SUMMER 2014
DOWNTOWN
CONNECTION
Long awaited downtown bakery exceeds expectations It’s 7 a.m. in downtown Oceanside. At the corner of Pier View Way and Coast Highway, the lights of the dining room flicker to life as Petite Madeline Bakery and Bistro opens for the day. Although the dining room is just coming to life, baker Natasha Avedisian and her crew have been working since 4 a.m. in the kitchen (sometimes earlier) preparing fresh pastries and baked goods from scratch.
Christine’s foray into the culinary industry started when, after years in the corporate world, she found herself a casualty of the economic downturn. When this happened, she decided to use it as an opportunity to start down a different path. She researched culinary institutions, finally deciding on The CCA in San Francisco. After graduating, she spent six months working at the world famous Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkley. This was a non-paid position but Christine knew the value of being immersed in a kitchen that is held in such high regard in the culinary industry.
Chef Christine Loyola (left) and baker Natasha Avedisian
On the other side of the split kitchen, cook Pedro Hernandez and Lolo Perez go over their prep lists, checking what will be needed for the week’s constantly rotating specials menu. It is this dedication to producing quality food daily from scratch that sets Petite Madeline apart from so many others. That philosophy can be easily traced back to owner/chef Christine Loyola.
After earning her rite of passage, Christine sought to strike out on her own. On a visit to see her brother Peter, She saw an opportunity to bring something to Oceanside that did not currently exist in the market. Her goal was to open a bistro and bakery that would use traditional methods and techniques to create modern and inventive cuisine. As a result, Petite Madeline opened its doors about eight years ago. At that time, it was located in East Oceanside at El Camino Real and Mission Ave. The concept was a hit from the very beginning. People came from around the city to get their hands on Christine’s fresh pastries and baked goods. In 2011 she made a strategic move and opened the current downtown location on the corner of Mission Ave. and Pier View Way. Whether you’re just grabbing one of their house made croissants to go, sitting down to a sweet or savory crepe, or having one of their lunch specials like Tuna Conserva Salad, you can taste the quality of the ingredients and skill of execution put into the food.
The saying goes ”happy chefs make happy food” but it also takes dedication and a standard to the craft. The next time you’re downtown, visit Petite Madeline and indulge a little. My personal recommendation is to grab a spinach and feta Croissant breakfast sandwich and a freshly brewed tea. Though, you really can’t go wrong with any options on the menu. Story and photos by Chris Messenger www.NorthCountyFood.com
Preserving and Promoting Downtown Oceanside Since 2000 STAFF Rick Wright Executive Director Kim Heim Director, Special Projects Gumaro Escarcega Main Street Program Manager Kathy Hamman OfďŹ ce Manager Cathy Nykiel Sunset Market Manager Maryanne Bruce Vendor Liaison Beecher Young Crew Chief BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sylvia Spiva, Board Chair Pier View Market Roseanne Kiss North County Printers Kirk Harrison Harney Sushi Tom LeBus Seaside Financial Services Max Disposti North County LGBTQ Resource Center Forrest Heyden Asylum Surf and Skate Kim Millwood That Boy Good BBQ David Schulz Star Theatre Company Cecil Goff Nationwide Insurance ADVISORS Howard LaGrange Visit Oceanside Tracey Bohlen City of Oceanside David Nydegger Oceanside Chamber of Commerce MainStreet Oceanside 701 Mission Avenue Oceanside, California 92054 (760) 754-4512 info@mainstreetoceanside.com
www.mainstreetoceanside.com
MainStreet Oceanside Sunset Market Oceanside
BUSINESS Spotlight
Downtown jeweler specializes in the unusual Chad Elliott likes to make jewelry the oldfashioned way – by hand. He sells what people want at Oceanside Jewelers. For instance, he said, the current “halo” setting with a ring of stones around a center gem – is extremely popular.
and, of course, there is a ready market nearby with the young servicemen and women at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base. He works with those young Marines, Elliott said. “We try to get them the right piece of jewelry and not sell them into debt.” For that reason, he said, he keeps a lot of loose diamonds and colored gemstones, and this broad selection “allows us to make pieces at all price points.” In general, Elliott said, patrons can get a much better deal at an independent store than at a “big box” which stocks many rings mass-produced by the thousands At his store, he said, he can show his portfolios and catalogs with various designs, and he and the customer “really work together at the price they want and scale the idea to fit the customer’s budget” with diamond prices scaling down from, say $5,000 to $4,500 to $3,800. The same design can work “at many price points,” he said. Here, Elliott said, the customer can get a “locally produced piece of jewelry and have a conversation with a jeweler instead of sales person.”
