Mortaine’s Blog

(lifted from , who got it from )

Tell me three locally owned businesses that you support and plug.

Here are mine (Santa Cruz County):
1. Bookshop Santa Cruz (Pacific Ave.) - Santa Cruz has several independent bookstores, both used and new, and only two chain bookstores (one in the Capitola mall).
2. Abouche (Mt. Hermon Road) - A Scotts Valley coffeeshop that offers free wireless internet and won’t complain if you spend every afternoon in the back corner writing a novel. Even though there’s a Starbuck’s across the street, I almost never go there; Abouche or bust!
3. Game-A-Lot (Pacific Ave, next to Bookshop) - An intelligent game and toy store– has kids’ educational games in 1/2 of the store, and grown up games and RPGs in the other half. John went to school with the owners’ son. The other RPG shop, Epic Adventure Games (Scotts Valley Drive in Scotts Valley) gets my support and money because they’re very nearby. However, there’s a reek of testosterone and I often feel just a little intimidated when I go in there. If I spent more time there, I’d feel differently, I’m sure.

Other “locals” plugs of places I like.
99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall (Walnut Street, downtown) - I like this bar. A lot. Many kinds of beer (guess how many?)
Ample Annies (Front Street) - a plus-sized consignment/used clothing store. Always clean and quality clothing. Good if you’re a plus size on a budget trying to get a work wardrobe fast.
Aqua Safaris (Frontage road next to Hwy 1) - The only full dive shop in town now. Nice place, friendly people.
Bead It (Pacific Ave) - a beading store. Not general crafts, not “sewing” (meaning quilting). Beads.
DVD To Go (Scotts Valley Drive) - In a town where Blockbuster is in a central location and another independent DVD rental place just went out of business, it seems DVD to Go was doomed to obscurity. But John and I found it and love it. They carry a large selection of indie movies on DVD as well as mainstream, and the owner knows movies inside and out.

If you comment here with your suggestions, great, as long as they’re local to Santa Cruz! If you want to plug local establishements in other areas, do so in your own journal and comment here with a link to your entry (and the name of your city/town) so I’ll will know where to go when I visit.