SoLo

Unique store to purchase gifts. I shop here about once a year for birthdays and Christmas. Beware many items are absurdly priced. $48 for a felt trivet? You can find decorative paper napkins & plates for half the price elsewhere. Many of the coffee table books are significantly less expensive on Amazon. I was about to purchase a $33 book, but found it half off on Amazon. No restrooms, additional parking located in the back. I have to agree with other reviewers… their customer service leaves a lot to be desired. The associates definitely have room for improvement. A smile and a “have a nice day” go a long way.

I visited your store two days ago at approximately 3 p.m. I was shopping for gift items and looking at books. I picked up two books and continued browsing, just as other customers were doing. One employee approached me and asked if I needed help. I politely said no, I was fine. She then insisted on taking my books to the register. I again declined, explaining that I was still shopping. She continued to insist and then told me she would bring me a basket “anyway.” She returned with a large, heavy metal basket and expected me to carry and use it, even though I had clearly said I didn’t need one. I also noticed she did not do this with other customers around me. I felt singled out, pressured, and unable to shop in peace. The interaction made me so uncomfortable that I cut my shopping short and left with only one item, even though I had planned to buy gifts for family and friends. I left feeling harassed, discriminated against, and unwelcome. I shared my feelings at the register when asked how my shopping experience was, but the employee did not seem to care. I am sharing this feedback because I value being treated with basic courtesy and respect when I shop, and I hope this can be addressed through training or guidance for your staff. As for me, I do not plan to return.

It's always nice to come in and treat yourself. Special thanks for the children's books selection. My daughter enjoyed it a lot🤍 p.s: and yes the staff follows you around and watches, but it wasn't intrusive.

My wife and I really enjoyed exploring the many unique household items in this large multi-vendor gift boutique emporium. We also greatly appreciated the staff who were very helpful!

Cute niche items, and really nice staff to chat with. We bought a birthday card and borrowed a pen to write with from them, and had a fun time chatting with them.

A large store with many fun gift ideas. They have some vintage items too. It's a little pricey but so isn't everything on Cedros.

Cute little gift store with lots of different artists options.

Love, love, love this store. I always find way too much I need in this store!

Solos on Cedros is an amazing store for gifts of all kinds. They have very beautiful stationery. They have all type of whimsical gifts. Lots of books, interesting topics from surfing to interesting people from history. There are also carrying several pieces of nice portable jewelry, affordable candles, paintings, postcards, things for the home. Anything you want. There is no time I go to cedro's in Solana that I don't stop by solo. I don't know what they call solo because that means only in Spanish, but I can only say that it's full of nice cute things.

This was my husband's and my favorite shop along Cedros while we were staying in Solana Beach for vacation (and that is saying something - usually I can't get him to come into a bunch of stores with me, but he loved all the coffee-table books and other unique things in here)! They have lots of local items including jewelry, stationary, home decor, chocolates, etc. and the vibe in there is just the best. Wish we had a SoLo in North Carolina!

What a great store with so many unique items for your home or for gifts. You are bound to find a few treasures!

This was such a fun, unique and upscale store in Solana Beach. There were tons of gift items, things for the house, children's clothing, coffee table books, candles, etc... The way they have everything displayed was very neat, very organized and very well set up....it was one of those stores that people just love to browse around. The prices are on the high end, but the quality of all items from stationary to gift wrap paper to books... Such a great place for home accent things as well.... It's a must if you are in the area...

The slams for racism, and classism are high with this place and deserved. But let's be real. Picasso, Van Gogh and Warhol could walk in this place and the shop owners would act too good for them. Stop in for some laughs, but it's as vapid and shallow as any store I've walked in my life. The books are for display and that tracks. My guess is no one working there has read one. You can have money but you can't buy class.