But his personal preference is for traditional styles. Elliott specializes in “unusual and elaborate pieces” - those requiring “a lot of handwork, oldstyle hand-setting, hand-engraving.” He does all the casting and finishing in house -”these hands make all the jewelry.” But the store also does a lot of repair and restoration, restoring vintage jewelry and repairing fine watches, such as Rolex, Cartier and Tag Heuer. “We do real quality restoration,” he said. Engagement and bridal rings remain a big portion of sales - “something you count on”, Elliott said,
In addition to stocking gems for custom rings, Elliott said he also has a selection of pre-owned jewelry, including engagement rings, “all in perfect condition.” and often half the price of a new piece. “New jewelry can get pretty pricey,” Elliot admitted. He buys at estate sales and from other sources. Besides rings, Oceanside Jewelers also purchases single pieces in gold, silver and platinum, fine watches, silver and gold coins, silver and gold bullion, flatware and serving ware and gemstones. It recently obtained a pawn license from the city, and Elliott said many customers prefer to do their pawn business in the atmosphere of a fine jewelry store. Some of the jewelry he purchases is kept for repair and restoration and the “destiny” of other pieces is to be melted down. Elliott as been working with diamonds and other gems since he was a youth. Friends of his family owned a jewelry store in Miami, and “as a really young teenager,” he began “tooling around the shop.” He worked there after junior high and high school, too. After graduation, Elliott studied accounting, and he worked for the U. S. Forest Service in Puerto
Rico for a while, but said “I kept coming back to jewelry.” He moved to Los Angeles in 1998 and to North County in 2002. Elliott manufactured higher-end jewelry for designers and designed his own jewelry lines for such stores as Saks, Nordstrom and Bergdorf Goodman. It usually was marketed under other labels, both in Los Angeles and in San Diego County. He bought Oceanside Jewelers in 2008, but the store has been at 222 N. Coast Highway since 1989. As for the differences in jewelry tastes from Miami Beach to Los Angeles to here, Elliot said North County customers tend to prefer jewelry on a smaller scale. The economy affects buying habits as well, he said, with silver being lessexpensive than gold. Oceanside Jewelers is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. A sample of Elliott’s designs is available on the store’s website at Oceanside-Jewelers.com Story and photos by Lola Sherman
O M S
AUGUST 9 & SEPTEMBER 13
Starting JULY 18 Star Theare Company presents FOOTLOOSE The Musical Based on the original movie, Footloose tells the story of the lively city boy, Ren, who moves to a small town where dancing has been banned by a preacher determined to exercise control of the town’s youth. The incredible pop/rock score features such hits as Let’s Hear It For The Boy, Almost Paradise and Holding Out For A Hero as well as the hit title song by Kenny Loggins that will bring audiences to their feet. Shows on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through July 27th. See website for schedule and tickets. Historic Star Theatre 402 North Coast Highway (760) 721-9983 www.StarTheatreCo.com
Oceanside History Walk The Oceanside Historical Society features Downtown History Walks on the second Saturday of each month through September beginning at 9:00am. The walks begin at the Oceanside Civic Center Fountain at Coast Highway and Pier View Way. Walks are free and open to everyone and are pleasantly paced so folks of all ages can participate. The tour takes about 2 hours. 9:00 am - 11:00 am Oceanside Civic Center Fountain 300 N. Coast Hwy 760-439-1319
AUGUST 16 World Bodysurfing Championships This is a bodysurfing event on the north & south side of the Oceanside Pier. Sponsored by Scott Hubbell Productions www.Beachsport.org 6:30 am - 4:00 pm (760) 802-7452
Starting JULY 20 Sundays at Heritage Park All are invited to attend the annual summer “Sunday Concerts at Heritage Park” series beginning on July 6th. Each week will showcase a different style of music. This is a FREE, family friendly event. July 20th, 4pm-6pm: Karaoke Day July 27th, 4pm-6pm: 1950′s Style Music August 3rd, 2pm-5pm: Old School Rock Music August 10th, 4pm-6pm: “Open Mic” Day Sponsored by: The City of Oceanside Parks and Recreation Division and the “Friends of Oceanside Parks” 220 Peyri Road (760) 435-9628
AUGUST 1-2-3 30th Annual Oceanside Longboard Surfing Club Contest and Beach Festival Features coalition surf teams from all over California. The event will include a beach festival in the Junior Seau Pier Amphitheater with vendors selling food and merchandise. There will also be live music and a beer garden in the amphitheater all weekend long. The event is free to spectators and shoppers. Sponsored by The Oceanside Lonboard Surfing Club (OLSC). North and South Pier Beach and Junior Seau Pier Amphitheater (760) 500-0745
LABOR DAY SEPTEMBER 1 85th Annual Labor Day Pier Swim This is an annual fundraising event held by the Oceanside Swim Club, a non-profit organization. The event consists of a one mile swim around the Oceanside Pier. 7:30 am - 12:30 am Oceanside Pier (760) 458-4101 www.oceansideswimclub.com
SEPTEMBER 13 MainStreet Oceanside Promotion Cte presents TASTE OF OCEANSIDE
The Promotion Committee is coordinating the logistics for one-of-a-kind downtown experience. On September 13 from Noon to 4:00pm, MainStreet Oceanside will coordinate a Taste of Oceanside event attracting locals to experience our new and unique dining experiences. This will be a great opportunity to sample our existing and newest restaurants before we kick off our very own Restaurant Week. Our downtown Oceanside restaurants will be offering a unique “taste” that will make you want to come back for more. Please visit our website for more details. www.MainStreetOceanside.com
SEPTEMBER 27 - 28 Starting AUGUST 30 Movie Nights at the Pier Presented by Oceanside Parks and Rec Movies start at dark, come early and set up your own “Movie Theater”. This is a FREE family friendly event. Free parking is located at the lots off Mission Ave, across from Harney Sushi and Dairy Queen. August 30: The Lego Movie October 11: The Goonies (760) 435-5041
Oceanside Chamber of Commerce presents HARBOR DAYS This free two day event will feature arts and craft exhibits, great food and fun activities for the entire family. Experience fun activities including the new sandcastle competition, entertainment stage, Nail ‘n’ Sail Competition, Military, Public Safety displays, and more. Oceanside Harbor Saturday 9:00a am to 6:00 pm Sunday 9:00a am to 5:00 pm (760) 722-1534 www.OceansideChamber.com
THURSDAYS ALL YEAR ROUND Oceanside Farmers Market Pier View Way east of Coast Highway 9:00 am - 1:00 pm (760) 754-4512 www.MainStreetOceanside.com
Oceanside Sunset Market Pier View Way west of Coast Highway 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm 760-754-4512 www.SunsetMarket.com
RESTAURANT Spotlight
Local Tap House and Kitchen enlivens the downtown dining scene Local Tap House and Kitchen opened its doors on May 23rd, just in time for the Memorial Day weekend. Taking over the old Vaughn’s Grocery location at 308 S. Coast Highway, this new addition to Oceanside’s growing food and beer scene is already proving to be a hit. The white washed exterior with its wood framed doors and stenciled logo sets the tone for the restaurant’s design esthetics. Inside, the restaurant is open and airy with a high ceiling and five large “garage door style” windows. The windows can be opened to bring additional light and fresh air, adding an alfresco feel to the space. The large southern wall hosts a long bar with ample seating and four big screen TVs, which are mounted high enough and far enough apart so as not to be distracting. Counter style seating runs along the windowed walls while tall dining tables run down the center area. This provides for ample seating without crowding. The complete interior is a mixture of reclaimed woods and metals. Owner Gabe Hogan used a number of local craftsmen in creating the design and build out. The signature table bases were created by Erin at Ketner Fabrication while the table tops and cabinets came by way of Mika at Coast Wood Works. Even the unique pipe tap system was done locally by All County Plumbing. On the culinary side of things, Gabe brought Chef Daniel Elliott Pundik on board. Daniel has a great history in a high end dining. He was executive Chef at The Crossings in Carlsbad for five years. He also worked at La Valencia in La Jolla running two of their restaurants in addition to spending time in a number of restaurants throughout San Diego.
