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Health & Fitness

Los Gatos: First impressions and Those Who Make Them Great

Los Gatos from the perspective of an outsider and interviews with Pizza My Heart, Vintage of Los Gatos, Chocolate Dream Box and Los Gatos Company.

First impressions seem to base our whole sentiment about certain things. As I drove through Los Gatos on the day of my arrival in the United States, I noticed the town has high standards, something this community is be outstandingly proud of.

The streets are clean and tidy with beautiful trees shading the way. The parks are spacious with no litter or mess. There is a wonderful array of shops, each with a quirky personal style. All these characteristics are topped off with the delicious summer weather we're having.

On my first walking venture through town, I was sure to meet some interesting characters that help brighten gorgeous Los Gatos. People on the streets are polite, drivers are courteous and, what I was most impressed with, the shop assistants are happy, welcoming and engaging.

Find out what's happening in Los Gatoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

These shop assistants stuck out to me in particular, so I thought they deserved a mention and my thank you:

—you do have my heart, keep it up!

Find out what's happening in Los Gatoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • Shane Thomas, 26, store manager 
  • Where I live: San Jose for six years.
  • How long I have worked in this store for: 2.5 years, but different Pizza my Heart stores for 5-6 years. 
  • What I like most about my job: There generally aren’t any bad customers; they are always in a good mood as opposed to other Pizza my Heart locations I have worked in. It is very relaxed and privately owned, so we get to have lots of fun hanging out, and I get a lot of free food.
  • What I like most about Los Gatos: There is an interesting crowd here, and I have gotten to know other workers from bars and shops. The weather is always nice and the shops are relaxed and friendly. It’s also a very "dog-friendly" place, since I have a new puppy and a lot of shops are open to letting the dogs inside.

—a dainty knick-knack store with treasures of all sorts

  • Bob and Susan Bortfeld, store owners
  • Where we live: Almaden for three years, but in the Bay Area for 40-50 years.
  • How long we have owned this store for: eight years.
  • What I like most about my job: Bob: Because it is our shop, we can have it our way. It is our retirement business, so we just sell things we love. We find something we love and we keep it for a little while and then sell it to someone who loves it. We have a mix of handcrafted items, vintage, gifts and exclusive items, most of which are made in the U.S. We have great customers with a few regulars, and we get a lot of compliments.
  • What I like most about Los Gatos: People are always nice and polite; walking down the street people will always say “hi” or “excuse me.” There are a mix of great shops and restaurants where it is small enough for people to recognize regular customers. The Town Council and the Chamber of Commerce also work really well together to keep it nice. The old-style buildings that have been kept after the San Francisco earthquake are something to be proud of. When rebuilding the town, the options were to get with the rest of the people to restore what we had or get out. It is also a very active town with music events running regularly; there is always something to do.

—just the smell is enough to lure one into the sweet chocolate heaven.   

  • Emily Feather, 23, shop assistant
  • I live: In Los Gatos for 15 years.
  • I have worked in this store for: two years.
  • What I like most about my job: It’s very creative. The owner, Holly, and I are very alike, so we are always finding new ways to decorate things. There are great customers and regulars, which helps to build good relationships. The customers also always love the chocolate, so it’s great to have people loving something that we have created.
  • What I like most about Los Gatos: It’s got that small-town feel but isn’t too far from metropolitan areas. It’s a very green town with great landscapes, like the mountains.

—a beautifully diverse gift shop.

  • Marie Grace, self proclaimed "store girl."
  • Where I live: In Los Gatos for 30 years.
  • How long I have worked in this store for: four years.
  • What I like most about my job: It is a real family atmosphere; the owners are very welcoming and embracing. There are always fun new things coming into the store; it’s like a treasure chest or sanctuary. I also have my own jewelery line, Sister Marie’s, which often makes people think I am a nun!

What I like most about Los Gatos: It’s a real, living town. You can do everything you need to right here in Los Gatos instead of going out to a mall. There are beautiful surroundings like the the restaurants are great, the people are friendly and there are plenty of things to do, like Music in the Park. It’s a paradise.

To Los Gatos town members, I congratulate you on making this town a wonderful place for visitors and locals alike. Remember to just sit back and appreciate the paradise right out your back (and front!) door; it’s a beautiful place to be in.

Please continue to be a happy, thriving community with sunshine in your heart and a smile with your soul.

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