Shopping in Los Gatos

Since 1989, Play It Again Sports has been keeping sports green, recycling gently used athletic equipment into new-to-you gear. Products from brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Wilson make up each store's enormous selection of new and recycled gear, which is replenished daily with goods for a wide selection of sports that ranges from baseball and football to snowboarding, skis, and ice skates. Treadmills and exercise bikes equip bodies with muscular suits of armor, and pintsize and adolescent equipment arms youngsters with protective padding until they eat enough bologna to grow muscles of their own. Knowledgeable staffers man each location, ready to answer questions, arrange gear deliveries or pick-ups, and even sharpen skates or wax snowboards. To ensure their stock remains robust, they also encourage athletes to collect their lightly used gear—including bicycles—and bring it into a local store to either sell or trade.

The proficient framers at Art Frame Studio employ high-quality framing materials and seldom-used techniques to efficiently preserve photographs and documents. Using rice paper and wet-paste mounting techniques, they evenly mount scrolls and other delicate objects. In addition to prints and photos, they encapsulate puzzles, needlepoint work, and keepsakes within sleek shadowbox frames. Employing museum-approved materials and conservation framing techniques, they mount historically significant documents on archival-quality matting to ensure a stable framing job, minimal exposure of the work to adhesives, and protection from studious insects.

For those in search of a risqué Halloween costume, finding the proper balance is an art; it must be authentic enough to evoke the assigned character or era while still retaining modern trademarks of sensuality. For 25 years, designer Pierre Silber has pursued this balance through his collection of costume-wear, shoes, and accessories. In his brick-and-mortar location, he stocks more than 1,000 costumes to grace the feminine form and accessorizes them with wigs, stockings, and high heels. Potential purchasers try outfits on in one of the 20 fitting rooms to ensure the proper fit without running the risk of being mistaken for an actual sexy tiger.

In 1958, Charlie Rose opened his shop, aiming to become an equipment resource for baseball and softball coaches and players. The shop’s array of bats, gloves, and apparel equip players for the game with a variety of brands including Rawlings, Louisville Slugger, and Mizuno. Cutter C-Tack Endurance batting gloves create a nonslip grip and help protect hands from scorching line drives and hot potatoes. In honor of Charlie’s gift for repairing gloves, the shop offers clients a free lifetime conditioning program that ensures each glove outlasts an indefinite number of hard pitches.

The facility also houses four outdoor batting cages and three fast-pitch softball cages, which prepare batters for high-speed play and give them a chance to test out their new gear. Inside a fourth softball cage, a slow machine lobs easier pitches toward the plate. Patrons can visit during the day or at night to practice their swing under the glow of the facility's nighttime lighting.

Since 1976, the environmentally conscious staff at The Futon Shop has stocked futons, furniture, and frames built from chemical-free cotton, natural latex, and hybrid soy foam, among other virtuous ingredients. Cushy mattresses, vibrantly shaded futon covers, and platform beds preserve the earth’s bounty as effectively as they accommodate human bodies and under-the-bed monsters. Homeowners can also illuminate domiciles with eco-friendly Eangee lamps, which have a carbon footprint of nearly zero and are manufactured by workers who earn a living wage. Even little ones can enjoy the environmentalist furnishings by napping on an organic crib mattress nestled in a bunny white baby crib.

Since 1962, locals have stopped by Citti's Florist to procure fresh bundles of vibrant blooms for special events and everyday serotonin infusions. Crowned with the title of Best Florist in 2007 by the San Jose Mercury News, the flower shop continues its decades-long tradition of friendly service in three fragrant shops. At each location, staffers transform seasonal stems into vivid bouquets, centerpieces, and wreaths. Both in-store shopping and delivery are available, including same-day delivery services.