a number of small plates like: Fried Green Tomato Sliders with Pork Belly or Kentucky Fried Calamari with Malt Vinegar Mayo.
At Local Tap House and Kitchen, Chef Daniel has created a menu featuring what he calls “Cali Comfort Cuisine”. Familiar yet elevated plates featuring locally sourced produce. The menu is broken down into “Starters, Greens, Quick Eats, and Mains”. The Starter section features
Prices run $6 to $12 for Starters. I tried the Calamari which would be fine on its own as a light meal or shared as an appetizer. Quick Eats and Mains range from $10 to $14. The beer selection offers 32 California-based beers on tap. The list features many of the state’s
The Quick Eats and Mains bring choices such as Pulled Pork Rib French Dip with Kennebec Fries, a Blue Collar CAB Burger, and Fresh Local “Catch of the Day”.
top breweries: Stone, Ballast Point, Green Flash, and Firestone Walker, as well as some smaller popular breweries like Mother Earth, North Coast, and Julian Hard Cider. There is also a small wine menu as well as a number of signature craft cocktails for variety. Local Tap House and Kitchen is a great place to grab a microbrew and a bite on a summer afternoon or for a night out with a group of friends on the weekend. It should definitely find its way into your regular restaurant rotation. Story and photos by Chris Messenger www.NorthCountyFood.com
MainStreet Program News
MainStreet News
New Businesses: Shred Industries 125 S. Coast Highway Harcourts Prime Properties 804 Pier View Way Mission Avenue Bar & Grill 711 Mission Avenue Local Tap House & Kitchen 308 S. Coast Highway Alfredo’s Restaurant 401 Mission Avenue Ste. 120 Maui Wowi 409 Mission Avenue Carmine Pizza – Under new Ownership 119 S. Coast Highway Master’s Kitchen & Cocktail 208 S. Coast Highway Downtown News Master’s Kitchen & Cocktail, Local Tap House & Kitchen, Mission Avenue Bar & Grill and Maui Wowi Coffees & Smoothies have arrived in downtown Oceanside to give us good eats and great hang out spots with our friends and family. Master’s Kitchen & Cocktails is now serving California Casual fine dining in a elegantly remodeled facility that will make you want to come back for more. The Local Tap House & Kitchen is showing off their new classy look on South Coast Highway, which will give you an experience to remember with their eclectic menu. Mission Avenue Bar & Grill will be serving American cuisine and will be open late nights. Maui Wowi will be reopening at their new location next to the Regal Cinema and offering their renowned coffee and smoothies. Please visit these newest additions to downtown. Monthly Arts Walk Oceanside is the home to military, surf, skate and NOW A THRIVING ART DISTRICT. Join us as we promote our vibrant art community showcasing live performances, music, poetry, art education, culinary and popup art galleries embedded in local businesses and public spaces. Who: Over 1,000 regional residents are expected to attend the First Friday: Oceanside Art Walk, put on by dozens of businesses and showcasing dozens of local artists. What: Downtown Oceanside is coming alive with vibrant arts, performances, music, poetry, activities, food, and fun for all ages, all free. When: First Friday of each Month - August 1st from 6:00pm - 9:00pm and every month after that.
Where: Businesses and vacant spaces throughout downtown Oceanside, and extending down the coast. Why: The Oceanside Cultural Consortium (OCC) was established in 2013 with the goal of establishing Oceanside and surrounding communities as an important arts, culture, entertainment and tourism hub/destination. Its members include nearly 50 different Oceanside arts, community, business, and civic organizations. How Much: Free to attend! Event maps will be distributed every month listing the locations, art happenings and sponsors, also on www.oceansideartwalk.org. Organization Committee Message from Cecil Goff – Nationwide Insurance: Downtown Oceanside is the place to be! You can feel the excitement in the air. The business community has come together to set new standards that will elevate the downtown as a true Destination. Business members and community leaders are focused on the image of downtown. The MainStreet monthly meetings are at near capacity. Each month there is at least one educational program geared to the business owners. These programs have been beneficial to new owners as well as seasoned leaders. The quarterly mixers have brought together a significant percentage of downtown and neighboring business owners to come together and network. If you are not a member of MainStreet Oceanside you need to get on board now! It is truly worth it! Main Street Program Activities Downtown Ambassador Program Report: The Downtown Ambassador Program has been providing a large number of tourists and locals with information about our downtown. Alternately located at the entrance of the Pier and Pier View Way Underpass, the volunteers are receiving a positive response from downtown visitors who are thrilled to recieve information about what to do in Oceanside. A different ambiance is created when we set up the Downtown Ambassador canopy at the Pier and Pier View Way underpass. Tension reduces in the area and groups don’t congregate at the entrance near Oceanside Pier. According to Wyndham employees and residents, the underpass feels safer to walk through during their lunch and/or breaks. The program has attracted over 20 volunteers that live near Downtown Oceanside. Thank you Downtown Ambassadors for making our program a great success! MainStreet Oceanside would like to also thank That Boy Good, Tremont St. Bar & Grill and Wheel Fun Rentals for donating gift certificates to our Downtown Ambassadors.