Want to experience racism or white privilege in 2024? Shop here! For context I am an Asian American woman who came here with friends (also Asian Americans). The "staff" is a white woman with brunette hair color that was curly. She is about 5'7 and lanky. Observations: 1. We were ignored by staff when entering, which is fine, until you see how they greet at other customers, specifically white customers. The overall demeanor is night and day, as they treated those customers with smiles versus no acknowledgement towards us. 2. We were FOLLOWED throughout the store by one of the staff, from table to table. How do we know? Because she would look at us while pretending to fix the items by shuffling it around nearby.This behavior actually discouraged us from buying anything. But we thought we were overthinking so we did a whole loop around the store, and lo and behold the was one staff following us the whole time. There were about 20 other people in the store, majority white. Which by simple observation, the woman seems to be racial profiling us. 3. My friend asked if there was a restroom available and was told no. Of course this is understandable and I was not going to mention it...until you look at previous reviews that states that they DO have a restroom, you just can't be a person of color to use it. If you're white, the restroom is may be available to you (yay!). Overall it doesn't matter if the stuff here is unique/ good for your house or good to get gifts from. It's expensive, such as a small cheddar knife set for about $30. There are plenty of other small businesses that can benefit from our purchases without this behavior. As a native San Diegan I'm disgusted with this store. This outdated behavior brings shame and taints the image of San Diego. It is obvious that my experience of discrimination is not unique. Just take a look at previous reviews....it's obvious that racism thrives in this store and the owner Carol has not intervened for years, therefore one can conclude that she may actually encourage this behavior. (Note for Carol: stop wasting your money with the staff member mentioned. Your staff was patting an already folded tea towel 5 times that was not touched by any current customers nor disorganized, shifting it back and forth and pushing some jewelry around while trying to glance in our direction through her peripheral throughout are shopping experience. If you defend them stating that they were working and organizing, my humble opinion is to retrain them to do better. If they are trying to make sure that nothing is being stolen, again my humble opinion is to retrain them to do better). Therefore, with uttermost respect, DO NOT SUPPORT BUSINESSES WHO PROMOTE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION.

Loved this place! So many interesting items to see. If you are in the area, stop by and have a browse. Will enjoy it. Happy shopping!

It's surprising reading other reviews as I've never felt more comfortable as a hispanic lesbian woman. Solo creates a warm welcoming environment with so eyecatching pieces to look at! My wife and I were fortunate enough to have a moment to chat with Ruby. She is an absolute gem of a human! Ruby couldn't have made us feel anymore welcomed What a beautiful soul and what an amazing space!

I adore Solo for their coolness but realistically I go there because one of their vendors always has the best chairs. I have seen some stuff there that I have never seen elsewhere. Also, if you need a coffee table book, look no further.

Solo is my favorite unique store to shop for that unique friend, family member or for yourself. You can find everything from home goods to apothecary to books to stationary and even a little vintage! Coming here during the holidays are my favorite! It's gets me into the holiday spirit!

Was honestly not impressed with the selection of items at this location. A lot of the products seemed cheaply made and cheesy.

As a women of color I went inside the store and it was a bad experience. I was with my friends & was being followed and eyed throughout the entire store. So disappointing!!

This has been one of my favorite jaunts with my girlfriends for nearly 2 decades. But this past week may be my last for quite some time. In this age of greater inclusion and sensitivity to equality matters (and when most of the clientele appear to be women), I could not help but ask why they had such a poorly labeled binder on the counter when I went to pay for my purchase. Surely, resale licenses are not gendered? No explanation provided; simply swept behind the counter with a quick blurt that that wasn't for me to see. More's the pity for them; greater the opportunity for me to spend my money at a less tone-deaf locale.

Solo is a go to for unique small business gifts. The staff is friendly and helpful and everything is arranged so nicely. Great local gem!

I was there on Sunday Jan 7, 2024. My aunt brought a lot of stuff and I was browsing. When we left the store, a staff came outside and asked if she can check my bag. I came in, gave my bag, she checked then she asked me to remove my coat. She accused me of taking something from the store. I showed everything she did not find anything. Everything was there in the store, nothing removed. She did not say anything, I left. She did not apology or even excuse for the inconvenience she caused me. I respect that stores have to randomly search customers. But I am an Asian woman and I am the only one followed and searched. More over I would have excepted some sort of apology from the staff Can the management please address this lack of appropriate behavior. Discriminative behavior should be addressed and customer service training should be given to your staff.

I'd give a 0 stars if I had the option. If you were to read the rest of the one star reviews of this store, the similar experiences of racial profiling and treatment are true. I'm surprise that I wasn't the only person who felt that way and I'm glad there are other people who have expressed their experiences. Obviously it's still an issue if there are more people leaving low rating reviews. Save your time and money. Go somewhere else.

