OB MainStreet Association Timeline

The Ocean Beach Merchant's Association began with 25 paid members.

The merchants held the first celebration (Street Fair) to raise money for the 4th of July Fireworks Show.

The first (large-scale) Annual Ocean Beach Street Fair, Chili Cook-Off and Fireworks Festival took place in June.

Ocean Beach Merchant's Association applied for the first CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) and was awarded $100,000. The OBMA enlisted local architects for the project.

On September 25, OBMA filed its articles of incorporation.

Cal Poly Architecture students chose Ocean Beach to conduct studies.

The OBMA Executive Committee was formed, applied for CDBG Grant, and was awarded $200,000 for revitalization efforts.

Interviewed over 30 firms and hired Rob Quigley, AIA, as a lead consultant for Ocean Beach design, economic, and traffic studies.

The studies concluded and implementation began, including a facade rebate program, Business Improvement District (BID) surveys, work on PCOZ (Pedestrian Commercial Overlay Zone), amarketing/public relations campaign, hiring staff for public relations and a graphic artist, and development of new logo (concentrated on image). Hired Nolte & Associates to produce working drawings for public improvements. CDBG awarded $535,000.

Nolte & Associates completed public improvement drawings that were reviewed by City departments.

Planters were built around existing palm trees to enhance the pedestrian walkway on Newport Ave.

City Council voted to establish BID for revitalization area.

The first phase of the Newport Avenue Tile Project opened, allowing people to purchase personally engraved tiles to be placed along the avenue.

First day of the OB Famers Market was May 13, 1992. The original logo was designed by Ellen Hildebrand.

The San Diego City Commission of Arts & Culture hired an artist, resulting in murals and sculptures at the entry to the OB Pier parking lot. Town Square, Veterans Plaza, and O.B. Directional Signs were designed and funded.

Gary Weber was retained as a consultant.

The White Light Project began, incorporating small white lights into the majority of merchants' storefronts.

Hired an Executive Director, Gerrie Trussell.

Focused on previously started projects.

Participated in the establishment of the Business Improvement District Council (BIDC).

Sent out RFPs and hired Keyser Marston Associates to perform marketing and intercept surveys, looking for our niche.

Promotion campaign expanded.

Signs and stencils stating "No Skateboarding/No Bikes" placed on Newport Ave.

Designated as a National Main Street Program.

Kent Burnes hosted a 3-day "Community Tour."

CDC performed a business assistance walkabout.

Nine Ocean Beach Logo Directional Signs were installed. Veterans Memorial Plaza was constructed and dedicated.

Revamped 18-year annual Street Fair.

Won the distinguished title of "Best Place to Watch a Sunset."

First year the OBMA designated as a National Main Street Program.

Trademarked the title of "Ocean Beach Street Fair, Chili Cook-Off and Fireworks Festival" as well as the "Ocean Beach Farmers Market."

Filed a name change from Ocean Beach Merchant's Association to become the Ocean Beach MainStreet Association.

An office was leased and the Executive Director became a full-time position.

Re-opened the Newport Avenue Tile Project.

Hosted a Town Meeting at the Ocean Beach Elementary School.

Went to the city to fight for the LMD (Landscape Maintenance District) contract and won.

Police Trailer established in the OB Pier parking lot.

More tiles placed on Newport Avenue.

OceanBeachSanDiego.com became the official OBMA website.

Meetings began for major public improvement project to improve the walkability of the Ocean Beach Business Improvement District.

Project to eventually include tree plantings, ADA compliance, planter box upgrades, and decorative crosswalks. Hosted the first Party on the Pier and the first Antiques on the Avenue.

OB Farmers Market recognized as "Best in the State" by Sunset Magazine.

Mexican Fan Palms planted throughout the business district, the planter boxes were stained teal, and ornamental fencing was later added for ADA compliance.

The OBMA hosted the first "OB Night at the Gulls Game" as a fundraiser.

The OB Farmers Market celebrated its 10th birthday with a party.

Collaborated with the Hoy Hoy Boys for the first-ever Oktoberfest in Ocean Beach, held in Dusty Rhodes Park.

Additional tree plantings in business district, including in front of OB Elementary School, as part of a beautification project.

Cafe seating became a reality for restaurant owners in the business district.

2nd Annual San Diego Oktoberfest was held at Dusty Rhodes Park.

