Best Beauty Supply
LaBelle Day Spas & Salons

See Services, Best Manicure/Pedicure

Best Bike Shop
Palo Alto Bicycles

With an array of bicycles, dependable repair and exemplary customer service, Palo Alto Bicycles is homegrown and staffed by people who love bikes just as much as their customers. Since its founding in 1930, generations of the same family have operated the shop. Palo Alto Bicycles also sells clothing and other accessories, as well as electric bikes at its E-Bike Annex at 365 Alma St.
171 University Ave., Palo Alto; paloaltobicycles.com; 650-328-7411

Best Bookstore
Books Inc.

Books Inc. offers an array of joys for local bookworms: old classics, new hardcovers, newspapers, magazines and gift ideas galore. Founded in 1851, Books Inc. has weathered wars, depressions, earthquakes and more than one pandemic. In addition to in-store services, the bookseller offers online ordering and virtual author events. What's new: The shop is hosting in-store author visits again following a two-year interruption due to COVID-19.
Town & Country Village, #74, 855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto; booksinc.net; 650-321-0600

Best Boutique, Best Gift Shop
Shady Lane

At Shady Lane, customers can browse jewelry, artisan glass sculptures, ceramics, wood carvings, textile art and more. The shop specializes in local artisan creations but also showcases offerings from around the globe. A local artisan is always on staff. What's new: Shady Lane now offers a "Shop" tab on its website to make it easier for customers to make online purchases, as well as preview store items prior to visiting the store in person.
325 Sharon Park Drive, Sharon Heights Shopping Center, Menlo Park; shadylanegallery.com; 650-321-1099

Best Children's Store
Cheeky Monkey Toys

Cheeky Monkey Toys is a family-owned shop that specializes in finding "just the right toy" for each customer. Since opening its doors in Menlo Park in 1999, the shop has provided interactive toys designed to stimulate children's minds to generations of local families. The shop offers in-store shopping, onsite pickup and local delivery.
640 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park; cheekymonkeytoys.com; 650-328-7975

Best Eyewear
Cambridge Optometry

From eye exams to the treatment of ocular disease to contact lens evaluations and fittings, Cambridge Optometry provides full-service eye care. The facility has state-of-the-art equipment, and offers more than 1,000 designer frames.
250 Cambridge Ave. #102, Palo Alto; cambridgeoptometry.com; 650-323-6772

Best Flower Shop
Mills Florist

Mills Florist is a longtime family-owned shop that has offered unique floral and garden arrangements, plants and gifts for all sorts of special events since opening its doors in Palo Alto in 1903. The shop's bouquets are "fresh and lovely" and "always perfect for whatever occasion," according to customer reviews on Yelp. What's new: "We are working hard to cater to all different types of demographics in Palo Alto by increasing our social media presence ... and expanding our event repertoire."
235 University Ave., Palo Alto; millsflorist.com; 650-326-3443

Best Frame Shop
Richard Sumner Frames

Richard Sumner Frames has been serving Palo Alto from its downtown location for more than 30 years. The shop offers a full range of framing services, including hand-painted and closed corner frames. Visiting the showroom is like a trip to a museum — the shop also features hand-selected framed vintage posters and antique artifacts from Turkey, Thailand, Morocco and India, among others.
628 Emerson St., Palo Alto; sumnerframes.com; 650-322-3330

Best Hardware Store
Hassett ACE Hardware

From hardware, tools, key cutting and knife sharpening to phone repair, paint color matching, garden supplies and barbecues, Hassett ACE Hardware in Palo Alto has it all. Family-owned since 1957, Hassett is a Palo Alto institution known for its focus on customer service. What's new: "Our outdoor power equipment department in Half Moon Bay is so well known for its excellent small engine repair team, we moved the entire shop to its own location across the street, called Powered by Hassett. We take any small engine a customer can bring in — from anywhere in the Bay Area. If customers aren't in Half Moon Bay, they can just bring it to their local Hassett Hardware and we'll take care of it."
875 Alma St., Palo Alto; hassetthardware.com; 650-327-7222

Best Jewelry Store
Gleim the Jeweler

Gleim the Jeweler is a family-owned, independent jeweler that has been providing one-of-kind pieces of jewelry to generations of customers since 1931. Their collection includes pieces under $100 to those well into five figures. Gleim is noted for its own collection of fine diamond and gemstone jewelry made specifically for the shop.
111 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto; gleimjewelers.com; 650-325-3533

Best Nursery/Garden Supplies
SummerWinds

SummerWinds has everything you'll need to make your garden pop, including compost, potting mix, outdoor decor and tools (like trowels and gloves), bare-root fruit trees, native grasses, veggie plants and flower hats. The center also offers home delivery and curbside pickup.
725 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto; summerwindsnursery.com; 650-493-5136

Best Shoe Store
Footwear Etc.

Footwear Etc. has been helping customers find comfortable yet stylish shoes since 1986. The shop offers a wide selection of boots, sneakers, shoes and sandals as well Vionic, a podiatrist-created brand for men and women that includes built-in arch supports in all of its shoes. Shopping is available in-store and online.
463 University Ave., Palo Alto; footwearetc.com; 650-328-1122

Best Stationery Store
Letter Perfect

Letter Perfect has made personalized customer service its trademark. The store, which has been independently owned and operated since 1982, offers greeting cards and stationery for all needs, from modest to lavish. But that's not all. The store offers games, leather goods, journals, writing instruments and other special gifts.
384 University Ave., Palo Alto; letterperfect.com; 650-321-3700

Best Women's Apparel
Cassis

From vacation wardrobes to date night outfits, Cassis has offered customers a wide selection of carefully curated women's clothing, jewelry, footwear and accessories since 1996. The staff is known for its attention to detail and great customer service, according to Yelp reviewers. The shop also offers online shopping.
206 Homer Ave., Palo Alto; lpetal.com; 650-327-2997