We stumbled into this store last weekend, I love this kind of concept store since there aren't that many in San Diego compared to where I am from. The space is pretty big and we spent about 15 mins browsing but I could have spent more time in there browsing through the books and stationaries they had. They have a little bit of everything, a great place to pick up some cards, and little gifts. They had a lot of made-in-Japanese goods. They are dog friendly (as most places are in the SD) I read some comments about "race discrimination" which neither of us (I am from Japan and my husband is Puerto Rican) experienced and had a good customer experience. I ended up buying a little card holder stand. I will be back next time I am in the area.

Solo is the type of store that I enjoy getting lost in. It has all types of books, from Gardening to Cooking, and lots of California's lost history. Easily I could spend hundreds of dollars, if finances allowed. I feel sometimes like that Burgess Merideth's character, from that old Twilight Zone episode. So many books, yet so little time when I come here. Browse, have fun, and most of all, enjoy!

Pricey pricey pricey. But good quality and well made and unique. Most was above What I was willing to spend but it is a glorious store, well thought-out, and they have different price points so you can find them something affordable and unique

How do I love SOLO??? With all my heart!!! The creative spaces that vendors keep updated and lively makes my heart soar. Taking my times cruising through all the spaces makes me happy and my creativity soar! Wonderful place for gifts for yourself! Ok..and for others! Very kind staff too! I live an hour away but worth the drive!

Beautifully organized, creative store! Always something new to discover while shopping here. Cards, decorations, kids toys & the best selection of kids books to give as gifts!

What a lucky find! We were heading back after a nice breakfast at Lockwood Table nearby when we saw the beautiful window displays and inviting entrance so we decided to look around out of curiosity. This place reminds me of Pigment in North Park (except they don't sell succulents) because they sell a lot of unique gifts, many of which lean towards the hipster and minimalist aesthetic, ranging from journals, greeting cards, candles, home goods, decor, books, and jewelry. My inner hipster was on cloud nine! It was really fun walking around and browsing through the trinkets and knickknacks :) Although many items can be a bit pricey, there are some cool finds that are very reasonably priced. I ended up buying a beautiful charm bracelet that my mom fell in love with as a late birthday present for her, and I got a small pocket journal for myself. My mom also bought a cute canvas book bag with leather straps. I love supporting local businesses and I think this is a great place to find unique gifts for just about anyone! :)

There have always been a lot of cool items & some treasures whenever I've been to Solo. I love browsing there, always leave with something (usually multiple items), and have to be disciplined or I'll purchase too much! Some things are overpriced while others are reasonable. It pays to search out items one likes at good prices and/or special items not readily found elsewhere. When I shop, I'm a forager. I will be in a store for a long, long time. It's not unusual for retail employees to repeatedly ask me if I need help or to start following me because I take so long that they grow suspicious of me. (I'm not kidding.) I like that Solo employees leave me alone unless I ask for assistance and let me forage to my heart's content instead of pestering or following me. At the register,​ they've been friendly enough. I've had purchases gift wrapped. The woman who wrapped my gifts was very friendly. I've not been in with young children yet, but it's not a space for children, so despite the store carrying some children's items, it's unfair to expect Solo's employees to be okay with letting little ones handle things or wander around on their own. Kept in a stroller where little hands can't grab things is best. It's not Toys-R-U, children don't belong in every space, and it's unfair to both children and the vendors to demand otherwise of them; that's something for mommas of young children to think about before entering.

This place is absolutely awful, and they discriminate against minorities. We needed to use the restroom, and the (white) woman in front of us asked to us the restroom, and they gladly escorted her back to their "private" restroom. When she was done, we (both minorities) asked to use the restroom. They said it wasn't available for public use and rudely walked away. These people are absolutely rude and discriminatory.

Had a very unpleasant experience about a month ago, when looking for a patio chair I noticed one of the staff rolling her eyes at me when I tried one the chairs. Very disrespectful.

I've waited for three months to write this review. I always try to see the good and give people the benefit of the doubt; however, the other negative reviews regarding racial issues, including the management and staff, are unfortunately entirely accurate. I am an American Asian woman and have lived in Southern California my entire life and I have never been treated so disrespectfully in a retail store. My experience was simply horrible and honestly, traumatizing. I wish them no ill will and only hope to help other people of color to avoid a painful and degrading experience.

