Best of Santa Barbara® 2024 Looking Good

Find more Best of Santa Barbara® 2024 winners here.

Barber Shop

Richie’s Barber Shop

richiesbarbershopsb.com
His roster of barbers is filled with “different, authentic personalities” who nevertheless “blend impeccably,” said Richie Ramirez, not unlike the smooth fades many of their customers rock. “Cool vibe, always fun and lively, and you can get a real hot shave with a straight razor,” said nominator Thomas C. “Great haircuts and shaves, and fine attitudes,” concurred Nico A. With locations in Montecito and Isla Vista, Richie’s also offers hot-towel treatments, which are well worth trying. Your freshly shorn face will thank you. 
Runner-Up: The Barber Shop

Clothing Boutique

Wendy Foster

wendyfoster.com
Wendy Foster Clothing Stores have been part of Santa Barbara’s fashion fabric for more than 50 years, but it’s not style or trends that drive their business. “It’s the relationships we have created with our customers both near and far,” explained Brand Director Michaela Donahue. “We celebrate and empower women, building confidence through all seasons of life. We love sharing beautiful clothes and accessories with our customers and are endlessly grateful for their support and friendship over the years. Thank you!”
Runner-Up: Lovebird Boutique & Jewelry Bar

Consignment Store

The Closet Trading Company

theclosettradingco.com/pages/santa_barbara-1
Ethical consumption, female empowerment, and community involvement are the three main ingredients of The Closet’s success, said Marketing Manager Rebecca Fraser. “I love that our stores empower women by making high-quality pieces more accessible to our customers, and also by driving entrepreneurship in women through franchising,” she said. “It’s also amazing to contribute to the community through our work, supporting sustainable fashion, and building local relationships.” As popular as the State Street shop has become, staff still regularly get calls from people asking about closet construction, Fraser said. “We always get a chuckle out of it and gently explain that while we don’t build closets, we are happy to help fill them!”
Runner-Up: Crossroads Trading Company

Day Spa

Float Luxury Spa

floatluxuryspa.com
Gliding, levitating, floating — that’s precisely how one feels when they step out of this downtown spa, a blue-and-white oasis of repose. “Thank you so much, Santa Barbara, for once again voting Float Luxury Spa your favorite Day Spa!” exclaimed owner Natalie Rowe. “We absolutely love what we do, but find it all the more gratifying when we are recognized by you, our valued guests! We absolutely love being the highlight in somebody’s day or week, when they make the time to come into the spa for some self-care and relaxation, especially given the fast-paced and often-stressful time we live in.”
Runner-Up: Evolutions Medical & Day Spa

Dry Cleaner

Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners & Tailors

ablitts.com
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Ablitt’s in Santa Barbara. When they opened, Apple had just launched the Macintosh computer and Happy Days ran its final season. “It is our pleasure to serve the wonderful Santa Barbara community, to be part of it and grow with it,” said Sasha Ablitt, who runs her family business and has spent years finding ways to make it greener, first by switching from a petroleum-based cleaner to a liquid silicone that degrades safely, then recycling the thin plastic bags used to cover cleaned items. “Ablitt’s is all about people, our customers, our staff, and our community,” she said. “Without them, we could not do what we do. Thank you, Santa Barbara — we are honored. :-)”
Runner-Up: Eco Friendly Cleaners

Eyewear Selection
Sunglasses Selection

Occhiali Fine Eyewear

occhialieyewear.com
It’s a sure bet you’ll walk out of Occhiali Fine Eyewear looking good. Damn good. Staff always take the time to pinpoint the frame that best suits your face shape and personal style. You’ll also fully appreciate your spiffed-up appearance in the mirror. Everyone at the Coast Village Road shop is a board-licensed optician with years of experience, offering a level of care and attention to detail that doesn’t go unnoticed by our readers. Husband and wife co-owners Salli and Irwin Eve say there’s no finer team around. “It’s a joy for us to all work together,” they said.
Runner-Up (Eyewear Selection): Eye & Vision Care
Runner-Up (Sunglasses Selection): Sunglass Hut

Hair Salon

Salon Patine

salonpatine.com
“At first glance, we ‘just do hair,’ ” said Salon Patine owner Blair Jackson. “But in actuality, we are touching lives every day, whether it’s a first haircut, a last haircut, cutting your hair for cancer treatments, or getting those highlights just right for a graduation or wedding. … We make connections all day long on a personal and professional level, and that is really special.” Plus, Jackson said, “We get to watch people light up with the right ‘do!” Susan I. is a client and called the staff “amazing, friendly, and so talented!”
Runner-Up: The Color Room

Jewelry Store

Bryant & Sons

bryantandsons.com
Valerie D. bought her wedding ring at Bryant & Sons, and a quarter-century later, she purchased a 25-year anniversary band at the same store, at its original El Paseo location, with some of the same friendly jewelers on staff. There are more stories like Valerie’s than there are diamonds in the Queen’s crown (2,868), which has cemented Bryant & Sons as a true and lasting Santa Barbara institution. “People, you have to go to Bryant & Sons,” said newly satisfied customer Gina N. “They are simply the best, better than all the rest.”
Runner-Up: Patco Jewelers

Medical Spa

Evolutions Medical & Day Spa

evolutionsmedicalspa.com
“The massages melt away stress better than a glass of wine,” according to Evolutions nominator Emma R. “And that’s saying something!” But what really sets the spa apart, she said, is its long list of state-of-the-art skin treatments, from SmartLase Resurfacing to Microneedling to Layered Liquid Lifts. “If you’re a busy Santa Barbara woman looking to turn back the clock while indulging in some well-deserved pampering,” she said, Evolutions ought to be your “go-to sanctuary.” The spa is also expanding into the wellness realm with a new program for Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, said Director Carrie Vuich.
Runner-Up: Jessica Barker Medical Aesthetics