Gerrie Trussell, Executive Director, retired. Hired Denise Knox as new Executive Director.

Produced the OB Locals Business Directory with the OBCDC.

OBMA implemented new accounting system.

4th Phase of Tile Project finished and installed.

Painted curbs around planters a dark blue color.

Started replacing trash can lids with dark blue lids.

Completely revamped website and webcam overlooking pier.

Celebrated 25th Annual Street Fair, Chili Cook-Off and Fireworks Festival.

Increased trash pickup in commercial district.

Trimmed all the palms along Newport Ave and the immediate side streets.

The 5th and 6th phases of the Tile Project were finished and installed.

1st phase of the new palm decorations were installed on lamp posts.

Printed 2005-2006 Business Directory with new format and 20,000 copies were delivered door to door.

Skinned palms on side streets.

Redesigned navigation and look of our website.

Community mural installed at OB Suds.

Hosted 1st OB Jazz Festival in the OB Pier parking lot.

Celebrated the 26th Annual OB Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off.

Celebrated another year of July 4th Fireworks!

Co-hosted the District 2 Candidates Debate between Kevin Faulconer and Lorena Gonzalez.

Co-hosted the OB Community Workshop.

OBMA members attended an Economic Development Workshop hosted by the BIDC.

Developed a new marketing slogan and promotional article.

Began limited advertising in the OBMA Newsletter.

Had local artist Kim Howell paint a mural on the facade of the OBMA office.

Hosted the 27th Annual OB Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off and the July 4th Fireworks.

Celebrated the 2nd Annual OB Jazz Festival with Jazz 88 in the OB Pier parking lot.

Replaced all the trash can lids in the business district.

Worked with Surfrider Foundation to provide 23 attractive ash cans along Newport Ave. OBMA agreed to empty the ash cans twice a week.

Held the OBMA Annual Awards Celebration in October at the Pt. Loma Masonic Center.

Again hosted the Holiday Storefront Decorating Contest.

Designed and built the OBMA holiday parade float... a large version of our upcoming OB Local Business Directory.

Another banner year for the OBMA!

In January & February, we delivered the 2007-2008 OB Local Business Directory... over 22,000 copies with 15,000 delivered door to door.

We found a new contractor, Bell Tile, to help us with the tile project and completed Phase 7.

Established the Email Warning List for our membership.

The Executive Director & President attended the Annual National MainStreet Convention in Seattle.

The OBMA had their annual retreat in Temecula.

The OB Farmers Market had the best year to date.

The OB Street Fair was the most successful to date.

Installed the community mural in the Newport Ave Antique Center parking lot.

We saw record crowds at Farmers Market, the Street Fair, and the 4th of July Fireworks.

Promotion Committee began writing articles about local businesses along with photos for all our publications and website and for press releases.

Completed 7th phase of Tile Project.

Added 5 more silver ash cans to the business district.

Hosted the 3rd Annual OB Jazz Festival and the 1st Annual OB Oktoberfest in the OB Pier parking lot.

Distributed the last 7,000 OB Local Business Directories.

Published 5,000 OB Street Fair programs for the first time.

OBMA Design Committee, OB Community Foundation, and OB Historical Society joined together to start the OB Historical Plaque Project.

Worked with OB Community Foundation to repair damaged stones in Veterans Plaza.

Promotion Committee redesigned and upgraded the OBMA and OBStreetFair.com websites.

Also redesigned advertising pieces for the 29th Annual OB Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off Festival which got rave reviews from all.

Hodad's featured on the Food Network and since then, they have had lines out the door.

South Beach Bar & Grille named for the Best Fish Taco on the West coast by Bon Apetit Magazine.

20th Century Fox TV started producing a TV series for CBS called The Ex List. It was filmed in Ocean Beach and used our name and Bobby Sorben's logo (the famous one with the seagull) in many of their scenes.

Priscilla McCoy passed away. She served on the ER Committee for many years and contributed much time and effort to both the OB Planning Board and the OB Historical Society.

Rich James passed away unexpectedly just before the Street Fair. He was responsible for planning, designing, and hanging the OB Murals that are painted at the OB Street Fair each year.

Janis Ambrosiani and Bev Libby stepped up and managed the entire mural event this year.

Hosted merchant mixer at Nick's by the Pier.

The Black celebrated 80 years in business.

Despite a harsh economic climate for San Diego, Ocean Beach did okay.