This is a cool upscale boutique that sells a variety of home goods, books, greeting cards and a lot more. Located near a strip of other, similar stores, Solo is defined one of the highlights of the area. The building is deceiving and looks a lot bigger than it actually is, but there is still a good amounting inventory! This is a slightly pricier store and a lot of the products are geared towards people from the area (affluent). So I couldn't recommend this spot if you're seeking a cheap, throw away gift. This products sold here tend to be of higher quality and will last you a long time.

One of my all-time favorite shops. Hasn't changed a bit in ten years I've been coming here. I could browse all afternoon in the books. Such a fun place to look for a unique gifts. Great card selections. Love the fact they have restrooms, too...

Fantastic store, amazing and rare gifts, design items, books and kitchen goodies! Wow!!!

Solo is truly one of my favorite guilty pleasures. It's a veritable feast for the senses. Almost like an around-the-world trip all housed under one roof. I could spend days in there getting lost amongst the eclectic treasures... And, I probably have. Although, it was time well spent, of course! My most recent experience was a stellar one. Courtesy of some pretty little Japanese vases and a gem of an employee named Lori. Lori beautifully fits the description of what it genuinely means to "go above and beyond", which is exactly what she did. She took the time to happily text me photos and patiently speak with me via phone in regards to different vases as well as give me her brilliant design opinion as to what would work best for my home décor, since I live out of state and could not see the vases in person. After I'd decided on specific vases, Lori carefully double-wrapped and boxed each delicate vase for me. Now these 5 special and unique little vases dwell in our home~ Many, many thanks, especially to sweet Lori, and Solo!

I love wandering around this wonderful collection of vendors. I loose myself in fantasy and I always find something I can't live without. The ladies behind the register leave something to be desired. Always low eye contact. Never, "Thank you for coming". But I guess they don't have to be grateful. I like the vendors. Which are probably the staff but I don't want to connect those dots.

This local shop is a trove of quaint gifts, books, and treasures. They have a lovely stationary section-and loads of books-rather, publications I feel I should say. I recently perused the selection and saw one almost as big as myself! It's a bit on the pricey side, but you're looking at some high quality nic nacks-truly unique and lovely things. If you're a fan of the beautiful little touches some designers and producers put into these kinds of of products-you must stop in. The vintage looking Christmas ornaments they sell are simply delightful. Head to the kids section in the back left hand side of the store and look through the books and toys-hilarious! I've always found the service here to be hands on and quite friendly and helpful. Support local businesses and stop in! Buy local! You won't regret it.

Hi Yelp Friends! June the Lady Bug and my sister Shirley the Sheep here giving you our two baby cent! This place is super neat! There are so many cool things. Books which I love and if you look up, or fly up to the ceiling, cuz im a lady bug (just be careful) they have a humongous ceiling fan. HUGE! The sales lady said they got it from humongousfan.com/. They also have nice jewelry and baby stuff for me and Shirley! Check out our pictures in the gallery. Can you find us? :) Stop by and check this place out. There's something for everyone! Until next time, Babies out!

This is my second trip to Solo:the first during Yelp's Spring Break. This store is marvelous-something for yourself or anyone else! Books, lighting, quilts, stationery, purses, ...... I came to the area today, to pick up a special order. Yes, Solo will do that too at no extra charge. Street parking. Nice walking/shopping area. Close to the Coaster Station and Fletcher Cove.

In a town like San Diego, you're not going to lack for places to buy stuff. That's just a fact. So, in one sense, Solo joins an endless list of stores filled with souvenirs and stuff for your home...but Solo distinguishes itself by the variety of beautiful items they sell and by the unusual things you're not apt to find at every other store along any touristy street in this city. You could say Solo is like a very highly upgraded general store from the past. Minus the penny candy, you can browse for hours and find everything from all kind of books, cutesy knick-knacks, upscale children's items, antiques, and beautiful linens. I could go on forever. I'm not a person who has to buy stuff for every time I enter a store, and yet I never leave this place without finding something I want to take home - usually a gift that I feel delighted to buy because I know it's different enough that the recipient won't have six more of the same thing. If you're going to be shopping during a Santa Ana heat wave, know that they have huge fans inside that actually do provide some relief. If you find yourself needing a restroom (and having to learn the hard way that many of the stores on Cedros don't have public restrooms), you'll find facilities tucked away in the corner of this store, if you get weary and need a place to sit, there are a few chairs placed around that you can rest on, without getting the evil eye from employees. The cashiers have always been very friendly to me and I look forward to visiting this store every time I'm in the area.

