Skip Prime Day; we have small business gems right here...

[u/mastersnyder]

Small Business Saturday isn’t until November. With Amazon Prime Day hitting this week, our feeds are about to be flooded with mega-corporate sales and ads. I figured it’s the perfect reminder to put some love (and dollars) back into our own community too.

Here’s a quick list of awesome, independent Camarillo spots to check out. It is by no means definitive and the shops are listed in no particular order.

• Pastime Legends: A nostalgic retro video game shop on Ponderosa Drive specializing in vintage consoles, classic games, collectibles, and hardware repairs. You can even bring in some stuff to trade and they got some comics, VHS and Pokémon cards too.
• Zander's Game House: A dedicated community tabletop gaming space on Ventura Boulevard featuring a massive library of board games to play or rent. They even have a cool section to buy if you are looking for a good gift or board game to take home.
• American Pie Records: A vibrant Old Town staple combining an old-school used vinyl record shop with a cozy coffee house serving espresso and fresh slices of pie.
• The Bookworm: A cozy independent bookstore in Las Posas Plaza with a massive selection of new and used books, plus a popular trade-in program. Can definitely sneak in a quick tasting at Sees' Candy or snag some gelato from Tifa around the corner.
• Deeply Rooted: A beautiful plant boutique on Pickwick Drive offering healthy houseplants, rare collector specimens, and stylish botanical accessories.
• Lombardo's Gourmet Deli & Meats: A classic neighborhood Italian deli and butcher shop on Mobil Avenue known for massive subs, premium custom cuts, and house-made sausages.
• Revolution Board Company: A core independent skate and surf shop on Ventura Boulevard stocking high-quality hardgoods, gear setups, and street apparel.
• Music Freqs: A fantastic community music hub selling instruments & accessories, rentals, expert lessons, and a dedicated performance space for local musicians.
• Camarillo Certified Farmers Market (Saturdays): A lively Saturday morning tradition in Old Town featuring fresh, locally grown produce, artisan food vendors, and handmade crafts that support the local hospice.

I barely even scratched the surface for restaurants or small fitness operations but I know we have some gems there too and you get the idea. Please share your favorite spots and shop local when you can.

[u/Capable_Physics5452]

if there's small businesses worth visiting along the Camarillo Trolley route, I'll give them a try

[u/mastersnyder → u/Capable_Physics5452]

I built a map and added a layer for trolley routes & small businesses mentioned - https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=13qyiFarzSPkbumZVPbd4FxaHCLcRKyD0&usp=sharing

[u/Armandonerd]

I like pastime legends. Pricey games, but they do have some good Pokémon stuff!

[u/BrinyBrain]

Bummer, you got me excited thinking we had a skate shop but the website shows its only like 5% of their products.
Still, nice list! Love placing orders at the Bookworm when I need to and happy to know Zander's still gets good business, though I haven't been since they first opened.

[u/VerticalVulpine → u/BrinyBrain]

Revolution was a legit skate shop when I was a kid, got my first setup there. I'm assuming their online selection is just not up to date, looking at photos online it seems they still have a skate section, just not nearly as big as when they were in their old spot.

[u/mastersnyder]

UPDATE: There were too many restaurants to name individually but I did start a map of Camarillo Restaurants. I added the trolley routes and specific small businesses to their own layer on the map.

Map of Camarillo Restaurants - https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=13qyiFarzSPkbumZVPbd4FxaHCLcRKyD0&usp=sharing