updated Aug 21, 2023)
The Best Independent Local Bookstores in San Diego
From new and used books to classics, modern romances, memoirs, and sci-fi, discover your next favorite read at these local gems
Courtesy of Verbatim Books
By Jenna Miller, Cole Novak
San Diego is a haven for book lovers. How do we know? It’s full of charming, local bookstores whose shelves sag under the weight of literary treasures new and used. Stephen King nailed it when he said that “books are a uniquely portable magic.” So, whether you’re heading to the airport, your couch, or the beach, stop by one of these bookshops and pick up a bit of magic. Just make sure to pack extra sunscreen if you’re beach bound—there’s no telling how long you might be under the spell of a good read.
Courtesy of Bluestocking Books
Bluestocking Books
Hillcrest
This quirky Hillcrest establishment is a go-to for used books, from Shakespeare and Atwood to contemporary titles. Bluestocking also offers a trade-in program, letting you swap old reads for store credit to fuel your next literary adventure. Time to start rummaging!
Tucked away in Point Loma, La Playa Books has been a bookworm’s paradise since 2016, offering a trove of new, used, and antique books. The store also hosts a variety of community events, including the Cookbook Club; Shhh, We’re Reading quiet book club; and a virtual book club where caffeinated discussions unfold via Zoom every first Monday of the month.
Located in the heart of North Park, Verbatim Books is the local epicenter for book lovers. Marked by an eye-catching mural of the shop’s name spelled in worn volumes, the shop is home to a diverse mix of used titles, including a handful of local authors looking to build a readership. Stop by for its monthly poetry open mics and its Books in the Park til Dark meetup every third Thursday of the month from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Bird Park. Verbatim also buys used books and hosts book fairs, so consider trading in those tattered, secondhand Kurt Vonnegut copies… for some more Kurt Vonnegut?
As one of San Diego’s oldest family-owned bookshops, Warwick’s deserves its own history volume: It debuted in Minnesota in 1896; reopened in Waterloo, Iowa in 1916; and finally made its way to La Jolla in 1939. Today, this iconic shop frequently hosts author events, book signings, and readings with renowned authors, including Pulitzer-Prize winners and former presidents. Local book clubs can also score discounts by purchasing their reading lists in-store!
Few bookstores can say they started off as a book lover’s blog, as this South Park shop did. Owner Seth Marko went from chronicling 117 days of reading James Patterson on his site, now titled The Old School Book Catapult, to launching a bookstore seven years later. The Book Catapult slings a variety of new titles, like Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s Long Island Compromiseand, soon, Sally Rooney’s highly anticipated Intermezzo. The shop also partners with businesses like Communal Coffee to host informal, java-fueled book discussions each month.
Meet Cute is a queer-owned bookstore specializing in romance novels from writers like Gabrielle Zevin, Rebecca Yarros, and Bonnie Garmus. After outgrowing its original North Park location, the shop relocated to a more spacious spot in La Mesa earlier this year. Outside of books, the shop offers an array of chic stationary including notebooks, totes, mugs, and greeting cards, in a variety of pastel colors. For a literary surprise, try out their mystery book specials or their surprise care package tailored to your reading interests. And that’s not all—the shop boasts its own podcast, the Meet Cute BookPod, featuring in-store interviews and panels with like-minded authors and editors.
Located in the vibrant Barrio Logan neighborhood, Libélula Books & Co stands as an independent bastion, dedicated to fostering representation, accessibility, and community empowerment through literature. Owners Jesi and Celi have curated a collection of new and used books in both English and Spanish, echoing the diversity of their local community. Peruse an array of books, graphic novels, and social justice literature that reaches to the ceiling, accompanied by the charming presence of the store’s friendly resident cats. In an era where giants like Barnes & Noble and Borders have faded, Libélula shines as a refreshing beacon, giving voice and power to local communities, indigenous stories, LGBTQ voices, and independent writers.
Hours: Monday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Address: 950 South 26th Street, Barrio Logan
Camino Books
Del Mar
Founded in 1989, Camino Books (formerly DIESEL) originated in Northern California and has brought its love of reading to Brentwood and Del Mar. A sanctuary for readers of all ages, the store features an expansive children’s section, inviting young minds to immerse themselves in the world of literature. Camino also offers a captivating selection of signed books and frequently hosts author meet-and-greets and book fairs and even orchestrates virtual events for its wider audience.