Very nice shop but the manager needs an attitude adjustment. I overheard her speaking to an artist that came in to show an item that she thought the store might want to carry, one that I liked a lot, and she was insulting and rude to the person. Gave her 30 seconds, insulted her, and shooed her away.

I love this store. Its the perfect little place to pick up a unique gift for a friend or some interesting decor for your home. What I like most about this place is the size. It has enough variety, but its not so huge that you are overwhelmed. The few vendors that they have work well together. I especially love the card selection and the vintage items. This place is nice and close to Lockwood Table Cafe too. I always like stopping at both when I make a trip to Solana Beach!

One of my favorite stores to come to when I'm looking for a personal gift for a friend. The items in the store are all so unique and fun that it makes gift giving here or even looking for a nice item for your home super fun. The store is clean and easy to shop around. Parking is easy to find on the Main Street.

Lots of goodies I haven't seen before in other boutiques, which I admit I frequent regularly during my travels. Aesthetically pleasing and inspirational displays made shopping here a pleasant and memorable experience.

Great place! There is a very carefully curated selection of unique items on this store. I go in and browse around for fun or to find a special gift. I always find the women who work there fun and friendly but most importantly knowledgeable. I don't agree with the reviews about them being snotty - but they're not the type to put up with any BS. As far as the comments about kids - this is ridiculous. It's not a play zone or pizza time theater - keep your over indulged spoiled brats from touching stuff and playing with toys on display - if you want to play with them buy them and play with them at home. I've seen people let their kids run all over the store and it's just not acceptable - regardless how much money you've spent in the store. Have a little respect for this business. Let your grandchild stain your furniture with their coco soy frappachino!

Great place to shop! A nice assortment of quality vendors and finds. Clearly these people have a great eye! From cards and stationary, home decor and jewelry, throws, bags, bowls, hats.. I could go on and on. I can't wait to go back alone and spend more time. I saw so many things I wanted to pick up just didn't have the time decide.

Love this store for that unique gift! They wrapped it beautifully for me at no extra charge. There's something different here every time I go!

Solo is an eclectic mix and match of stuff I don't understand and/or can't afford. The space looks like a repurposed old firehouse and I'm sure there's some kind of rich local history behind it but I really don't have time for that kind of thing. What caught my eye right off the bat were the sprawling displays of diverse coffee table books that I could spend hours staring at like a drooling idiot. From the catalogs of bizarre prefab homes to the weirdly homoerotic photo book of young skater boys of the 60s, there was something for everyone. Then I moved on to the greeting cards section where I was delighted with the obscenities and mildly crude humor printed on these cards. Have you ever wanted to give someone a backhanded compliment when their relative just died or somehow weave how fat you think they are into a birthday card? These have always been dreams of mine and it wasn't until Solo that I was able to fulfill them. The rest of the shop was set up like mini showrooms with small themed areas that exhibited similar wares sort of like a high end Ikea except instead of hairy college students and flabby young families, there are pretentious white haired spinsters with their wine sipping entourage. And in contrast to the jungle gyms of cheap, modern Swedish furniture, I found "Do Not Sit" signs on linen couches at a price point that exceeds the bluebook value of the vehicle that brought me to them in the first place. As far as the customer service, everything was pretty routine and the staff was friendly. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want to cross any of the women behind the counter. It was easy to imagine each one of them as a turn of the century schoolmarm ready to beat the piss out of you in front of the whole class with her favorite switch if you sassed her during bible study. But anyways, in the wise words of Inigo Montoya: "let me 'esplain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up." If I really wanted to impress someone with my sophistication and affluence, I would take them shopping with me here, put it all on a credit card, and try to return everything alone the next day in a state of panic. I appreciate having a place like Solo for that.