If you’re in the area, come say hi to our volunteers on Tues, Wed, Fri and Sat from 11:00am – 3:00pm and Thursday from 11:00am – 5:00pm MainStreet Mixer: The next Main Street Mixer is scheduled on Tuesday, August 12th from 5pm – 7pm (location to be decided). The Mixer is a great opportunity to network with your fellow neighbors and business people and get to know your community. For more information and/or to RSVP please Gumaro at 760.754.4512 or email him at Gumaro@ mainstreetoceanside.com. Promotion Committee Taste of Oceanside: The Promotion Committee is coordinating the logistics for one-of-a-kind downtown experience. On September 13, 2014 from 12:00pm – 4:00pm, MainStreet Oceanside will coordinate a Taste of Oceanside event attracting locals to experience our new and unique dining experiences. This will be a great opportunity to sample our existing and newest restaurants before we kick off our very own Restaurant Week. Our downtown Oceanside restaurants will be offering a unique “taste” that will make you want to come back for more. After the our taste event concludes, some restaurants will offer a three course meal at a special price. How amazing is that? Please visit our website for more details. To follow our events and downtown news, please subscribe to our E-Newsletter at www.mainstreetoceanside.com. Volunteers are always needed to help make downtown Oceanside a better place to work, live and play: If you are interested in volunteering with MainStreet Oceanside, please call us at 760-754-4512.
BUSINESS Spotlight
Downtown gift shop caters to locals and visitors alike Heather Foster loves to shop, and she loves “looking at cute little stores,” so that’s what she’s tried to make of her own business, Little Louie’s Gift and Souvenir Store, at 312 Mission Ave., downtown Oceanside.
Corbett and then Foster have kept the “Little Louie” name. Foster said she has expanded the offerings for sale greatly with items as far-ranging as collectors’ thimbles and rubber flip-flops. There are a very lot of souvenir shot glasses. “Our customers love the store because it has a large amount of inventory,” Foster said. She said she still gets some valuable mentoring, like accounting and inventory assistance, from the retired Corbett, in the retail business here for 25 years, whom she praised for being instrumental in helping Oceanside become the “fabulous tourist” destination that it is today. Corbett did some revamping, Foster said, “and we’ve done a whole lot as well.”
Little Louie’s is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the summer and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the winter.
Business is good, Foster said, even in the winter months, although, of course she is busier in the summer.
Story and photos by Lola Sherman
Vacationers come from nearby hotels and timeshares, she said. And, she noted that the shop is at the end of a short walk from the train station and a lot of people come by that mode just to stay the day. Walking around the small store, she’ll look at objects and invariably call them “sweet.” Foster, a teacher both here and in her native South Africa, owns the store with her elder son, Brandon. They bought it a year and a half ago from the previous owner, George Corbett. And Corbett, in turn. had acquired it three years previously from Rick Wright and Lu DeLucy, who had operated it for 20 years. Wright is now executive director of MainStreet Oceanside. He said “We started out as Beach Photo and operated a one-hour-photo service and sold photo-related merchandise. To meet customer demand, we started to sell souvenir merchandise. Eventually, the one-hour-photo business declined due to digital and the souvenir business increased, so we renamed the store Little Louie’s and sold souvenirs exclusively.”
Although she said she loved teaching (grade school – specializing in mathematics and art ), “I thought it would be a fabulous change” to own a small shop.
If they’ve forgotten anything for the beach, even a boogie board, she stocks it. Also, the shop has attracted a lot of local residents, she said, because of the “unusual home decor” available – much of it with a nautical theme. Locals shop for birthday and Christmas gifts, as well, she said. “We’re constantly getting new items,” Foster said. They range from doorstops to decorative candles – even beaded items from South Africa. “Everybody loves chimes,” she said, as she points them out – along with shark-teeth jewelry and drink coasters. All clothes for sale - from baby outfits to adult tee shirts - carry an Oceanside logo. Foster said children love to fill little bottles or bags – some with powdered candy and others with tiny seashells.
BUSINESS Spotlight
New downtown hotel mixes beach vibe with modern amenities Probably, not every SpringHill Suites hotel in the country has a faucet out front for washing feet.
But then not every hotel sits a block from beach sand, which might need washing off.
Oceanside also is home to a Courtyard by Marriott and a Marriott Residence Inn.
operated Betty’s Fish House in the building, with an entrance on Mission Avenue.
Hotel publicity calls it “a hop, skip and a splash” from the ocean. The Oceanside location is one of about 300 SpringHill Suites nationwide, a brand of Marriott International Inc., one of the world’s largest hoteliers.
A lot of people don’t realize, says Kathleen Maola, Oceanside SpringHill general manager, that the upscale Ritz-Carlton also is a Marriott property, listed in the “luxury” category on the Marriott website.