Bay Books, a staple in Coronado, ought to be on your San Diego book crawl itinerary. With a wide selection of books, journals, greeting cards, and magazines, you’ll find plenty more than beach reads to stuff into your bag. If your hands aren’t completely occupied with reading material on the way out, grab an iced coffee or a tea latte from the hole-in-the-wall cafe next door. Island residents, you’re in luck: Bay Books shop provides free shipping to your door.
Lose yourself in a galaxy far, far away… as far as the Midway District, anyway. Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore transports you to worlds of science fiction, fantasy, and mystery at this habitat for bookworms. Delve into fictional worlds with the shop’s monthly Young Adult book club (every fourth Friday), General Book Discussion (every third Wednesday), or Romance book club (every second Sunday) to get your literary discussion fix.
Entrepreneurs typically launch businesses because they’re passionate about a product or service, not because they want to manage its finances. While working to carve out a niche in their respective industries and drive their companies forward, many business owners find themselves bogged down by day-to-day accounting. Their existing accounting tools don’t provide the necessary visibility or insight, and they don’t have the time or resources to hire additional staff or a chief financial officer. That’s where NOW CFO comes in.
For more than 20 years, NOW CFO has been pairing businesses across the country with experienced accounting and finance professionals. Its outsourced model allows clients to customize solutions that match their individual needs, size, and financial challenges, whether that’s fractional or interim support, project-based services, or full-time placement.
NOW CFO’s clients range from startups preparing for rapid growth to established companies that need additional financial leadership without the commitment or expense of building an in-house team. However, many of these companies don’t fully understand their needs until they experience a “trigger” event: preparing for an acquisition or capital raise, navigating a first-time audit, or another period of transition. With a team of over 300 consultants nationwide, NOW CFO can start quickly and match the right expert to the right business.
“It’s important for companies to have financial visibility, and we can help them avoid a lot of the potholes that companies often run into,” says Mariah Block, a partner at NOW CFO’s San Diego branch. “Roughly half of our clients have an in-house finance person or department, and we’re resourced for more bandwidth when they need an extra set of hands at the staff or senior accountant level, or the controller or CFO level. Some clients use this a few hours a month and others use multiple people close to full-time. Our model is solution-based and customizable. We’re like a faucet you can turn on and off.”
With NOW CFO, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Solutions are based on the client’s individual goals, challenges, needs, and budget, meaning a client never pays for more than they need. Whether it’s a few hours of executive-level guidance or a full accounting team to support daily operations, NOW CFO meets businesses where they are and grows alongside them.
“We pride ourselves on providing our clients with the right resources at the right rate and being able to evolve as their needs evolve,” says Block.
And clients appreciate on-demand access to cost-effective support designed to improve performance and profitability.
Luxury car storage service Auto Concierge has partnered with NOW CFO to support growth over the past year. The arrangement began with a staff accountant who covered a leave of absence, but as the client’s needs changed, they also added a controller role. This allowed Auto Concierge to put effective processes in place and navigate operational challenges. Lori Church, Auto Concierge’s chief operating officer, says NOW CFO has been an “outstanding resource” and a “true strategic partner.”
“From the controller to the bookkeeper, every professional they’ve placed has brought a high level of expertise, responsiveness, and professionalism to our organization. Their team took the time to understand our business of high-profile clients and needs, adapted quickly to our fast-paced environment, and became a trusted extension of our team,” she says. “As Auto Concierge continues to grow, having a reliable financial partner like NOW CFO has allowed us to strengthen our financial and business operations while remaining focused on delivering exceptional service to our clients.”
Unleash your local loves and insider favorites once again in 2024, Powered by You! It’s time to nominate and vote for San Diego Magazine’s Best of San Diego Reader’s Choice Award. The winners will be revealed in the upcoming Best of San Diego issue this July and showcased on our website.
Your nomination and vote play a crucial role in giving your favorite businesses the recognition and bragging rights they deserve for the year ahead. So go ahead, show some love to your cherished local spots.