Etsy.Com had a secret illegitimate love child with vintage Palm Springs, California and Voilà! Solo was born. The first 3 stars go to the shabby chic modern excellence that is this hipsters warehouse. Plus my dogs name is Solo. This Automatically adds one 1/2 star followed up by another 1/2 star for an awesome bathroom. Which on Cedros is sometimes hard to find. Space is Vast, expansive 4,000 square foot warehouse packed full of goods... Set up is half flea market flair & classic diorama-like science fair... There are more than a dozen distinctive boutiques under their roof... SENSORY OVERLOAD! Oh it hurts so good!! Do you need a stainless steel vintage butcher table? Religious medallions from Italy? How about a doormat made from recycled flip flops? Maybe a DIE FOR coffee table book you never knew you needed till right now? Love the stationary- card selection - gift wrapping needs. Respectful craftsman shift in the handmade artisan items. Whoever the buyer is for this space is my absolute HERO. L.A. Hipsters... Prepare to swoon. Staff stay out of your way which is nice & help you if you need it. Dog friendly kids should go elsewhere. Solo rules Contents can overwhelming at times because this place is all about the Want vs. Need... AGAIN total sensory overload!! Nothing here you need but EVERYTHING you want or would love to have. Come here and daydream. Love you Solo... (Btw... I was talking to my dog)

"Yeah, we close in 10 minutes." No "hello". No "how can we help you". Not even a smile. I did notice a raised eyebrow, but that doesn't say much. My six girlfriends and I were on a "escape from LA" weekend down in SD, and we were strolling around the Cedros Design District before dinner. This store caught our attention and we figured we'd pop in, and perhaps pick up some want-but-don't-need items. All of us are afflicted with varying degrees of shop-o-holic-ism, so at least one of us was bound to buy something. But after a sour greeting like that, three of my friends did an about-face, and the four of us sort of lingered near the entrance. I scanned the various collections, but didn't really want to look in depth since it seemed that we were getting the boot at the top of the hour. The store had a lot of interesting decorating pieces and nic-nacs, but the higher prices did not seem competitive with other stores. Maybe other people have had better customer service, but my experience caused them to lose 7 customers.........

It's difficult to determine if items here are actually vintage or just made to look like they are. But one thing is for sure, you won't be paying vintage prices. There are lots of accessories here to accent most rooms in your home. The inventory here is definitely higher end when compared to say, Leaping Lotus. If you're starting out and looking to make your apartment unique, then Solo may be a bit out of reach for you. Most of the people I saw shopping here looked older and much more established. I don't know that for sure, but there were a lot of ladies wearing Talbott's and Chico clothing. Those places aren't cheap and those places aren't meant for youngsters. But, if you don't mind driving, you can head down to LA and purchase very similar items in places like Venice Beach or even Downtown LA (just watch out for skid row) for much cheaper. Or better yet, try checking out for garage sales in the San Dieguito area. They may have some stuff...

Love, love, love this place! Great books, great trinkets, awesome stationery! They carry some brands that I adore like Snow and Graham! Very unique mixed media and display. I just have so much fun when I visit Solo.

This place is a red-level danger zone for me. I pretty much can't walk in and out of here unscathed (ie dropping serious cash), so when I'm poor i just avoid it at all costs. Its set up like the place across the street (Leaping Lotus) where individual vendors supply each of the "booth" areas, but their selection is much more tasteful and flows together. The design book selection here far surpasses any mass bookstore--Interiors, architecture, art, gardening, travel, etc. The unusual trinkets and home decor are things you wont find anywhere else. They have some really great stylie kids stuff for those yuppies you know who just popped out an offspring. The paper selection always sends me into a frenzy and makes me further populate my already barely-used stationary supply. And, the owners are very kind. You can buy gift certificates here--I got one for my mom last year for Christmas and she went nuts. It was fun to watch. I will be back soon Solo, just you wait...

Yes Please. . . wrap it all up! The selection is a mixture of modern and vintage inspired my fav jam. And if you love oversized lush picture books, get off this is your stop! Dizzying selection of decor, photographic, art, architecture etc. I guess each space is styled by a different local vendor who sometimes work at the store. Each has a different flavor and theme. My absolute go to is the Jennifer Price stuff. It is part industrial, reimagined and one of a kind accessories that you didn't know you needed. Pintrest worthy all around. There is a always nice selection of children's items and books. Only thing missing is some bling for my pooch- but there's Muttropolis down the street for that gear.