Best Motorcycle shop
South Bay Customs If the old Hog needs a new clutch, SB Customs can do that, for sure. If, perchance, a mid-life crisis is telling you to put your leathers onto the seat of a new, ground-up custom-build, THAT’s what they like to do at the El Segundo store/shop. Even if your recollection of bikes […]
Smog center
Aloha Smog Aloha Smog is an official State of California smog “test only” center that promises fast, hassle-free service with plenty of aloha. In the case of this business, the “aloha” part of the name most likely refers to the friendly atmosphere of the place and is not a welcoming greeting to smog. Aloha Smog […]
Auto repair-foreign
Lexology Auto Care If your Camry’s gone cuckoo or your Lexus is lagging, South Bay owners of Toyota-made cars prefer Lexology in Redondo to other shops in the area. Their factory-trained technicians bring dealer-level service to the South Bay at neighborhood prices, specializing only in Toyota and Lexus brands. Lexology’s products and services include 24-hour […]
Window covering
Supreme Paint Decorating Centers Supreme Paint Decorating Centers are locally owned and operated and have served the South Bay for over 40 years. But don’t get fooled by the name. Although they offer a wide range of paint, stain, painting supplies, our readers also love their offerings of wall coverings and window treatments. The owners […]
Window replacement
Clark Adams Windows & Doors When considering window replacement, homeowners do not need to wait for little Johnny across the street to throw Fido’s ball through the front window. In these energy-conscious days, it makes more and more sense to modernize and upgrade. Clark Adams handles everything from assisting in the selection of replacement windows, […]
Tile company
Classic Tile and Design Classic Tile is a family-owned and operated business of two generations that’s been providing good and services to the South Bay since 1981. Products offered by Classic include artistic, ceramic, porcelain, concrete, glass, metal and stone tile. The staff will gladly offer tips on installation and tile care. The showroom on […]
Floor covering
Carpet Spectrum and Maxwell Brothers/Flooring America (tie) Carpet Spectrum’s newly designed 14,000 sq.ft. showroom offers selections of carpeting, tile, stone, vinyl, laminate and hardwood flooring. The professional staff can handle every phase of a flooring remodel, or can advise the homeowner on the best ways for do-it-yourselfers to approach their project. Maxwell Brothers boasts a […]
Best Travel service
Robinson Travel If the cold, cold, snowy South Bay winter is getting you down, follow the lead of many local residents and call Robinson Travel to book a vacation trip to Maui, Moorea, Monte Carlo or anyplace else that begins with an “M”. Or, if business requires travel to hotspots like Detroit, Davenport or Dayton, […]
Door center
Cook’s Doors and Windows If someone’s knocking at your door, smile if the rapping is resonating from a Cook’s door. The family business has been serving the area since 1923, providing interior and exterior doors, replacement windows and moulding to architects, builders and good ol’ do-it-yourselfers. Three generations of the Cook family are on hand […]
Carpet store
Fred’s Carpets Fred’s Carpet Plus and Fred’s Colortile are family owned and operated businesses, providing flooring and window treatments since 1946. The store inventories and displays a large selection of carpeting, wood, ceramic, stone, laminates and vinyl flooring at its 16,000 sq.ft. facility. Fred’s employs a staff of fully-insured, factory-trained installers to ensure quality workmanship. […]
Nursery/gardening
Deep Roots Nursery Opened less than one year ago (formerly Annie’s Garden and Bob’s Nursery), Deep Roots owner Jon Bell is empathetic toward his growths and his clientele. As reported in ER by Andrea Ruse in a June 2010 article, he has development what he calls “fruit salad trees,” a planting that yields Desert Gold […]
Best Sailing class
South Bay Sailing The South Bay is arguably the best place on the west coast to learn to sail. Wind and air temperatures are consistent, and rarely threatening, and the Channel Islands offer enough sailing explorations to fill a lifetime. For those not fortunate enough to be brought up in a sailing family, King Harbor […]
Best Wine Bar
Friends of the Vine There are wine bars that feel like an ultra-hip lounge, but this isn’t one of them. Instead Friends of the Vine feels a lot like somebody’s living room, a warm place where people relax, talk, and sip very good wine. There are comfortable couches, soft music, and a happy buzz of […]
Best shop surfboard shaper
Dennis Jarvis, Spyder Surf Self-deception is a big part of the reason many surfers have difficulty picking out the right surfboard. An old guy getting back into surfing wants a board like the one he rode 20 years and 20 pounds earlier. “Talking to surfers about the board they want can be like a therapy […]
Best underground surfboard shaper
Dan Cobley
Best Men’s Barber
Jerry Madrid Londoner Salon & Day Spa If “barber” conjures images of a haircut with little subtle and finesse, think “stylist” when you think of Jerry Madrid. Let his devotees’ yelps tell the story: “Stylist Jerry Madrid has been working my hair for the last year and change. I’ve got tricky, stubborn Asian guy hair […]