Guests enter the hotel at 110 N. Myers St. with valet parking only. And that’s where the footwashing faucet is to be found.
The company places both SpringHill and Courtyard in its “modern essentials” label – “more modern and contemporary,” Maola said, without the extra cost of full-service. For instance, SpringHill has no restaurant of its own although it does serve breakfast in a section of its spacious lobby, and there’s a separately
Outside, a succulent wall also welcomes guests, The lobby décor carries out a seaside motif, with “aquatic blue” as a major color. Firepits and fireplaces with seating areas grace both inside and outside areas, and a large painting by San Diego artist Sarah Stiebler hangs on one wall of the lobby. A few convenience necessities are stocked on shelves near the registration desk. There are a total of 149 suites in the six-story hotel. Suites don’t have distinct rooms but the small lounge area is separated from the bedroom by a work desk. Maola says the sections are for “relaxing, working and sleeping.” “It’s what the modern traveler is looking for – a great facility and service” without the need for such as the concierge service offered at luxury hotels, Maola said. She characterizes the hotel clientele as multigenerational.
Lots of families come for the beach, sometimes with grandparents, and couples like a romantic getaway. Of course, business is seasonal, better in the summer. Daily room rates range from $159 to $199 in low season and into the $300s in high season. “There’s something here for everybody,” she said. And that includes fitness and games rooms, a rooftop swimming pool with full ocean views as well as a “view deck” that can accommodate 150 people. By combining two meeting rooms, SpringHill can handle 128 for a banquet, and those rooms can be separated to seat 72 and 56 respectively at tables. Maola knows that some – but not all, especially to the south – of the ocean views will be lost when the long-delayed S. D. Malkin hotel is built in the block just seaward of SpringHill Suites. “I know there’s drama” surrounding the property next door, she said. Malkin has been tied up by the economic plunge and by the state’s dismantling of city redevelopment agencies. A hotel was planned on the block containing SpringHill Suites only as a “Plan B”. The state Coastal Commission requires a certain number of hotel rooms in that beach area before other construction can take place. Because the Malkin project has not gone forward, SpringHill was built so that a master plan calling for condominiums and retail shops can be constructed in the rest of the area, referred to by many as the CityMark property, after its previous owners. Maola came here to open SpringHill Suites on Feb. 11. A Carlsbad resident, she’d been working as general manager at the Marriott property in Rancho Bernardo. A native of Michigan, she had started working for Marriott as a front-desk associate in Detroit at the age of 18. “I just thought it was really fun,” she said, so she stayed in the hotel business. Story and photos by Lola Sherman
Longtime Chamber of Commerce exec is a local boy He was mustered out in 1976 after “nine years, five months and 27 days” of service.
Sometime in the 1950s, a young David Nydegger stood on the roof of his dad’s shoe store and watched the annual Independence Day parade make its way through downtown Oceanside.
When he returned to California, his father had sold the shoe store, and his mother was teaching at Palomar College. Nydegger also has taught at the communitycollege level – 31 years as a marketing and advertising instructor at MiraCosta College.
But, despite much of a lifetime spent in Oceanside, Nydegger said, he’d never actually been in the parade, which took place this year on Saturday, June 28.
After the service, he went into sales and then became retail and classified-advertising manager at the Blade-Tribune newspaper in Oceanside. Then, he worked for the Chula Vista Star-News for a couple of years as its major-accounts representative. Then, he became general manager for the Sun-Post in San Clemente, serving briefly as publisher of that newspaper and accepting a “general excellence” award on its behalf from the California Newspaper Publishers Association just after the Sun-Post’s purchase by the Orange County Register.
“I was very honored,” he said, to be asked to be grand marshal. Since watching that early parade from the roof, he’s graduated from high school and then the Naval Academy at Annapolis, served his country, worked in advertising departments at several newspapers and then found his niche as head of two chambers of commerce. For the last 17 years, he’s been chief executive officer of the Oceanside Chamber He knows he’s the longest-tenured chamber CEO in the county and one of the longest in the state.
Barely skipping a beat, Nydegger stepped into the just-vacated job as executive director of the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce, leaving for the Oceanside post in 1997.
Nydegger was born in Kansas , but he came to Oceanside in 1945 at the age of eight months with his parents, Mildred and Lee Nydegger and his brother, Neil, three years his senior. His parents met at Wichita State University where both were music students. His mother taught piano, and his father played in Big Bands throughout the Midwest. Lee Nydegger came here to run the Music Department at Oceanside High School and to direct the choir. Housing was hard to find, so the young family lived in a trailer park on what then was Hill Street (now Coast Highway) near the San Luis Rey River bridge. Curiously, the address was 928 N. Hill St., the site of the current Chamber of Commerce building where Nydegger works. “We found the pads of the old trailer park right beneath this building,” he said. After a couple of years and a few other jobs and band gigs, Lee Nydegger started working in a shoe store, prompted in part because his wife rarely could find the very narrow – size AAAA shoes that she needed. He named the store, at 607 Second Ave. (now Mission) for his boys and called it David Neil’s. “It was a small, small, tiny town then” Nydegger says of Oceanside. Besides remembering the parade, he recalls Fiesta Days in Oceanside when the men in town would come into the store with cap guns and would have to grow a beard or be fined $3-$5. “It was an outrageous sum back then,” Nydegger said. He attended the old Horne Street and Nevada
Street schools and Ditmar Elementary, but both Nydegger and his brother graduated from the Army and Navy Academy. He entered Annapolis in 1963 after graduation from high school. Nydegger met the girl who would become his wife, Diane Kwolik, at Buccaneer Beach just before she started Oceanside High as a junior, and he figures he was lucky he got a head start on all the boys at that school. He came to see her on leaves from Annapolis, and “we were always together,” he said. They married just days after his graduation from the Naval Academy. Diane Nydegger passed away in late 2012. Nydegger served two tours in Vietnam, went to destroyer school in Rhode Island, picked up his ship in Naples, Italy, cruised the Mediterranean and and spent three years in Puerto Rico, where he obtained a Master of Business Administration degree from Inter American University. “The Cold War was still on,” Nydegger said. At sea, during very heavy weather, he fell “literally from one side of the (ship’s) bridge to the other” and suffered a herniated disc in his neck. His right arm lost a half inch of muscle. For a while, he said, “I could not lift a soup can.” Surgery was “semi-successful, but not good enough for the Navy.”