Reached Phase 12 in the Commemorative Tile Project and completed a massive renovation of missing and broken tiles.

Design Committee installed the first round of historic plaques at seven locations throughout the business district.

Published and distributed 23,000 copies of the 2009-2010 OB Local Directory.

New Business Improvement District signage installed at the corner of Sunset Cliffs Blvd and Newport Ave on a wall donated by US Bank.

Celebrated the 30th Annual Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off and 4th of July Fireworks Festival. Janis Ambrosiani headed up the 10th Annual Community Mural during the Street Fair.

OBMA did another complete redesign of the official OBMA website and brought the OB Street Fair site under the umbrella of the OBMA site.

Held two merchant mixers hosted by local businesses: ARCHITECTS hanna gabriel wells and the Sunset Cliffs Animal Hospital.

Hosted another successful Awards Celebration and showed another slideshow of the year's accomplishments.

Increased holiday decorating efforts by adding 12 new bows to the streets.

Hodad's had another great year of gaining national attention for Ocean Beach, including being featured on Diners, Dives, and Drive-ins with Guy Fieri.

OB Paint and Hardware moved their location 2 doors down and celebrated 90 years in business.

Terriers, a new cop comedy based in Ocean Beach, began filming.

The year started with a flood, affecting the OBMA office and many local businesses. Despite many efforts piling sandbags, the storm water seeped through the walls and into the carpet, rendering the office virtually inoperable for a few weeks.

February 2, 2010, marked the FIRST-EVER meeting of the newly-established OB Restaurant, Entertainment, & Lodging Group (OBREL), a group of 90+ members with entertainment-related establishments. Also in February, the OBMA welcomed a new board member, Mary Orem, to the mix.

In June, OB celebrated its 31st Annual Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off. Despite overcast weather for the first time in the Fair’s existence (along with the final game of the World Cup in the morning), over 50,000 people attended and had a blast. The Street Fair added an additional (free) trolley, and all were full throughout the day.

July 4th marked OB’s 31st annual fireworks display off the pier, which went off without a hitch.

Terriers, a cop dramedy on FX, aired its pilot on September 8, 2010. The Harp hosted a pilot party that was well attended. Despite national acclaim, the show was cancelled after one season. The producers hired film crew from Ocean Beach and frequented many of the local businesses.

On September 11, the OBMA teamed with Jazz 88 for the first Jazz 88 Ocean Beach Music & Art Festival (formerly the OB Jazz Fest). This reformatted event featured eight music venues with a variety of music (not just jazz) and Art Row on the 4900 block of Newport Ave. The event was patriotic in theme and a moment of silence was held after the opening National Anthem. The new OB Restaurant, Entertainment, & Lodging group made their community debut by sponsoring the VIP room.

Another successful OB Oktoberfest took place early October with a booming crowd. Local businesses benefitted a great deal from the abundant foot traffic.

During their Annual Awards Celebration, also in October, the OBMA thanked outstanding businesses and community members who made significant achievements in the last year. With food donated from over 30 local restaurants and an amazing turnout, a great time was had by all.

November brought another successful Restaurant Walk, with over 40 local businesses on the roster. This annual event sells out every year and is often described as "trick-or-treating for adults!"

In December the months-old Restaurant, Entertainment, & Lodging group (OBREL) launched its first advertising campaign, beginning with a monthly 4-page spread in the Peninsula Beacon. All members (OBMA members with food-related businesses) receive a free listing, along with the opportunity to advertise in the special section. The OBMA website also featured a special section, along with the opportunities for enhanced listings in the Online Directory.

The Ocean Beach Tile Project completed its 14th phase, marking over 20 years of memories etched along Newport Ave.

By the end of 2010, the OBMA completed its website design overhaul and moved on to routine maintenance and content management.

Michael Head of Headtrap Music took over organizing live musifc for the OB Farmers Market.

In May, long-time OBcean and owner of Lighthouse Ice Cream Dick Ladgies passed away. His life was celebrated along the waterfront at Veterans Plaza.

July 4th marked OB's 32nd annual fireworks display off the pier, which went off without a hitch.

Elections were held for the Board of Directors and three new members were elected. Barbara Iacometti of Details SalonSpa was elected President of the OBMA. 

One of the community murals (2004) was moved to a new location on the outer wall of 1931 Bacon St. 

