Small-town charm marries big-city chic
Downtown Los Gatos takes the mall out of the suburban shopping experience
While shopping in the suburbs is often equated with a sprawling, bland mall, that’s far from the case in Los Gatos. The downtown, situated at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains, has managed to retain its small-town charm while welcoming a diverse collection of businesses. The result is a destination well worth the short drive south from San Francisco.
Once you get here, there’s plenty of free parking. And the loop that takes you along North Santa Cruz and University avenues, between West Main Street and Saratoga Los Gatos Road, can easily fill an afternoon, especially if you add in lunch downtown. National retailers such as Anthropologie, J.Crew and Title Nine coexist with independent businesses purveying furnishings, art, antiques, toys, fashion, gourmet foods and more. There truly seems to be something for everyone, with the selection and service at the following establishments standing out during a recent downtown walkabout.
A Runner’s Mind: Among the newcomers to the neighborhood is this 2-month-old shop, which carries apparel and shoes from the likes of Nike, Asics, New Balance, Saucony and Adidas. (Sneakerheads will be pleased to find the latter’s Ultra Boost, though, as elsewhere, it sells out quickly here.) The staff at A Runner’s Mind is happy to conduct a shoe analysis to ensure you walk out with a pair that works best for you. Group runs originate at the store on Sunday mornings. 147 N. Santa Cruz Ave. (408) 827-4627.
Lisa T Fine Jewelry: The proprietor and shop namesake designs about 80 percent of the pieces in her pocket-size outpost, she says. Gold, silver and precious stones comprise the array. A pair of earrings with diamond slices surrounded by pavé diamonds set in gold — the perfect balance of organic and refined — is $800 to $1,800. The cases also contain sparklers from fashion-forward lines like LA Stein and Liza Beth. 41 N. Santa Cruz Ave., (408) 395-0900. Lolli and Pops: The former Powell’s Sweet Shoppe was replaced by Lolli and Pops (which is Powell’s parent company) last year. The candy assortment is over the top, including treats from Europe, Asia and Mexico. Lolli and Pops has an in-house label of chocolates, too, and various displays entice with novelty sodas, macaroons, truffles and Lush Gelato. Warning: You could spend an hour filling up a bag with the many gummy bear sweets, available in flavors such as strawberry-banana, ripe mango, crispy crunchy (“the famous gummy bear, surrounded by crispy candy bits for an added crunch”) and rosé Champagne. 35 N. Santa Cruz Ave. (408) 395-5200. Lulu Pom: Step inside and you may be tempted to stay a while — perhaps settle into the comfy sofa at the front of the shop and grab one of the coffee-table books. The chic retail showroom for interior designer Linda McFalone is populated with vintage and modern goods, from furniture to finishing touches. The aforementioned sofa will set you back $3,170 and the industrial-cool Enzo sconces flanking it are $425 each; a grouping of six vintage brass keys is $95 and a Christian Lacroix throw pillow is $190. 100 W. Main St., (408) 3995572. Del’s Antiques: For more interior goodness, this shop specializes in 18th and 19th century French antiques,
“Why go to Barneys in San Francisco when you can just stay in Los Gatos?” Karen Giordano, proprietor of LIV La Vie
though Asian, Deco and Nouveau items also make up the inventory. Whether you’re in the market for a large-scale armoire, framed art or a set of silver teaspoons, or you simply like to browse pieces with an interesting provenance, Del’s is the place for you. Bonus: It’s located in the historic Fretwell Building, built in 1907. 6 University Ave., (408) 3951796. The Library: Outfitted with leather chairs and bookcase-like shelving, this boutique is packed with a well-edited assemblage of men’s wear. The merchandise caters to the jeans (AG, Paige) and tees (Splendid, Sol Angeles) crowd, plus those wanting slightly more tailored looks (think Bugatchi, International Laundry, Rodd & Gunn, 7 Diamonds). For a quick outfit pattern boost, pick up a pair of vibrant Happy Feet socks. 34 N. Santa Cruz Ave. (408) 930-7575. LIV La Vie: Karen Giordano is a veteran of the downtown shopping scene, having previously started Bella Rosa in 1998; she sold the boutique, located down the street from LIV La Vie, seven years later. “LIV La Vie is a grown-up, designer version of Bella Rosa,” says Giordano, who now stocks soughtafter labels such as Paris’ Isabel Marant, New York-based R13 and Los Angeles’ Raquel Allegra. “Why go to Barneys in San Francisco when you can just stay in Los Gatos?” 40 N. Santa Cruz Ave., (408) 827-4765.