Community, Kids & Family, and Retail Stars
After six weeks of nominations and voting, polling for the 2026 Alameda Community Stars Awards [1] ended on February 17. Almost 90,000 votes were cast for 1,995 contenders across 182 categories in nine divisions. Following a brief audit and cleanup of duplicate votes, we are ready to share the results and announce the winners from each category. Second and third runners up and other contenders are listed in their respective categories on the AlamedaStars [1] website.
[2]
On Tuesday, we started by listing the community’s choices for Stars in the Arts & Culture and Personal Services [3] divisions. Wednesday, we detailed the winners of the Business Services and Household Services [4] divisions. Yesterday, we featured the choices in the Food & Drink and Sports & Recreation [5] divisions, and today we will share the Community, Kids & Family, and Retail division winners. The Alameda Stars website will remain available to the public for the rest of the year, so you can check the standings anytime you like.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the competition, whether as a contender, a voter, or both. Be sure to show your appreciation by patronizing these Alameda businesses and service providers!
Community
- Apartment Living – Tower Apartment Homes
- Community Organization – Alameda Food Bank
- Eco-Friendly – Replenish Marketplace
- Mortuary – Alameda Funeral & Cremation Services
- New Business – Replenish Marketplace
- Nonprofit – Alameda Food Bank
- Place of Worship – Patria Church Alameda
- Place to Volunteer – Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter
- Senior Living – Cardinal Point
- Service Club – Rotary Club of Alameda
- Tours / Cruises – BAE Boats
View Community division on AlamedaStars.com [6].
The Community Division was tied for smallest division in the contest, featuring 11 categories. Replenish Marketplace on Webster Street received the most votes for Star New Business, leading multiple Star-winners Two Marys Mercantile and Kindred Running. Replenish was also the choice for the Eco-Friendly Star, over Two Marys Mercantile again, and followed by Mommy’s Trading Post.
Alameda Food Bank also earned two Stars, one for Community Organization out of a field of 27, and one for Nonprofit, besting 19 other organizations. Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter, Star for Pet Adoption, also garnered the most votes for Star Place to Volunteer, ahead of the Food Bank and the Kiwanis Club of Alameda. The Kiwanis were also runners-up to the Rotary Club for Star Service Club, followed by the Elks Lodge #1015. And the Star for Place of Worship was awarded to Patria Church, which received more votes than Temple Israel and First Presbyterian Church.
Kids & Family
- After School Program – Alameda Arts
- Child Care – Kidz R People Too
- Children’s Activities – Pacific Pinball Museum
- Classes – Max Skills Basketball Camp
- Kid’s Parties – Pacific Pinball Museum
- Medical Services – Skin & Strand
- Pre K/Preschool – Kiddie Kampus Cooperative Preschool
- Prenatal Care/Doula – Maureen Layag
- Summer Camp – Ozzy’s Music Academy
- Tutoring Program – Train Your Mind Tutoring
- Winter Camp – Swings and Wings
- Youth Sports League – Ballerz Academy
View Kids & Family division on AlamedaStars.com [7].
There were twelve categories within the Kids & Family Division, all of which generated a lot of voting action. One contender won multiple categories within the division—Pacific Pinball Museum gained recognition as the Stars for Children’s Activities and Kids Parties, to go along with their Stars for Date Night Activity and Museum. Ballerz Academy picked up a second Star for Youth Sports League to go with their Star for Sports Activities.
Classes and Summer & Winter Camps were also popular categories in the division. Max Skills Basketball Camp won the vote for Star Classes, leading Ballerz Academy and Bay Area Training Academy, while Ozzy’s Music Academy took the Star for Summer Camp and Swings & Wings was the pick for Star Winter Camp. Star Tutoring Program was also a busy category, with Train Your Mind Tutoring taking top honors.
[8]Retail
- Antiques – III Antiques & Thangs
- Bike Store – Alameda Bicycle
- Bookstore – Books Inc.
- Boutique – Two Marys Mercantile
- Butcher – Encinal Market – Scalise Butcher
- Cannabis Dispensary – Park Social
- Cheese Shop – Farmstead Cheeses & Wines
- Convenience Store – Honey Bird Market
- Corner Store – Alameda Cellars
- Craft Store – Coven of Stitches
- Eyeglasses Store – Marina Village Optometry
- Flowers – Dandelion Flowers & Gifts
- Game & Toy Store – Toy Safari
- Gift Store – Two Marys Mercantile
- Greeting Card / Stationery Store – Modern Mouse
- Grocery Store / Local Market – Encinal Market
- Hardware Store – Encinal True Value Hardware
- Health & CBD Store – Malaya Botanicals
- Home Decor Store – Second Home
- Jewelry Store – Seelenbacher Jewelers
- Maternity / Kids Clothing Store – Mommy’s Trading Post
- Men’s Clothing Store – All Good Living AGL Collective
- Online Business – Alameda Post
- Pet Food / Supplies – Alameda See Spot Run
- Picture Framing – Alameda Custom Framing
- Plants / Garden Store / Nursery – Encinal Nursery
- Produce / Vegetables / Fruit – Dan’s Farmers Market
- Shoe Store – Kindred Running
- Thrift / Consignment / Vintage – Two Marys’ Mercantile
- Women’s Clothing Store – Lanvie Boutique
View Retail division on AlamedaStars.com [9].
The final division to be reviewed from the 2026 Alameda Stars Community Awards is the Retail Division, where 230 nominees battled for Stars in 30 categories. The most decorated winner in the division was Two Marys Mercantile, who earned three Stars from voters for Boutique, Gift Store, and Thrift/Consignment/Vintage to go with their second-place finishes in New Business and Eco-Friendly.
Encinal Market was the top vote-getter in two categories—Grocery Store/Local Market, where they were the pick over Island Savoy and Trader Joe’s, and Butcher for Scalise Butcher. Stars were awarded to Alameda Cellars for Corner Store, Honey Bird Market for Convenience Store, and Dan’s Farmers Market for Produce/Vegetables/Fruit.
Dandelion Flowers & Gifts won the Star Flowers category, while Park Social was chosen as Star Cannabis Dispensary. Toy Safari took the Star Game & Toy Store honors, and Second Home was voted Star Home Décor Store.
On the sartorial side, Lanvie Boutique was voted Star Women’s Clothing Store, All Good Living took Star Men’s Clothing Store, and Mommy’s Trading Post led the field for Star Maternity/Kids Clothing Store.
Encinal True Value Hardware was chosen as Star Hardware Store over Pagano’s.