October 19, 2021 – Just in time for the holidays, Staff of Life Natural Foods Market is opening a new gift and garden shop near the entrance to its Santa Cruz store. The shop is filled with a curated collection of adorable items that would make perfect hostess presents or gifts for friends or teachers.
On Saturday, October 23 from 10am to noon, the public is invited to browse the new shop and enjoy complimentary coffee and pastries.
“Our inside patio has always been a beautiful spot for morning coffee or gelato in the afternoon,” says Gary Bascou, co-owner of Staff of Life. “We have now added a gift and garden shop that we know our customers will love. Our staff has handpicked some very special finds just in time for the holiday season.”
The new gift shop has long been the dream of Gary’s wife Peggy and Staff of Life marketing manager Hollie Wendt, the two chose most of the items in the new shop and styled them around signature pieces of antique furniture and a painted carousel-style wooden horse.
You’ll find everything from international cookbooks to bird houses, handmade in Santa Barbara, in the new shop. Many items like mugs, tea towels, napkins and note pads are adorned with flora and fauna.
“They are items that reflect who we are,” says Wendt. “We’re all about pollinators, flowers, plants and animals.”
The shop also has a great selection of kitchen items and specialty gourmet foods from inside the market, making it easy to put together a gift basket for a friend who loves to cook.
There are also lots of candles in reusable jars. I fell for a long-burning Rosy Ring candle with a spicy apple scent and now my home is filled with a glorious fall aroma.
Staff of Life’s new Gift and Garden Shop is open from 8am to 9pm daily.
About the author
Deborah Luhrman is publisher and editor of Edible Monterey Bay. A lifelong journalist, she has reported from around the globe, but now prefers covering our flourishing local food scene and growing her own vegetables in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