As a token of our appreciation, every vote enters you for a chance to win 2 tickets to The Best of San Diego Party on Friday, August 2, 2024.
How to Win
A business, place, or person must be nominated at least once to appear on the voting ballot. Once the voting period concludes, the business, place, or person with the most votes within their respective category will be selected as the Reader’s Choice category winner.
When submitting your nomination, please provide as many details about the business as possible, including its name, address, website, and phone number. Businesses and individuals that cannot be verified will not be eligible for voting.
Deadlines for Nominations and Voting
Nominations: March 11 – 24, 2024 Voting: March 25 – April 14, 2024
This is your chance to gather support from your biggest fans and followers to nominate and vote for your business. You know that you’re the obvious choice (and we agree), so we’ve put together this marketing toolkit to help you promote your business and win.
The winners will be announced in San Diego Magazine‘s Best of San Diego issue this July and posted online. And let’s not forget, bragging rights all year!
If you’re looking to amplify your marketing efforts, email our team at [email protected]. We’ll help you further your message with our most engaged readers.
How to Win
Secure at least one nomination for your business from March 11 – 24, 2024.
Start Promoting: Invite your biggest fans and followers to vote for your business from March 25 – April 14, 2024.
The nominee with the most votes will win “Reader’s Choice” in their respective category.
Logos
Add a logo to your email or website
Click here or the image above to go to Google Drive to download it.
If you’re anything like us, it can be easy to get so caught up in taking care of everyone else, that your own needs get lost in the ether. But while this may be a cliché, that doesn’t make it any less true: You can’t give your best self to other people unless you’re taking care of yourself.
Sometimes, that looks like stopping in for your regular acupuncture or chiropractic appointment. Other days, it means giving your body the fresh, organic fuel it needs to truly feel and function at its best. And some other times still, it involves leaving your responsibilities behind for a weekend to pamper yourself at an incredible resort and spa.
Only you can decide what your truly need. We’re just here to help you find the best ways to get it.
Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa
Island living meets desert luxury at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells. When you step onto the 11-acre property, you’ll be surrounded by sweeping view of the Santa Rosa Mountains with olive trees and fragrant citrus groves decorating the grounds. In other words, everything about this relaxed but refined resort is primed to help you let go of the stress from home and enjoy easy sun-soaked days and gorgeous starry nights.
The rooms blend calming, woven textures with Tommy Bahama’s signature tropical prints and feature private lanais, making it easy unwind the moment you walk in the door. If you book one of the four Villa Suites, you’ll be treated to exclusive Tommy Bahama furniture and unique personal touches to further that feeling of instant ease.
At the award-winning Spa Rosa, the expert team will help reset and recharge your body and mind using methods and rituals inspired by the desert. The 12,000-square-foot retreat includes outdoor soaking pools, eucalyptus steam rooms, and outdoor cabanas, as well as massages, facials, and body masks—all aimed at creating a day dedicated to you. We’re particularly partial to the Day Long Escape, an indulgent all-day affair of CDBs soaks, renewing scrubs, life changing massages, and transformative facials.
Following your treatment, continue the experience with a meal on the patio at Grapefruit Basil. We love the Hamachi Crudo, a light, citrus-forward dish featuring premium yellowtail, house-made ponzu, creamy avocado, and fresh seasonal garnishes.
Whether you’re strolling the gardens, relaxing beside its saltwater pools, or indulging in a restorative treatment, you’ll be able to escape in style and relax in luxury at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa.
Healcove Chiropractic
There’s no shortage of ways to stay active in San Diego—but if you really want to enjoy everything the city has to offer, you’ve got to make sure you’re giving your body its tune-ups. Enter: Healcove Chiropractic. The board-certified chiropractors and wellness professionals at Healcove are experts at addressing that stage where you’re not injured, exactly, but you’re not at 100%, either. Maybe you’re feeling a bit tense or stressed out. Or it could be that you’re not quite moving the way you want to. Sometimes, it’s just that the accumulation of days, weeks, or even years of daily strain is starting to take a toll. No matter what stage you find yourself at, the Healcove Chiropractic team can provide integrated, preventative care centered on long-term, science-backed approaches that ensure you can always stay active and live the life you want to live pain-free.