The Oceanside Chamber enrolls 720 members, down from its peak of just over 1,000 in 2003-2004 – a reflection of the economic downturn, Nydegger said. But, he said, “the last two years, there’s been a net increase every month except one , so we’re coming back. That’s a good sign that the economy is coming back, too.” During his local tenure, he has been successful in luring a California Welcome Center to town. “I personally think that it is one of the best things that has happened to the city,” Nydegger said. Until 2000, he said, Oceanside attracted 26,000 to 27,000 visitors a year, but the number jumped to 60,000-80,000 the first year after the Welcome Center opened, and the figure now totals more than 100.000. As for the effect on the local economy, Nydegger said, all those visitors mean a lot more cars that need gasoline and “a lot of mouths to feed” in local restaurants. “I could have been really parochial and kept it all,” he said, but instead he helped to initiate Visit Oceanside, a separate entity which runs the Welcome Center now. Two of Nydegger’s grandchildren, Parker and Alec Bennett, 14 and 12 respectively, rode in the parade with him. A third grandson, Jonah Justice, is only 7 months old. As for the future, Nydegger does not see any major changes., saying “I’m really enjoying my job. I have a great staff.” Story and photo by Lola Sherman
BUSINESS Spotlight
Successful restaurateur opens upscale salon in downtown Oceanside Justin Jachura is in the restaurant business, so what is he doing at the Influence Salon, 401 N. Coast Highway? That’s because he’s also in the beauty business. Jachura is a co-owner of three local restaurants – Los Tacos in Oceanside and in Temecula and Señor Grubby’s in Carlsbad.
“I’ve always worked two jobs”. Jachura says of his restaurant-beauty shop combo. He started the first Los Tacos nine years ago with a couple of friends. With the area’s proximity to the border, Jachura said, he wanted to provide “real street tacos” like those sold in Tijuana and Rosarita Beach. “I built Los Tacos to feel like you’re outside” (as on the street in Baja California)” he said. A graduate of Carlsbad High School and a resident of Carlsbad, Jachura nevertheless attends church in Oceanside (Genesis). “I’ve been around Oceanside and Carlsbad my whole life. I love those two cities,” he said. As for the salon, it’s been open for a year. “I call it my new adventure,” Jachura said.
But he comes by his interest in beauty salons naturally, too, as his father is a barber and his mother a beautician. “I really grew up with it” Jachura says of the beauty business. Mom, Diana Caringi helps out at the reservations desk at Influence Salon, making it a family enterprise. “Having Mom here brings a touch of professionalism and service,” Jachura said.
“333 (Pacific) and Harney (Sushi) - broke the mold” of downtown Oceanside, Jachura said, proving the area could cater to a more-upscale customer and negating the myth that people were afraid to come to the area. “There’s a new excitement downtown, and I’m so glad to be part of that,” he said. Influence Salon occupies a ground-floor storefront at 401 N. Coast Highway – vacant since the Ocean Village complex was built more than a half-dozen years ago.
Jachura liked the bare concrete floors that cover underground parking. He enhanced the painted lines with some of his own and picked up their orange color in some of his furnishings. The parking-structure markings “symbolize something concrete. I love it in the design,” he said, and so did his architect, Sean Canning, whom he called “very young and visionary.” His salon offers Paul Mitchell beauty products exclusively, and Jachura said that hair-care company has given his new business a lot of support. He’s started providing Paul Mitchell classes for other stylists in the area. “We guarantee the best shampoos,” stylist Danielle Smith said, adding that they include a 15-minute scalp massage. And she shows shelves with three different lines of Paul Mitchell hair colors - for people who want to try something different, for those not entirely committed and for permanent hair color made with natural beeswax. It’s low in ammonia, she said, but provides “super shiny” hair and “deep conditioning treatments.” The salon is not all about hair, however. Smith shows a room for “very relaxing spa treatments” and for waxing. She said body wraps and facials are included, too. All the way around, she said, the salon offers “a really great team of highly skilled professionals” “It’s really rewarding,” Jachura said, “to see how some of our stylists have grown in a year.” “We serve people,” Jachura said. “It’s all about service. We pay attention to detail. It about what the guest needs.” Story and photos by Lola Sherman
MainStreet Morning Mtg MainStreet Morning Meeting Notes: July 1, 2014 Mission Avenue construction should be done by the end of the month, according to Nathan Mertz, project manager for the city. Mertz reported to the monthly meeting MainStreet Oceanside on Tuesday, July 1.
