Shopping in Bonita

The fashion aficionados at Sportie LA San Diego stock exclusive sneakers and threads in rare and hard to find styles and colors from brands such as Adidas, Clarks, Asics, Fila, Lacoste, Puma, and Sperry Top Sider. Their cache of cool clothes extends to items such as select track jackets, old-school flat-bill hats, and retro wear such as fedoras and suspenders that keep shoelaces from dragging.

Elizabeth Cecilia Leffler-Agia named her boutique after her fashionable grandmother, Cecilia, who sketched and then crafted dresses with her own hands. A bounty of fashion tips and refreshments awaits shoppers, as Leffler-Agia strives to create the comfortable atmosphere reminiscent of rummaging through a stylish friend's closet without having to pick her house’s locks. Crown moldings top the vintage French-style wallpaper while chandeliers cast light over the racks of carefully selected styles from local designers such as BCat Threads and M. Dot Design Studio, as well as famous names such as French Connection and Paige.

Youngsters who have outgrown their gear and adults picking up a new sport can outfit themselves with selections from Play It Again Sports, the largest sporting-goods resale franchise in North America. In 2011, the Pacific Beach location set itself apart, garnering both the parent company's Store of the Year and Heritage award—the first such feat in more than 25 years. As in all the stores nationwide, brand-name equipment—from popular makers such as Diamondback, Bodyglove, and Wilson—shines in San Diego's displays alongside gently used wares. This gear helps equip competitive athletes playing sports from soccer and golf to surfing and biking. Patrons can also trade in or sell their equipment, provided that it is still in working condition, and put that money toward new gear.

Eclipse Eyewear fashions chic sunglasses from a selection of 1,500 frames from high-end brands such as Chanel, Prada, and Versace. Luxurious shades stand against walls and look out from display cases, eager to slide over patrons' eyes to shield them from harsh rays or pigeons' attempts to make eye contact and demand breadcrumbs. Though some Eclipse Eyewear locations vend purely UV-protective shades, the Tempe, Arizona store and Seaport Village store in San Diego, California also sell prescription sunglasses.

Jacquez Art transforms photographs and furniture into distinctive pieces of home décor with framing, canvas reproduction, and upholstery services. The skilled staffers can custom-frame pictures in mouldings, glass, and fabrics, or transfer digital photos to gallery-wrapped canvas complete with UV protection and scratch resistance, making them ideal for display on a wall or homey sand dune. The shop also maintains a variety of colored and patterned fabrics to upholster furniture, and kids’ rooms are made 100% more grammatically correct with brightly colored letter trains made by Maple Landmark Woodcraft.

The staffers at Cruiser King help pedalers to stay on the road with an impressive supply of bikes for sale or rent, handy cycling gear, and comprehensive maintenance services. At Cruiser King’s two locations, employees oversee a steady supply of the latest bikes from Hampton Cruisers and Fuji, doling them into the waiting hands of new owners or riders borrowing them for excursions, which can range from one hour to one week to cross-Atlantic cruises. Though the shop is known for its top-shelf beach cruisers, it also rents out mountain bikes, inline skates, and surfboards.