Best Toy Store: Bella Beach Kids
If you’re looking for high-priced action movie toys that are just as likely to lose all their necessary pieces as they are to drain your wallet, Bella Beach Kids isn’t your store. Carefully curated by owner Kris Mackerer-D’Errico, the store’s selection is unlike anything else you’ll find in the South Bay, as clever paints and markers, handmade dolls, and captivating board games line the shelves — and the shop isn’t above the occasional wall-mounted dinosaur head, either. D.M.
Bella Beach Kids, 225 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach, 310-529-5645 www.bellabeachkids.com.
Runner up: Toys R Us, 22035 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, 310-540-2727.