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The $3-million project is changing Mission, a key entry to downtown, from a four-lane roadway in two directions to a two-lane street in one direction only - westbound - between Horne Street and Coast Highway. Originally, city engineers had estimated a June 21 date for completion of the project. But Mertz announced in June that rain delays and discovery of old pieces of infrastructure under the pavement near Mission and Coast were affecting the timetable. Mertz said two blocks of sidewalk were completed Monday, and the next week remaining sidewalk will be removed, with some of the work needing to be done at night. All the sidewalk should be completed by July 14, he said. Two blocks of paving is scheduled for July 3, and Mertz said, sections of new sidewalk can be used the next week. Landscaping - trees and plants are in, he said. Work had to be suspended for the June 28 Independence Day parade and during the upcoming Fourth of July weekend, Mertz said, But, he said, “we should be done by the end of the month.” Mary Ann Thiem, a downtown resident and MainStreet volunteer, asked about maintaining the landscaping, saying in the past it had been allowed to wither. This time, Mertz said, city forces will be responsible and will welcome citizen input. Rick Wright, MainStreet Executive Director, asked when street furniture would be installed, and Mertz replied that they would be the last thing. Earlier in the meeting, Cathy Nykiel, who coordinates the annual parade, showed slides of
the floats, bands and individuals who participated in the event - a total of more than 120 entries. Nykiel said the sponsor, Tri-City Medical Center, will stay on for two more years. Gumaro Escarcega, programs director, was applauded for bringing Tri-City on board as well as Mossy Nissan, which sponsored KOCT’s televising of the event. Besides Tri-City, Nykiel thanked city police, parks and recreation and public works crews as well as the many sponsors, donors and volunteers who make the parade possible. She said County Supervisor Bill Horn’s contribution helped Christine Marek of Bushido Marketing get the word out about the parade and entice newspaper and television coverage from San Diego. David Nydegger, CEO of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, had to dash off but said how much fun he had as grand marshal - fun shared by his grandsons. OPD Lt. Karen Laser reported on beach-area street closures for the Fourth of July weekend. She said they would be “pretty much the same as last year” and noted that MainStreet will be sponsoring vendors to serve the beachgoers. “Fourth of July is going to be big,” Kim Heim, Special Projects Director for MainStreet, said. “I would not be surprised if we have 50,000-plus at the beach,” he said. Heim said the most-popular vendors from the weekly Sunset Market, will be there, and a children’s play area at Tyson Street Park will include a bounce house and facepainting. Asked when the streets will reopen, Laser said she believes it will be about 7 to 8 p.m. because high tides are expected about 8-8:30 p.m. Laser also mentioned that fireworks will not be shot from the beach, but from El Corazon on Rancho del Oro Drive between Oceanside Boulevard and Mesa Drive in the center of the city and on July 3, not the Fourth. Cerina De Souza, marketing manager for Visit Oceanside, said many hotels are requiring twonight stays over the holiday weekend and that means more visitor spending. Wright said he finds it interesting that ComicCon, the giant convention in San Diego, affects hotels in Oceanside, and De Souza said local tourism also is being helped by Marine units returning to Camp Pendleton. Escarcega reported that MainStreet’s new ambassador program is well-received and Dick
Bartlett, one of the ambassadors, said volunteers will be stationed at the west entrance of the Pier View Way underpass on July 4th. He previously knew, Bartlett said, that downtown directional signage is poor but is “now aware of it in spades” due to visitor concerns. “A surprising number or people come on the train,” Bartlett said, citing both Coaster (from San Diego) and Metrolink “beach train” service (from points inland) as very popular. As locals, “we see all the warts of the city,” Bartlett said. But he said 99 percent of the visitors view it as a wonderful place. Escarcega said the ambassadors are helping “change the perception of the city” into one that is especially friendly. There was concern about the loss of sand on the beach. “Our entire downtown economy revolves around people coming to the beach,” Wright said. And City Councilman Gary Felien reported that “we jump on every opportunity to get sand.” But, he said, an unexpected grunion run affected one attempt to put more sand on the beach, and a proposal to take sand from Whelan Lake inland was negated because that sand did not meet sand-quality guidelines. Felien said it would be easy to put sand on a beach in Texas, but “California decisions are based on environmental extremism.” Even if a solution were found today, he said, it wouldn’t be fully implemented for 20 years because “that’s the way the state functions.” Eileen Turk, Oceanside Parks and Recreation Division Manager, said the annual Samoan Festival will be held at the pier on Saturday, six Sunday concerts featuring different styles of music are scheduled in Heritage Park and “Oceanside Day at the Padres” is set for July 20. Turk thanked the council for opening the Marshall Street pool this summer. Jenna Roripaugh, City Environmental Specialist, offered new free calendars that include the Oceanside water-quality report. Chris Messenger from NorthCountyFood. com reported on an art gallery event, an art walk in August, upcoming block party, “a really exciting tea company, the Beer Brewing Co. and a new restaurant-bar called Masters Kitchen and Cocktail. Nykiel said MainStreet will hold its next mixer on Aug. 12. Marek said the Star Theatre downtown will sponsor a stand-up comedy night on Aug. 2. The next monthly meeting will be held from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on August 5th in MainStreet office, 701 Mission Avenue. Story by Lola Sherman.
