Love for the Lower Village: Home for the Holidays Continues Along Coast Village

The second in a four-part series on shopping locally in Montecito, we’re shining a light on the Lower Village: Montecito’s Coast Village Road and beyond, which has long been a shopping and dining destination for locals and visitors. 

Many shops along Coast Village Road are gearing up for the holiday season, decorating their windows and welcoming shoppers to what feels like the first “normal” shopping year since 2019. 

In Coast Village Walk, check out Juniper, where owner Marie Ferris showcases an array of luxury clothing lines not found in other stores. Juniper offers one-of-a-kind jewelry, and designer belts and handbags (including hand-painted vintage Louis Vuitton), as well as an array of contemporary clothing including dresses, denim, leather jackets, woven silk blouses, luxury graphic tees, cashmere sweaters, and special occasion outfits. A few of the designers she may carry at any time: Nour Hammour, Bleeker, Whiting & Davis bags, Cinq a Sept, Zofia Day jewelry, and more. Juniper carries a mix of domestic and European designer offerings, and Ferris is available for styling for any occasion, as well as closet organization. Right now the boutique has an array of fun and festive holiday outfits. In the same center is newcomer Ready Set Confetti, which features all the party supplies you could need for your holiday fête. The shop boasts modern party décor and gifts from various on-trend brands in every color of the rainbow, as well as themed party sets, balloon garlands, wrapping paper, ribbon by the yard, holiday-themed items, and much more. Stop in for Hannukah and Christmas table décor, as well as beautiful advent calendars, which are currently on sale. 

Close by, Peregrine Galleries, one of the road’s oldest shops, continues to offer ethnographic jewelry and art, including collectible vintage designer jewelry by Bakelite, Chanel, Georg Jensen, and early Native American jewelry and artifacts. Owner Marlene Vitanza has manned the shop since its opening in 1984. She is always adding new pieces and treasures to the store’s eye-pleasing cases. 

Homer, set to open imminently, is the newest addition to Coast Village and the leather-bound brainchild of Terry Pillow – a local face and legend of men’s apparel from Tommy Bahama to Coach and more. Located near Tre Lune at 1129 Coast Village Road, this shop is still shrouded in a bit of mystery (to learn more, see the upcoming MJ Quarterly magazine on stands soon), but will be featuring the finest handmade leather goods, incorporating organic processes and intricate craftsmanship. 

Across the street, Kevin and Katie Frank’s boutique, K.Frank, specializes in men’s and women’s designer clothing, shoes, jewelry, and accessories. The stylish husband-and-wife duo carefully offer relevant fashion collections from around the world, and delight in dressing their clientele, helping them hone in on their individual sense of style. Each season the Franks curate a collection with a true commitment to styling, quality, fabric, and manufacturing, coupled with a dedication to exceptional customer service. Emerging and established designers blend to create the perfect modern aesthetic. The Franks’ shop windows are showing off gorgeous coats and flannels for both men and women, as well as fuzzy scarves and hats for the cooler weather. 

Nearby stands the Montecito Country Mart, where there are over a dozen highly curated shops as well as three restaurants – soon four, as Corazon Cocina’s new venture, Alma Fonda Fina, will join the Mart shortly – a coffee shop, and an ice creamery. Find the perfect holiday hostess present at Hudson Grace, which offers an array of its own line of candles, glassware, flatware, linens, serving pieces, and much more, or Clare V, which sources unique home goods and décor. One of the Mart’s longest retailers, Mate Gallery, is owned by two part-time locals: Matt Albiani and Ron Brand, who have brought a little slice of their New England style to the West Coast. Think nautical and maritime accessories and gifts, foreign vintage textiles, and a rotating roster of special collections including Albiani’s own photographs. For luxury clothing and accessories, DÔEN, the Los Angeles-based fashion and lifestyle brand, is owned by Santa Barbara-grown sisters Katherine and Margaret Kleveland, and the shop features the brand’s signature timeless and feminine ready-to-wear clothing, accessories, sleepwear, home, swim, and children’s styles. There are also luxury basics from James Perse, signature eyewear from Cynthia Benjamin, and darling children’s clothing and gifts from Poppy Marché. Grab a coffee or lunch at locally-owned Merci, to fuel up for more shopping as you head east on Coast Village Road.  

