Women-Owned Businesses in Long Beach's Belmont Shore
Belmont Shore is home to some of Long Beach’s best restaurants, retail shops and service providers, with many clustered along 2nd Street, the district’s main drag. Here are some of the women-owned businesses that make Belmont Shore one of the city’s most popular shopping and dining areas.
BARK! BARK!
bark! bark! (5338 E 2nd St) is a pet boutique offering everything you need for your furry friend, plus a treat bar, “barks-and-crafts” station to make your own doggie accessories and full-service grooming available seven days a week. Owner Danielle Portillo started the business with Vivian Dominguez in 2009 and moved to their space on 2nd Street with a vision to expand into retail and grooming. Together they’ve created “a space where pups can shop, get pampered, and be part of the bark! bark! experience.”
FOODOLOGIE BAKED GOODS
Maria Leyesa just wanted to bake a great chocolate chip cookie–but her pandemic pastime soon turned into a business, and she opened Foodologie (195 Claremont Ave) to celebrate her love of Filipino and American baked goods. Her delectable creations include indulgent bite-sized ube brownies and s’mores cookies made with graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallows. In addition to serving as a cookie and brownie bakery, Leyesa calls Foodologie a hub for thoughtfully curated foodie-inspired gifts sourced from other small businesses.
FRAME & SIGHT
Optometrist Dr. Christine Truong founded Frame & Sight Optometry (6511 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Ste G2-B) aiming to redefine the patient experience by blending her clinical expertise with a warm, boutique approach to eye care. “My mission was to establish an independent practice that moves away from a corporate feel to prioritize personalized attention,” Dr. Truong says. Visit her office in The Marketplace shopping center for eye care tailored to your health and individual needs.
LB SWAG
If you’ve strolled 2nd Street in Belmont Shore, you have probably admired the window display at LB Swag (5304 2nd St), with their amazing selection of Long Beach inspired clothing and gifts. Owner Annie San Pedro opened the shop in 2019 with the goal of helping people show their Long Beach pride. “I started by featuring local artists I met at farmers markets, and through word of mouth, the shop has grown into a space that now supports over 25 local vendors,” she says. Check out their holiday ornaments inspired by the trees on the bay in Long Beach, one of their bestselling items.
WOOF GANG BAKERY & GROOMING
Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming (6214 Pacific Coast Hwy) in the Belmont Shore area is the realization of owner Tabitha Reed’s dream to pursue an enterprise rooted in her passion for animals. Her goal is to create a luxury, community-focused experience for pet parents, and her shop offers salon-style grooming, gourmet dog treats, and abundant cute accessories for your pets. “I started this business with the vision of providing not just grooming, but a place where pets are treated like family and every visit feels special,” Reed says.
GEORGE’S GREEK CAFE
George’s Greek Cafe (5316 E 2nd St) is a fixture on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore where Nicky Clair helms this iconic Long Beach restaurant as owner (and sometimes even bartender). Back in 1999, the Loizides family pooled their resources to open the restaurant, with daughter Nicky doing the bookkeeping. Today, her mother’s recipes and father’s hospitality still shine. “This is my family’s legacy, and it keeps me that much closer to my parents now that they’re gone,” Clair says. “It’s important to carry on my parent’s traditions.”
WATCH ME! SPORTS BAR
Watch Me! Sports Bar (6527 E Pacific Coast Hwy), California’s first bar dedicated to showcasing and uplifting women’s sports, was the vision of married couple Jackie Diener (known as Jax) and Megan Eddy (Emme). They made their decades-long dream a reality, opening in 2024 and have since hosted sports celebrities Billie Jean King, Abby Wambach, and many others. “While our focus is celebrating these amazing women’s teams and athletes, we are all about inclusivity, so we show all sports, but the shine is on the women,” Diener says. “All ages, all races and all genders are welcome here!”
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