La Mesa Boulevard may be more familiar to most people because of the highly popular annual Oktoberfest extravaganza that takes over the city’s main thoroughfare, but during the holiday season, it’s the perfect place to check off all the items on your holiday shopping list.
La Mesa’s home to hidden and not-so-hidden gems that beckon shoppers year-round, but with more than a handful of shops all along the boulevard, from homey to eclectic, it offers enough of a variety to satisfy everyone on your gift checklist.
Maxwell’s House of Books
Maxwell’s House of Books in downtown La Mesa has been a popular destination for book lovers since 2003. (Michael James Rocha / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Home to tens of thousands of books, this small shop has a mighty collection that will make bibliophiles wonder if they’d died and gone to book heaven. Offering obscure titles, first editions and everything in between, Maxwell’s has been a popular destination for book lovers since 2003. The shop is packed with books, with shelves bulging from floor to ceiling. Whether you’re looking for a rare Shakespearean title or a “Hardy Boys” starter set, there’s a good chance Maxwell’s has it. And if that’s not enough to pique your interest, there’s a resident cat, too, often sitting on top of a box in between shelves. 8285 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa. 619-462-3387, maxwellshouseofbooks.com
Small Batch
Small Batch, started in 2016 by two friends who met at San Diego State University, is a fun shop in the heart of downtown La Mesa. (Michael James Rocha / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
You know you’ve found something special when you walk into a store, and it makes you smile. Small Batch, a fun little store in the middle of town, does exactly that. It’s just a fun store, with a colorful, festive and sometimes-kitschy inventory — everything from candles and soaps to jewelry and books. There’s a section dedicated to fun barware, from chic Champagne coupes to colorful margarita glasses. Small Batch, started in 2016 by two friends who met at San Diego State University, is the kind of store you’re so happy to stumble upon on a lazy Saturday afternoon— so much so you don’t want to ever want to leave. 8332 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa. 619-467-7429, smallbatchstore.com
Re-Animated Records
Re-Animated Records is a mom-and-pop shop that specializes in used records and horror movies in all formats. (Michael James Rocha / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Just a few doors down is Re-Animated Records, which bills itself as a “mom-and-pop shop” that specializes in used records and horror movies in all formats. For music lovers, the store is bursting at the seams with vinyl records, CDs, cassette tapes and more, with genres ranging from jazz, rock and pop to blues, reggae and classical. Cinephiles, meanwhile, need not despair — there’s enough inventory to keep you busy for a while, in VHS and DVD formats. And posters? Just look around — posters galore for collectors! 8320 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa. 619-825-8363, reanimatedrecords.com
Amethyst Moon
Amethyst Moon is a 2,200-square-foot gift shop in the heart of downtown La Mesa specializing in mystical and spiritual gifts. (Michael James Rocha / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Whether you’re looking for tarot cards, smudge sticks, dream catchers or crystals, Amethyst Moon more than likely will have what you’re looking for. The 2,200-square-foot gift shop in the heart of downtown La Mesa is a must, especially as you’re checking things off your holiday shopping list. The shop’s shelves are filled with mystical and spiritual gifts, from books and jewelry to candles and incense. 8329 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa. (619) 464-6666, shopamethystmoon.com