If jewelry is on your list, South African-born Daniel Gibbings has been quietly plugging away at his Coast Village design workshop and retail outpost for over a decade. Now one of the world’s premier jewelers, Gibbings appeals to Hollywood celebrities, fashion models, and other discerning individuals that are drawn to his unique, classically inspired designs, and eye for detail. Daniel often combines pure silver and 22 karat gold in his creations, which can also feature coins and other artifacts as well as precious gem stones. Daniel has also created a line of stunning, unique engagement and wedding rings, as well as bridal jewelry. Another not-to-miss jeweler on the road is Silverhorn Studio, which is owned by Mike and Carole Ridding. The Riddings opened their first store on Coast Village in 1986, and have downsized to a smaller design studio, located at 1235 Coast Village Road. Each piece designed at Silverhorn is hand made using artisan methods; the results are unique works of understated elegance. From bold gemstone rings, to dainty diamond earrings, Silverhorn offers a collection of fashionable and sophisticated jewelry. 

The Lower Village is home to several bespoke boutiques, offering a curated mix of luxury brands of clothing and home décor. Whistle Club showcases a tightly-curated assortment of women’s clothing, accessories, and gifts from both emerging designers and industry favorites. Owner Rebecca McKinney says she focuses her offerings on quality, integrity, ethical production, and design, and seeks to spark joy for her customers through their experience in the store. On racks now are textured handwoven twill wraps, statement puffer jackets, and fluffy scarves. Nearby, Kimberly Phillips Hayes keeps her beloved shop, Maison K, stocked with the most beautiful and unique home decor, furnishings, clothing, and accessories from her travels around the world. Hayes is particularly drawn to a neutral and natural palette and this time of year the shop oozes with cold weather coziness – think soft cashmere coats in creams and beiges, warm throws for sofas or beds, beautiful and practical Paris-made ceramics for holiday tablespaces – and more. A visit to Maison K truly feels like you are transported to a different part of the world.  

Allora by Laura on the corner of Coast Village Road and Coast Village Circle is always a great place to shop for classic and timeless luxury clothing. Marrying fine European clothing with California’s laid-back style, Allora offers an elevated daily aesthetic as well as special event ensembles, curated for each individual client by a knowledgeable staff, ready to help. In addition to clothing, the shop offers fine jewelry from designers including Kai Linz and Ali Grace, as well as a limited selection of handbags and shoes. Offering several trunk shows and special events per season, Allora is the place to see and be seen on Coast Village. 

Nearby Allora is artist Cassandria Blackmore’s Gallery, which draws shoppers in with her eye-catching reverse paintings on glass, showcased on the gallery’s white walls and in the windows. Blackmore, who opened the shop in 2020, is world-renowned for her unique work, which has been exhibited and collected internationally. She began reverse painting when she was painting a self-portrait on glass, and in frustration, threw it to the ground, spilling her glass of wine in the process. As she moved the pieces back together, she realized she had created a new medium, and her work as evolved since then. 

To make sure you are picture perfect for the holidays, you might also consider visiting a newer addition to the Lower Village: Montecito Med Spa, which offers a discreet, luxurious space in which to experience the latest innovative techniques for facial and body enhancements, under the care and expertise of clinical professionals. Owned by Karen Neary, MSN, RN, the Med Spa specializes in innovative therapies including EMSCULPT NEO, Potenza RF Microneedling, Elite IQ hair removal, TempSure Firm cellulite treatments, TempSure Envi treatments, FlexSure body boost treatment, HydraFacial, Liquivida IV therapy, and an array of injectables including Botox, Xeomin, Juvederm, and others. These treatments target concerns such as aging skin, sun damage, unwanted hair, wrinkles and fine lines, cellulite, and more. 

If you’re looking to imbibe this holiday season, or seeking the perfect bottle of specialty liquor or wine to gift, make sure to stop into the Liquor & Wine Grotto. While the store has been in existence since 1976, current owners Jason Herrick and Brian Brunello have spent the last 13 years perfecting the shop, and forming connections with loyal clientele. The guys have carefully selected an array of wine, spirits, liquor, and beer, drawing both local and tourists to their enclave of bottles. They have an impressive offering of small-batch bourbon, whiskey, and tequila, perfect to craft those cozy cocktails at your holiday gatherings. In addition to carrying hundreds of competitively priced, mainstream wine labels including a large selection of French and Italian wines, the duo also hand selects local wines, increasing their selection and setting themselves apart from other stores. Herrick and Brunello pride themselves on working closely with many vendors to stock the store with the right products; if a customer is looking for something that they don’t carry, they will hunt for it and if possible, special order it.

Whether it is comfy yet fashionable clothing with a California-flair, custom jewelry, or just a bottle of something to bring to the holiday table, Coast Village offers myriad options for your holiday shopping.

And if you need a little more help on what to look for this season, Click Here.