SHOPPING & SERVICES shop is also a major draw? After all, you need to be outfitted in order to play. The shop stocks everything a golfer needs on the course (and some items that make non-golfers look sharp off the course). But there are also fitting days for clubs and other events to improve your game. BEST ANTIQUE SHOP Cannery Row Antique Mall 471 Wave St., Monterey (831) 655-0264, canneryrowantiquemall. com There are so many different stalls and alcoves in the two stories of the Cannery Row Antique Mall that you are certain to come across the unexpected find. How about a complete set of mahjong tiles from the 1920s, yellowed by time? The box of Pegity, a favorite game of the past that you’ve never heard of before would make a great decorative piece. And there is Uncle Wiggily. You played that decades ago at grandma’s house. That’s what makes the place a winner. It stirs up memories and ideas, and has a little something for everyone—clothing, furniture, books, art and on and on. BEST THRIFT SHOP Goodwill Seven locations in Monterey County (831) 423-8611, ccgoodwill.org They just don’t make games like they used to. When was the last time you saw a bespoke backgammon set sitting on a shelf? Or a 3D chess board from Star Trek? If the answer is “recently” then you probably spotted it at Goodwill. Games that have been loved before abound there, along with clothes, shoes and, of course, your next Halloween costume. At Goodwill you can assemble an ensemble, dress a room or come home with a new used game. And if you’re still in need of an idea for the holidays, not just Halloween—you’re welcome. Bonus points: Purchases support Goodwill’s workforce training mission. BEST VINTAGE CLOTHING STORE Yellow Brick Road 26388A Carmel Rancho Lane, Carmel (831) 626-8480, yellowbrickroadbenefitshop.org Nowhere is better suited to a real-life scavenger hunt game than a vintage clothing store. Will they have the formal gown you need to attend a wedding next weekend, or the perfect ugly sweater for a holiday party? Will it be in the right color, will it be in your size and will it be in good condition? Of course the hunt is part of the fun, but the team at Yellow Brick Road makes the answer to most of these questions easy. Yes, there will be racks and racks of stylish, good-condition, unique clothing day after day, week after week. Besides the quality goods, you’re shopping for a cause: This benefit shop has donated over $8 million to local nonprofits from its clothing store, bookstore and furniture store. That’s a triple-win. BEST DRY CLEANERS Vapor Sudden Service Cleaners 1193 10th St., Monterey (831) 375-5221, vaporcleanersmonterey. com Vapor Sudden Service Cleaners is a family business that has been operating since 1921. That’s the same year National Game Makers produced The Indoor Base Ball Game Supreme, a board game with die-cut players depicted in the flannel uniforms of the day. Sure, wool flannel is a natural fiber, but it’s heavy and difficult to clean. Of course, Vapor can handle wool—or any other fabric. Even better, the current owner invested in a GreenEarth dry cleaning system. The business is eco-friendly, the prices are reasonable and the customers say the company is doing a great job. BEST LAUNDROMAT Sudz Cyber Laundry 709 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove (831) 324-4920 201 Mid-Valley Center, Carmel Valley (831) 250-7511 sudzcyberlaundry.com Things get messy when you play outside with your G.I. Joes. Those action figures get put through the wringer of mud, sand and who knows what else. Your clothes will also need to go through a wringer of their own, at least figuratively. No one uses an actual wringer these days to dry out their clothes after washing. Instead, they go to Sudz Cyber Laundry, where modern machines meet 21st-century amenities—think an organic coffee bar and free wi-fi. There are also books and magazines to exchange, so you can learn and be entertained while you wait. Then it’s back to the sandbox. BEST SHOE STORE Joy-Per’s 944 S. Main St., Salinas (831) 424-3466, joypers.com Shopping at Joy-Per’s feels like winning a board game—you roll the dice, wander in and somehow land on the perfect pair. With top-name brands and styles from work boots to high heels, Joy-Per’s has what you need. Joy-Per’s is a longtime fixture on 64 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2025 montereycountynow.com/bestof Best Shoe Store | Joy-Per’s
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