The Jazz88 OB Music & Art Festival continued in September with twenty-three bands performing on eight stages and over eighty fine artists displaying their works along Newport Ave. In making final preperations for the event, the office, along with most of Southern California, experienced a 12+ hour blackout. The blackout was a hindrance 48 hours before the event, but it didn't stop the fun. 

The Revitalization Committee started meeting with Carole Fish. 

James Gang Co. hosted a Sundowner to introduce their new owners to the community. Susan and Pat James sold the business in June of 2011. 

Four new historic plaques were installed in the community, sponsored by the OBMA, OB Historical Society, and the OB Community Foundation. They are located at 5004 Newport Ave, 1925 Bacon St, 4790 Santa Monica Ave, and 4905 Newport Ave. 

The website continued to be updated and became mobile-friendly by the end of the year. 

Our President, Barb Iacometti, won the 12th Annual Tomato Contest at Pepe's Restaurant. 

We installed our annual community mural along the Cable St side of Mallory's New Furniture Store building located at 4905 Newport Ave. 

Local businesses celebrated their anniversaries: Vignette's their 16th and the Dharma Center their 13th. 

The first two-day OB Oktoberfest was held on Oct. 7th and Oct. 8th and was a great success. The event held many contest and competitions, including the first year of the Band Slam Contest, a competition between tribute bands. 

Our Annual Awards Celebration wsa held in late October and food was served and donated by local restaurants. Union Bank was a mjor contributor. 

The ER Committee of the OBMA worked to help the OB Town Council organize the annual Restaurant Walk which takes place every November and raises money for the OB Tree Festival (the group that adopts local families and seniors in need every holiday season). 

The first "Decorate with Lights" Contest was promoted throughout November, and prizes were awarded in early December. Businesses were encouraged to light up their stores to draw holiday business into the community. The project was the brainchild of Carol Ladiges of Lighthouse Ice Cream. 

Beginning in November, groups of Students from SDSU worked with the Revitalization Committee to develop and implement a marketing study to help develop the strategic vision for the business district. 

Nati's lost a member of its long-time family. Louisa Allen passed away on October 15th. She had worked with Nati's since they opened in the 60s. 

San Diego Coastkeeper hosted an event "Sign of the Tides" at Electric Ladyland. They discussed low-impact development for Ocean Beach. Students from the New School of Architecture participated. 

San Diego Beach Improvement Group made a donation of $500 to the OBMA to go towards beautification and cleanup efforts. 

Ned Titlow, a local business owner and founding member of the Ocean Beach Historical Society, passed away Oct. 29th. 

Therapie Day Spa held a holiday Sundowner at their location. 

M.A.P.S., the local community map, began selling advertising in order to produce the next map. 

The OB Town Council held its always successful annual Holiday Parade.

Ashley Lewis of Dog Beach Design helped us launch the celebration of Ocean Beach's 125th anniversary by creating an anniversary seal to commemorate the event. The OBMA Promotions Committee worked to develop a line of merchandise with the logo on it in order to fundraise for the community. 

The first Annual Marketing Breakfast was held in January with Brown Marketing Strategies. The year of upcoming promotional and marketing opportunities was laid out for our business membership. It was the first meeting in the Business Development Series, which was also developed this year. 

The Ocean Beach Library closed for six weeks to get a new roof, new carpet, and a fresh coat of paint. 

Last Days Tattoo Co. hosted a Sundowner in February. 

Gary Gilmore Goldsmith changed their business name to Gilmore Family Jewelers and hosted the next Sundowner. 

The next meeting of the Business Development Series was held at Electric Ladyland and hosted Susan Clarke who gave a presentation called The Fundamentals of Believing, Achieving & Succeeding in Ocean Beach. It was a well-attended and successful event. 

The Crime Prevention Committee of the OBMA held their monthly meeting at Electric Ladyland to talk about local solutions to ongoing problems. The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce developed the Save Our Events Groups with online petitions and information in order to protect local special events. Lawsuits had recently threatened to require all local special events to pass a full CEQA review. As a result of the Crime Prevention Committee's work, a "Make it Right" button was developed to rotate on the homepage of the OBMA website in order to provide local business owners and residents with municipal code information and contact information for city agencies. 

Phase 17 of the OB Tile Project was completed. 

Noon Design Shop hosted a Sundowner in April. 

