Carmel is great for art but there's a serious price tag attached. If you want more affordable,…read moredown-to-earth prices on gifts, trinkets, and housewares, stop by this little shoppe tucked away in the corner of a mall. They have a whole wall of tasteful but fun handmade jewelry and an array of artsy wooden gift boxes. The best part was their Munktiki collection. The owner's husband is the founder of Munktiki mugs, arguably the kick-@ssest drink containers you will ever see (http://www.munktiki.com/). So, you know, if you're ever running low on tiki mugs and tiki-related accessories, and you happen to be in Carmel, this is the place to go.

Great selections of doors, hardware, and trim. Good customers service and a clean showroom.read more

I ordered a complete set of eMtek door hardware with Mario's help. He was very knowledgeable…read moreabout wide range of the doors and hardware. I also asked him to repair damaged screen door. He came to remove damaged screen door one day and he brought back the newly replaced screen on next day. Very happy with his service.

I couldn't believe this gallery didn't have any reviews yet, so I'm happy to be the first!…read more There are only a few galleries in Carmel that carry historical works, and I hit them all up every time I'm in Carmel. I love Josh Hardy gallery because, although it's small, every work on the wall is a masterpiece. This gallery mostly represents Early California masters like Granville Redmond, Percy Gray, Mary Morgan, etc. These artists all lived and worked in this area, so seeing their work is like a window into central California 100 years ago. The owner of the gallery is very genuine and kind, so don't miss it!

I first visited the Josh Hardy Gallery while staying in Carmel. Over the next year, I kept an eye…read moreout online. Josh seems to always have an exquisite collection of very early California Oil Paintings that are museum quality. I stayed in touch and after moving to San Francisco called to purchase a lovely early landscape I love. Josh is very kind and not only delivered my painting, he hung it for me! Hoping to return.

Manny is a outstanding architect. Very willing to discuss your needs and come up with fresh ideas.read more

Manny Leal provides an expert service at a superb value. I needed drafting for elevations and a…read morefloor plan on a metal garage for my building permit application. I had only two days left for my final submittal. Manny was able to accommodate my timeline, although he already had several other ongoing projects. He provided a high quality professional product within the requested time, and at a fraction of the price of his competition. Manny has plenty of experience, and was a wealth of knowledge. I cannot recommend his service enough.

Before driving 1.5 hours from the Peninsula to San Juan Bautista, I looked up local shops on Yelp,…read moreand found this one. Made sure to bookmark it on my Yelp account. So glad that I did. Her store is quaint and a ton of fun! Being mixed race and part Mexican, a lot of the items I totally understood and enjoyed the humor. Just started following them on Instagram to see what her latest designs will be? The boutique is only open to the public on the weekends. You can still purchase items online and request special orders. To find the shop in town, it's located next to Dona Esther's, walk back and it's across from a local brewery. Great place to buy presents or something for yourself.

This is, just like it says in the name, a boutique created by one artsy woman…read more Parking is street only-which is the norm for this smaller town, and usually ins't too much of problem. Not least because this is a small town, and pretty much everything is within walking distance. Thus even if the spot you find is down a ways, it still won't be an issue to walk here. This is a smaller, intimate gallery. While most of the art is created by the woman running the place, she does have some small collaborative efforts. The brooches, costume jewelry and skater art swag are in collaboration with other artists. All the art is latin styles and there are some simply epic star wars styled works. The Milagros style pieces are unique, and it goes without saying that the Dia de los Muertos is highly creative. There is also some pop art on premises-a handmade snarky chandelier, fantastically worked skateboards, serape flags (no really), a stranger things waffle painting, cactus planters, and well whatever the house artist is inspired to make. Pricing is at the artists discretion and will range all over the place, but significant creative pleasing originals can be had for less then a hundred bucks, and some of the smaller items go below ten, which is a total bargain for work that is both creative, modern and very well done. If you are so inclined, the artist has been known do commissioned pieces(such as a portrait) but that's something you'll have to work out with her. Overall it's a newer, smaller, and the most creative art shop along the main downtown drag.

I ALWAYS make sure I stop at this little store whenever I'm in Cannery Row. There are tons of gifts…read moreand knickknacks for everyone on your list. Beautiful figurines and backpacks and purses with handmade jewelry and clothing. My absolute FAVORITE thing to get here? Pashmina scarves! The softest scarves around and they are ALWAYS on sale here. Check this place out for some wonderful deals and unique gifts.