Nail Salon

Champagne Nail Bar

(805) 837-8999
“Great customer service and very clean,” wrote reviewer Nannette M. “Very attentive, even when waiting our turn. I would recommend this place to anyone.” And well worth the drive from Santa Ynez,” she said. “I will be back with all three of my daughters.” Ashleigh V. in Santa Barbara will be returning, too. “My sister and I tried out this place today. The salon was very, very clean. I got a gel pedicure, and dip nails. The price was great, the quality was also great.” Tatiana K. from Roseville agreed with them both. “Love the aesthetic of this place and love sipping champagne while getting pampered. I live out of town, but come back every time I am in Santa Barbara.”
Runner-Up: Ocean Nails & Spa

Place to Get a Facial
Gift Shop

Skin Deep

skindeepsalon.com
Skin Deep’s spa team has experience at some of the top resorts in town (think El Encanto and the Bacara) but they’ve chosen to work there “because of the positive culture, loyal customers, and ability to focus on truly caring for clients rather than trying to upsell,” said owner Torben von Staden. Of their flawlessly curated gift shop, von Staden’s buying staff spans three generations, “ranging from our veteran lead gift buyer, Dena, to young moms and even a savvy high-schooler,” he said. “Dena has a deep understanding of the tastes and needs of our long-time customers, while younger team members bring fresh new perspectives.” Many of their items you can’t find anywhere else on the Central Coast, he said.
Runner-Up (Place to Get a Facial): Evolutions Medical & Day Spa
Runner-Up (Gift Shop): Paradise Found

Place to Get a Spray Tan

Honeys

ilovehoneys.com
“Pleasant, skilled (and gentle) staff, lovely (and relaxing ) space, and the appointment was easy to make.” That’s what Honeys client Susan W. said just last week. Katie J. from foggy San Francisco wrote, “Loved the service and atmosphere. My spray-tan color was spot-on and was applied perfectly. I’m still tan!” The downtown studio — a perennial winner of this category — was also complimented on its reasonable prices for all its services, including custom airbrushing, waxing, brow shaping, and lash tinting and lifting.
Runner-Up: The Lounge by Tanna Rae

Resort Spa

The Spa at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara

spaojai.com
“Thank you, Santa Barbara, for this incredible honor,” said Alexis Haley for the Bacara. “The team we foster represents a part of the top one percent in hospitality, and this achievement is a testament to their hard work and dedication.” The spa — a full-on wellness retreat with a swimming pool, redwood sauna, eucalyptus steam room, rooftop terrace, and fireside lounge — staffed by “true masters of their craft who focus on creating unique, memorable, and unforgettable experiences,” Haley said. Their Signature Treatments, sworn to by regulars and on the menu since the spa’s inception, include the Bacara Body Melt and Age-Defying Facial.
Runner-Up: San Ysidro Ranch

Shoes

Deckers Brands Showcase

locations.ugg.com/CA-Goleta-10999
“Today’s Deckers didn’t just happen,” says a statement from the venerable shoe company. “It’s been an ongoing journey — one that started nearly 50 years ago in Santa Barbara with a single step of a simple flip-flop.” Since then, they’ve evolved through both innovation and acquisition. “Along the way, we’ve been joined on our journey by other like-minded brands — risk-taking, lifestyle brands that shared our passion for surf, sand, and adventure: UGG, Teva, AHNU, HOKA, and Koolaburra. And suddenly, we were no longer just a small California company.” Today, Deckers is a global corporation of five brands with more than 3,000 employees.
Runner-Up: Vans

Tattoo Shop

805 Ink

805ink.com
“805 Ink has been providing Santa Barbara with high-quality tattoos since 2008,” the shop states. “Our team of tattoo artists provide tattoos in a wide variety of styles, from American traditional, to Japanese, to fine-line black and gray, and more. Check out our artists’ work in the galleries here on our website, and feel free to check us out on Facebook or Instagram. We happily accept walk-ins whenever possible, so please call us with any questions about our availability.”
Runner-Up: Golden Eage Tattoo

Thrift Store

Alpha Thrift Stores

alphasb.org/thrift-stores
“I can always find something good or interesting or pretty or useful, depending on what strikes my fancy,” said voter Cheri M. of Alpha Thrift’s deep and wide inventory. Plus, sales support the Alpha Resource Center, which serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “It’s a super-impressive operation across the board,” she said. “A longtime community resource.” The donation center is located at La Cumbre Plaza at the former Sears Auto Center. It’s open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 pm.
Runner-Up: Assistance League of Santa Barbara

Vintage Store
Antique Store

The Blue Door

thebluedoorsb.com
The secret is out. “It’s been our busiest summer yet!” said the owners of The Blue Door, Carolyn Petersen and Brian Garwood, whose three-story mecca of vintage goods is a major Funk Zone draw and recently provided set pieces for a handful of Hulu shows. “Which is so fun to see!” they said. The windy, exposed-brick store opened in 2014 and operates as a collective. Their inventory of furniture, art, and general decor — vast but not overwhelming — comes from a dozen private collectors and features a number of locally made items. This year, they expanded their online presence, with new items listed on a near-daily basis.
Runner-Up (Vintage Store): Urban Flea Market
Runner-Up (Antique Store): Antique Alley

Find more Best of Santa Barbara® 2024 winners here.