RESTAURANT Spotlight
Murphyʼs Law brings genuine Irish Pub to Oceanside An Irish Pub needs certain key elements to be authentic. It must have an atmosphere that evokes the old world origins of an Irish pub while having a friendly welcoming atmosphere. It must Have Guinness on tap as well as a large selection of other beer. Irish whiskey is a big plus, and of course a great version of the quintessential Irish Pub food: fish and chips. Murphy’s Law has all of these. Located in the middle of downtown Oceanside at 215 N. Coast Highway, Murphy’s Law is Oceanside’s only true Irish Pub, something that was missing in the local bar scene until their arrival. Taking over the old Pizzeria Venti spot, Murphy’s Law was able to use the existing interior and transform it into one fitting their concept. As you walk in, the large wood bar not only serves as an impressive backdrop, but its placement in the narrow front section of the building helps bring a casual and comfortable feeling to such a large space. Further back, the area opens up providing for a few small booths and larger tables. This area also houses a nice pool table and a room available for private parties. The beer selection at Murphy’s Law is impressive. The 20 taps include a good mix
of Irish must-haves like Guinness and Harp, a good international selection, and a few great local breweries like Oceanside’s Legacy. They also feature about 18 beer mixes on the menu, like “The Battle Ground” which uses Guinness and Union Jack or “The Blacksmith” combining Guinness and Smithwick’s. Happy hour specials run seven days from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. and from 10:00 p.m until closing. Domestic drafts and bottles are $2.50, well drinks are $3.00, craft and imports are $3.25, and Guinness and wine is available for $4.00 along with a number of appetizers for $5.00 each. To go along with all the great beer, Murphy’s Law has quite a large bar menu covering appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and mains. Selections range from nachos and other bar standards to Irish dishes like
Shepherd’s Pie and, of course, Fish and Chips which are made daily using fresh cod. Fish and Chips are also available Thursdays as an allyou-can-eat special. Combine that with one of the happy hour deals and you can’t beat it. Next time you’re looking for a cold beer and some Irish charm, check out Murphy’s Law Irish Pub and Ale House. Story and photos by Chris Messenger www.NorthCountyFood.com
Supporting MEMBERS 101 Café Affordable Insurance Alfredo’s Mexican Food Apotheque Lifestyle Spa Asylum Skate Asylum Surf Baja Body Athletic Club Bank of America Bath Fitter Beach House Winery Beauty 101 Berger Insurance Services Bessie’s Café Birth Choice of Oceanside Board Walk Korn Bob Baker Fiat Branfman Law Group, P.C. Breakfast Club Diner California Breakwater Brewing Co Bushido Corporation California School of English California Style Dogs California Surf Museum Cameron Canales Cameron Fitness Chiropractic & Therapy Center Classic Chariots Cotton Patch Embroidery Shop Cook Creative Curves Oceanside Dairy Queen Daniela Marshall Real Estate Svcs Days Inn Oceanside - Cmp Pndltn DMZ Visual Mktg & Business Solutions Double Diamond Financial & Insurance Services Dukes Hot Sandwiches Earth Culture Endurance House E.O. Snap by Jfly Studios Eternal Hills Memorial Park/ Dignity Memorial Event Media Farm Fresh To You Finest City Kettle Corn Fitness Quest Nutrition Floral Salon Friends of the Oceanside Public Library Frontline Tattoo Future Energy Savers Grace Chapel of the Coast H & M Military Supplies Harbor House Café Harney Sushi Harrah’s Rincon Casino & Resort Harris Personal Injury Lawyers Hooters Oceanside Hunter Steakhouse Ice Cello Infinitee Travel Network Influence Salon Inner World
Jerry Rugg Kinane Events Lawson Business Services/Legal Shield L&M Gifts Little Louies Gift Store LIVE Store M & H Barber Shop Mail Boxes of Oceanside Mariposa Ice Cream Masters Kitchen and Cocktail Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffees & Smoothies MG Properties - Ocean Village Mission Avenue Bar & Grill MobileMoney Inc Murphy’s Law Irish Pub & Ale Hse Nanpor Security Academy Nationwide Insurance Navy Federal Credit Union North County Printers & Bryant Dwyer Sign Service New Venture Christian Fellowship North Coast Dental Care North County Cobras North County Hydroponics Oceanside 420 Alternative Medicine Oceanside Beach Rental Oceanside Chamber of Commerce Oceanside Cultural Arts Foundation Oceanside Equestrian Center/ Beach City Dogs Oceanside Fades Barber & Salon Oceanside Family Dental Care & Specialty Center Oceanside Jewelers Oceanside Mobil Oceanside Museum of Art Oceanside Pier Bait Store Oceanside Theatre Company Oceanside Urgent Care + Family Practice Oceanside Yacht Club Old Mission San Luis Rey One Love Island Cuisine Oceanside Photo & Telescope Pacific Residential Mortgage Keller Williams Realty Pacific Strand Real Estate Palmer Rodak & Associates Panca Peruvian Cuisine & Rotisserie Peak Power Solar Petite Madeline Bakery Pier View Coffee Company Pier View Market & Spirit Pier View Properties Pier View Yoga Plethora Galleria Real Living Lifestyles RealtyMadeliene Lavelle Red & White Superette, Inc.
Rim Talay Thai Cuisine Santino’s Pizza San Diego Gas & Electric - Public Affairs S&S Coast Cycles S&S Complete Auto Care Seaside Financial & Insurance Services Seaside Flowers Shred Industries Clothing Skweezrz Italian Ice So Cal Contractors Inc. Sole Lab Spanky’s Portable Services SpringHill Suites by Marriott Oceanside Star Theater Stone Brewing Co - Company Store Subway Suglass Corner SunPro Tinting Inc SuperGreen Solutions Surf & Sea Shaved Ice Surfin Fire Susu’s Body Art Swami’s Café
Team Synergy FitCamp Thai Burger Company That Boy Good Southern BBQ Joint Think Tank Twin Cities Realty & Crossline Capital Tremont Street Bar & Grill Venetos Italian Cuisine Vintage Sanctuary WalMart Neighborhood Market Welk Resort Group WindSun Energy Systems Work Partners Occupational Health Specialists Wyndham Vacation Resorts Oceanside Xccelerate HR Zija For more information about the benefits of a supporting membership in MainStreet Oceanside, contact Gumaro Escarcega at 760-754-4512 or gumaro@mainstreetoceanside.com.
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