Bixby Knolls: Long Beach’s shopping surprise

Bella Cosa owner Christy Pardini fills the store with the work of local artists. Birds are a popular theme here. The shop also offers classes for those who prefer to make their own jewelry, soap, terrariums and more.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

Garden ornaments bring lots of color to Bella Cosa.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

Paper Crew specializes in custom invitations and announcements. Chanda Alicante designs most of the cards and owns the shop with her husband, Paul.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

Paper Crew’s wedding invitations can be embellished with photos, rhinestones and ribbon. The store also offers ready-made birthday, thank-you and graduation cards. Paper Crew soon will carry paper, envelopes, ribbons and other materials for do-it-yourselfers.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

A window display at Pixie Toys gets playful with pails, trucks and dishes made from milk jugs.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

Monkeys have nothing on these sock rabbits. They’re $12 at Pixie Toys.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

The Factory serves wine and beer from the West Coast. Locally sourced ingredients also go in to dishes by chef and owner Natalie Gutenkauf. One of her most popular items is the Organic Happy Cow Burger, made with grass-fed beef, crispy onions, bacon and avocado.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

If you heart Long Beach, there’s a store for you (and Snoop Dogg and Warren G). Long Beach Clothing Co., which claims a celebrity clientele, puts the city’s name on shirts, jackets, beanies and key chains.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

Alexis Williams shows off a shirt at Long Beach Clothing Co. Local graffiti and tattoo artists create the designs, says co-owner Jay Tilles, also known to KROQ listeners as Lightning.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

A wall at Long Beach Clothing Co. displays photos of tattoos. “Long Beach tattoos are found on every type of resident,” Tilles says. If you have one, you’ll get a 20% discount.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

The Workshop carries bikes for cruising the neighborhood. Brands include Huffy, SE and RYD.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

Skateboards and scooters also are available at the Workshop.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

Giltcomplex Antiques sells furniture, lamps, globes, frames and jewelry. The first rule for items in the store: Owner Brent Baden has to like it.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

Don’t forget to look up at Giltcomplex Antiques or you may miss something. This bronze torchier from the early 1900s towers around the 8-foot mark.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

A recent exhibition at Gallery Expo focused on reuse. This surfboard is covered in trash found in the ocean.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

This steampunk turtle at Gallery Expo was made from found items. The exhibition”A Pop of Color”opens May 18. The gallery shares space in a former furniture store with Jones Studio Gallery, where “Airplane Nose Art”opens May 12.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

Urban Cottage is home to recycled and vintage jewelry, home decor and furniture. The works of more than a dozen local artists are exclusive to this shop at 4121 Long Beach Blvd.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

This “love” bulb is at Urban Cottage was in the building when Melissa Zambrano and husband George Romero opened the store. It was a sign that this was the place to be, Zambrano said.   (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)

A French grain-sack chair sits in the window of Urban Cottage, opened last fall. Two other shops with a focus on the past also have opened on Long Beach Boulevard recently. Lucy’s Boudoir carries retro-style lingerie, and Salvage Life features vintage clothing.

More shopping: New hot spots in Highland Park and Costa Mesa

Our blog: L.A. at Home  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles TImes)