66 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2026 montereycountynow.com/bestof Shopping & Services BEST SHOPPING DISTRICT / CENTER Del Monte Shopping Center 1410 Del Monte Center, Monterey (831) 373-2705, delmontecenter.com A circus’ success is tied to great performances, seamless operations behind the scenes and adaptation to cater to new audiences. At Del Monte Shopping Center, people can find restaurants, a movie theater, specialty stores, a playground and more. The new additions include clothing stores Aerie and Free People,. It’s a midway for all. BEST JEWELRY STORE Fourtané 613 Lincoln St., Carmel (831) 624-4684, fourtane.com As we prepare for a night out, why not add on some literal rings (or watches)? There’s possibly no better place to find bling locally than at Fourtané. First opened in 1950, Fourtané has become a leader in estate jewelry, vintage watches and authorized new watch retail across the country. Owner John Bonifas, with over 47 years in the jewelry industry, brought new life to the store with the mindset of, “Here at Fourtané, everything with a past has a future.” That’s true of jewelry and true of the circus, where Barnum & Bailey’s may be the past, but Cirque du Soleil is the future. BEST FLORIST Fleurs du Soleil 598 Fremont St., Monterey (831) 656-0455, fleursdusoleil.com We know you’ve heard of Cirque du Soleil, the largest circus producer in the world. But did you know the dedicated team at Fleurs de Soleil can deliver the same degree of amazement through floral arrangements? They know how to merge elegance with vibrancy to create arrangements that are bold but not opulent. Most importantly, they honor customer requests for specific colors or looks. It’s a highwire act all its own to craft three-dimensional artwork with living things, but like we said—just think the floral equivalent of Cirque du Soleil and you get the idea. BEST GIFT SHOP The Quill 553 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove (831) 373-8189, thequill.com A good gift shop, when done right, can inspire. Each item sold can be more than just the item itself, it can be infused with work from local artists, with stories of local places, with materials foraged from surrounding areas. The Quill in Pacific Grove weaves together local novelties with a smattering of California-inspired items. Through its invitation studio, owner Stephanie Loftus leads custom design services for weddings, parties and personalized stationery, giving you plenty of creative ways to put your quill to work. BEST TATTOO PARLOR Kenny Curtis Tattoos 445 Reservation Road, A, Marina (831) 883-8435 Self-taught tattoo artist Kenny Curtis has been adding art to skin for 31 years. Curtis has had his current shop in Marina for 18 years and was working in Salinas before that. He enjoys working in all styles, and when asked about his favorite part of being a tattoo artist, Curtis is quick to sing the praises of his community and adorning people with art. If tattooed ladies like Artoria Gibbons or Nora Hildebrandt were around today, they would turn to Curtis, who is celebrating his first Best Tattoo Parlor win. BEST HEADSHOP NorCal Smokeshop 765 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey (831) 645-9021, norcalsmokeshop.com NorCal Smokeshop is the premier headshop in Monterey County. Situated on Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey. The staff at NorCal will help you make sense of the floor-toceiling displays of glass, silicone and ceramic smoking apparatuses. Also available are rolling papers, cones, lighters, matches and all the other smoking sundries—stuff you can’t find on the midway at a circus (although perhaps around back...) BEST CANNABIS DISPENSARY Big Sur Canna+Botanicals 26352 Carmel Rancho Lane, 100, Carmel (831) 250-7756, bigsurcannabotanicals. com A little recreational cannabis never hurt a circus-goer. Imagine it, the trapeze artists flying through the air, the bravado of the lion tamers or the curiosity of the side shows, but enhanced by a THC buzz. If you need to know what strain will make your circus excursion a little extra, the skilled staff at Big Sur Canna+Botanicals will know exactly what to offer. Stop by before your next visit to the big top. Best Vintage Clothing Store | Trappings
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