This starts by providing truly individualized care. Every patient can expect a thorough 60-minute consultation session that includes a posture and movement screening. This allows the team to develop a completely personalized plan. That plan might include chiropractic care, acupuncture, or massage therapy, as well as functional fitness training, vibration and sound therapy, and Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization, a clinical rehabilitation method that retrains the body’s stabilization systems. Whatever the team recommends, you can be sure that it’s tailored to meeting your body’s needs today and the future.
There’s a reason that San Diego Magazine named Healcove the “Best Chiropractor in San Diego”—don’t wait until you’re struggling with an injury to find out why. Book an appointment today for holistic, integrated care that helps ground and heal your body before it reaches a crisis point.
Juice Holler
West Coast wellness culture meets the community feel of Southern Appalachia at Juice Holler. Juice Holler’s menu consists of made-to-order smoothies and smoothie bowls, as well as grab-and-go cold-pressed juices, wellness shots, salads, and more. It operates from the blissfully simple premise that fueling up with food and drink that’s guilt-free and good your body should be simple, accessible, and, above all else, delicious. And if you haven’t yet made it out to the Encinitas café, which opened just this year, let us be the first to tell you: Juice Holler delivers on each and every of these fronts.
We love the Supercharger smoothie, a mood-lifting and body-fueling option made with banana, almond butter, blue spirulina, maca, grass-fed whey protein, raw cacao nibs, medjool dates, and coconut milk. We’re also partial to the Thrive Alive smoothie bowl, where avocado, mango, sea moss, spirulina, mint, coconut milk, and agave are mixed and topped with coconut, chia seeds, strawberry, mango, and chocolate drizzle. The wellness shots include the Detoxifier, a cleansing blend of kale, cucumber, lemon and spirulina, plus a shot specially designed to fight inflammation (named, fittingly, Anti-Inflammation). Probiotic overnight oats, lemon turmeric bars, and strawberry shortcake chia pudding are other standouts on the grab-and-go menu.
Much of the vibe feels beachy North County chic—think green tile with orange and pink accents, grounded with greenery and natural wood—but Juice Holler founder Kelly Sergott, a longtime Encinitas local, has also enfused the space with her Kentucky roots. In Appalachia, a holler is small valley between hills and mountains, where nature reigns, community is king, and nourishment comes right from the land. At Juice Holler, Sergott has created a holler for the busy modern times, using local ingredients to create a spot for people to come together and enjoy fresh, fast, feel-good fuel for their day.
Everwell Acupuncture
We’ve all had that experience with a medical professional where we’ve felt rushed, ignored, or misunderstood—and ultimately, like we didn’t get the answers that we needed. But at Everwell, the holistic acupuncture practice located in Solana Beach, the care team wants to transform your understanding of what healthcare can look like.
Patients at Everwell experience care rooted in intentional listening and radical empathy—and trust us, those aren’t just corporate buzzwords. This place actually puts those ideas into practice. You will always be given the time you need to tell your story— initial in-take appointments are two hours long—and you can rest assured that your story will be believed. Every single question and concern will be addressed by a dedicated practitioner who wants to find the specific solutions that work best for you, and you’ll receive care that’s aimed at healing the body, mind, and spirit.
Everwell’s highly trained, doctorate-level practitioners blend evidence-based acupuncture with the practice of classical Chinese medicine. (If you’ve never tried acupuncture before or aren’t sure if the team will be a fit, we’d highly recommended Everwell’s complimentary 20-minute consultations.) Research shows that by stimulating specific points on the body, acupuncture activates a natural healing response in the body, helping to restore balance, regulate the nervous system, and improve overall wellbeing. This allows the practice to address an incredibly wide range of conditions from chronic pain and autoimmune disorders to digestive issues, from stress and burnout to headaches migraines, fertility and postpartum struggles, hormonal imbalances, sleep concerns and more.
At Everwell, you can expect to feel heard, trusted, respected, and cared for. This is a space that doesn’t want to be just another healthcare provider you visit; it wants to provide patients with dedicated partner who will be there for their entire health journey.
