e f i L g n i t r o THANK YOU FOR VOTING US Sp continued
BEST BICYCLE SHOP FOR 28 YEARS IN A ROW!
be s t of Santa Ba
rbara®
Campground
El Capitán State Beach 968-1033; www.parks.ca.gov/elcapitan Easy access? Check. Stunning ocean views? Check. Friendly staff? Check. El Capitán State Beach has all the trappings of a great camping spot and then some, with its surf break, choice fishing, and famed Santa Barbara weather. Plus, you get the feel of a getaway without losing cell service. Kimmy, an El Cap regular and TripAdvisor reviewer, had this to say about the fees: “The CA State Park system has faced many financial challenges, and I don’t mind paying more for the sites because I use them regularly. The rangers do a very good job with the limited resources they have.” Runner-Up: Refugio State Beach
18
st Be of a Barbar 20
®
Santianner w
320 S Kellogg Ave | (805) 682-4699 | www.bicyclebobs-sb.com Bree, Christina, Craig, Daisy, Devin, Hunter, Joe C, Joe N, John, Jose, Julia, Kim, Kyle, Marcus, Noah, Rob, Roger, Ryan, Sergio, Spencer, Tim, and Bob
Camping Gear Store REI
321 Anacapa St.; 560-1938; rei.com REI is one of those stores where you think you absolutely need everything inside. The funny thing is, sometimes you do, just to survive — or at the very least, to enjoy your time outside. From tents to ice picks to socks to lip balm, this venerable camping gear mecca isn’t just a warehouse of stuff, however. Its staff teach classes on navigation, kayaking, bike maintenance, and so on, with an accessibility and confidence that’s tough to find anywhere else. With an REI in our backyard, there’s no excuse to stay indoors. Runner-Up: Mountain Air Sports
Martial Arts Studio Martial Arts Family Fitness
Best Consignment Store Locally Owned & Operated Since 2003!
122 E. Gutierrez St.; 963-6233; kickboxers.com Grandmaster Dave Wheaton and his wife, Master Mel Meyer, who cofounded Martial Arts Family Fitness in 2002, are both the real deal. Wheaton holds a 9th Dan Black Belt in hapkido and a 7th Dan in taekwondo, and he developed his own system of self-defense called Dynamic Circle Hapkido. Mel is a 5th Dan Black Belt recently inducted into the Karate Union Hall of Fame who patented the award-winning fitness program KUT (Kickboxers Ultimate Training). The two have made their studio into a family affair, with their sons Master Austin and Master Garret teaching classes and helping run the business. The grandkids are even starting to pitch in, too. Runner-Up: Paragon Academy
Dance Studio
Santa Barbara Dance Arts 531 E. Cota St.; 966-5299; sbdancearts.com Santa Barbara Dance Arts teaches its budding artists grace, beauty, and poise. Under the direction of Alana Tillim, the company’s pupils enjoy their time in a fun, supportive environment of guidance. But there’s something else the instructors work hard to instill in their students: grit. In this month’s newsletter, Dance Arts explains why: “Recent events in our society show the benefits of grit for our female students. We are at a cultural crossroads, and the future is female! We take our role seriously as mentors and guides for these smart and powerful women we help raise.” Runner-Up: Gustafson Dance
Surf Shop
Channel Islands Surfboards
Interested in selling with us? Check out our website for more information!
36 Anacapa St.; 966-7213; cisurfboards.com The Peregrine. Dumpster Diver. Twin Fin. Weirdo Ripper. These surfboard models named by beachy poets belong to Channel Islands Surfboards, Santa Barbara’s undisputed champ of wave-riding merchandise. Started in 1969 by Al and Terry Merrick, the shop has been handed down to son Britt, who carries on the family tradition of shaping high-performance boards and collaborating with some of the world’s top surfers. Customers can’t recommend them highly enough, even from across the globe, such as Bob Braunton on Facebook: “Great store. Loads of interesting surf gear, staff are friendly and helpful. Call in if you get a chance — we did all the way from the U.K.” Runner-Up: Surf n’ Wear’s Beach House
88
THE INDEPENDENT
OCTOBER 18, 2018
INDEPENDENT.COM