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Small Biz Saturday in Sunny San Diego ☀️
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items Small Biz Saturday is the perfect excuse to share my favorite local businesses and pros, especially with the holidays coming up. After moving here from New England more than ten years ago, I had to explore the city and build my trusted go to spots fr...
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Beauty
Fashion
Health & Wellness
Optical
Automotive
Entertainment
Beauty
The best beauty small businesses I recommend in Sunny San Diego.
Salon Envy is the quintessential hair salon in La Jolla, tucked just off Pearl Street. Christopher is the stylist every curly-haired San Diegan needs—patient, precise, and fully fluent in texture. He studies each curl pattern, cuts with care, and nev...
Salon Envie
Barely There Beauty Bar in Hillcrest is my go-to spot for facials, waxing, and eyebrow lamination in San Diego. I’ve been seeing Sara since 2015, and she’s the only person I trust with my skin and brows!
Barely There Beauty Bar
Pink & White is my favorite central SD nail spot. All the techs are solid, but I usually see Kim. Clean, relaxing, and yes — they offer wine. I love going here after a day in north park! Pro tip: head here on Thursday for the farmers market, and ...
Pink & White Nail and Spa
Beauty by Dolly has also been my go-to since 2015 for sugar wax Brazilians and walk-in threading. Fast, clean, and perfectly shaped brows every time. The Hillcrest location is super convenient.
Beauty by Dolly - Threading & Sugaring in Hillcrest, San Diego
Revive Med Spa in Mission Valley is my pick for injectables in San Diego. The injectors are professional, consultations are thorough, and results always look natural—not frozen. They run good promos and keep records so touch-ups are seamless. If you ...
Revive Med Spa
When I want the full spa-day reset, I book Cascade’s duo package: steam, salt sauna, scrub, mask, and a one-hour massage, finished with sparkling wine. It’s indulgent without being fussy, perfectly central, and always leaves you feeling like you’ve h...
Cascade Spa
Fashion
The best fashion, shoes and clothing small busineses I recommend in Sunny San Diego.
Old Town Shoe Repair & Leatherworks is the cobbler I trust for every shoe or leather repair in San Diego. They handle heels, boots, sandals, handbags, belts, and zippers with old-school precision. The shop smells like polish and craftsmanship, an...
Old Town Shoe Repair & Leatherworks
Alex is the tailor who actually listens. He pins precisely, finishes cleanly, and somehow always gets the fit right the first time. I bring him everything—jeans, dresses, blazers—and it all comes back looking custom. No frills, just skill, quick turn...
ALEXS ALTERATIONS - Updated November 2025 - 29 Photos & 170 ...
Hillcrest Cleaners is Dependable, with a quick turnaround, and perfectly pressed clothes every time. Ideal if you’re in Hillcrest or Mission Hills. Much more affordable than Veribest!
HILLCREST CLEANERS - Updated November 2025 - 18 Photos
Wash & Go is the laundromat I actually use. It’s clean, bright, and has the biggest washers and dryers in town—perfect for bedding or bulk loads. Machines work, staff are helpful, and there’s always parking. Pro tip: while your spin cycle runs, g...
Wash N Go Laundry
Health & Wellness
The best health and wellness small businesses I recommend in Sunny San Diego.
iThrive MD in Mission Valley offers medical weight-management and hormone programs with real clinicians. It’s a modern med-spa setup but medically supervised, so you know who’s prescribing and why. Memberships include extra wellness perks, and every ...
iThriveMD of Mission Valley
💪🏻This is my favorite gym in San Diego, it’s quick and effective, great for working professionals. They have early morning and late night classes. This is HIIT, safe effective and fun. They are LBGTQA+ owned 🏳️🌈
Renegade Fitness
🧘🏻♀️ The best HOT yoga in San Diego. I had a Membership at Core, loved it but it’s so corporate and can be boring. YB is not corporate and stale, it’s always changing routines and music. The lighting is a vibe…
I ❤️ this studio! Same owners as re...
Yoga Box
Optical
The best optical small businesses I recommend in Sunny San Diego.
ProMec Eyeglass Repair in North Park is where I go when my glasses get bent, a screw falls out, or a hinge loosens. They tighten, re-align, and replace parts while you wait—usually in under ten minutes. It’s cheaper and faster than ordering new frame...
PRO-MEC OPTICAL - Updated November 2025
Costco Optical is the practical choice for eye care in San Diego. Exams are quick, the optometrists are professional, and you can order contacts or glasses on the spot. Pricing is clear and usually lower than private offices. One stop, no upsells—jus...
Costco Optical Department
Automotive
The best automotive small businesses I recommend in Sunny San Diego.
Prestige on Convoy is where I take my car for every oil change—mainly because they throw in a free detail that actually makes your car look new again. The crew here is quick, honest, and surprisingly thorough for a same-day stop. They top off fluids,...
Prestige Autowash & Automotive
Tito’s Auto Body is my go-to when my car needs real attention, not guesswork. They handle everything from dents and scratches to full collision repair, and they do it with the kind of precision and honesty that’s hard to find. The team explains what ...
Tito's Body Shop
Entertainment
The best entertainment and fun small businesses I recommend in Sunny San Diego.
🎥Did you know in San Diego, California the Mission Hills Neighborhood has its own neighborhood movie theater? 🎥
Since 1991, Cinema Under the Stars has been showing a mix of classic favorites, cult hits, and seasonal gems in a charming open-air cou...
Cinema Under The Stars
One of a kind, 90 minutes flower arranging workshops with some vino! This is such a fun way to spend time with some friends. Located in Hillcrest, this makes a great spot to stop after brunch, the farmers market or a day of thrifting!
Cork & Stem - Flower and Wine Workshops