OBMA began a collection of photos of people wearing or using their 125th Anniversary merchandise or stickers. The photos were shared with through social media and the monthly member newsletter. 

A sub-committee of the Crime Prevention Committee hosted a meeting at the Lifeguard Tower and launched the Respect OB program. They sold t-shirts and bumper stickers and got hundreds of merchants to sign up to stay connected. 

Pizza Port OB developed the 125th Anniversary Ale, an American style IPA, in order to support the anniversary fundraising efforts. Yiga, the head brewmaster; Mayor Sanders; and several others celebrated the launch on the roof deck at Pizza Port OB. Restaurant and bar owners that would be carrying the beer, along with the OBMA Board of Directors, were also there. Each business selling the beer donated $10 per keg to the Anniversary Fund. This was the first beer made for OB. Other local businesses support the anniversary fundraising efforts by carrying the merchandise in their stores. 

OB Beach Ball was back for its second year in May. A giant ferris wheel, waterslide, and arts and crafts were available along the waterfront, and there was a live music festival on Saturday.

The second Annual Marketing Breakfast was put on through the Business Development Series. 

A really fun Sundowner was hosted by several business owners in the mall on Newport Ave. It was a great way to showcases multiple businesses at the same time, and the owner of Seth’s Chop Shop even had his band perform!

The Ocean Beach Community Development Corporation began the process of redesigning the area at the foot of Newport Ave, Veterans Plaza. They started by holding a series of public meetings at the Masonic Center to gain insight from the community at large about ideas and priorities for the memorial.

Details SalonSpa partnered with Espresso Ristorante to host the sundowner in February. 

The Annual Kiwanis Kite Festival was held in early March at a new location. They were able to expand their festival by holding it at Dusty Rhodes Park, and they had a great event. 

Pacific Shores and Surfside Cuisine co-hosted the Sundowner in March. 

Through the Maintenance Assessment District, the sidewalk cleaning schedule was revamped, and cleanings were increased by almost 50%. 

Services were held in March 2014 for Leonard Poma, a local business owner, with one of the oldest shops in town. 

Raglan Public House was nominated for BID Business of the Year by the OBMA for all of their work in the community.

Members of  the OBMA Staff and Board of Directors attended several of the workshops offered at the California MainStreet Alliance Conference held in Encinitas. The classes included Green Practices for Special Events, The Power of Social Media, Historic Theaters, and Driving Online Engagement to Brick and Mortar Businesses.

The Business Development Series put their next meeting on in April, this time at the OB Playhouse. It focused on Online Marketing and Social Media Engagement. Local Thunder, the company that worked to re-design the online member directory, presented their program at this event. 

The Ocean Villa Inn hosted the Sundowner in April with delicious food by Surfrider Pizza Café. 

The url www.ShopLocalOB.com was purchased and redirected to the OBMA website. Seasonal promotions for members are shared through this page. 

The OB Farmers Market partnered with KPRI to upcycle t-shirts into reusable shopping bags. The station set up a booth at the Farmers Market several times throughout the year, and the OBMA was able to have some of their outdated t-shirts upcycled.

The new OB Local Directory was distributed with the help many volunteers on a Saturday in May.

The OBMA received their National MainStreet Accreditation. 

New entryway and Newport Ave banners were co-designed by local artists (Ashley Lewis and Jenn David) celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Wonderland and welcoming people to the community.

Several local businesses took advantage of the Storefront Improvement Program and refreshed the facades of their businesses.

A bronze memorial statue dedicated to honor the memory of lifeguards who lost their lives in the line of duty was dedicated on May 23. Over 350 people attended. 

Funds were raised through another successful OB Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off Festival and the OB Fireworks Fund to celebrate the 4th of July Fireworks. We celebrated the 100th Anniversary of Wonderland and provided free bike parking, six stages of live music, and a day full of fun for families. Barbara Iacometti, President of the OBMA, served her fifth consecutive year as Chair of the Festival. We painted two community murals again, one focused on the celebration of Wonderland, the other celebrating surfers.

The Ocean Beach Town Council held a series of public meetings to discuss the marshmallow fights that take place at the foot of Newport Ave each year after the fireworks show on 4th of July. 

The Board of Directors elections took place in July and the Executive Committee was reappointed for another year.

Facebook, with the help of Assemblymember Toni Atkins, hosted the Business Development Series in the Fall at the OB Playhouse. Members of the OBMA and great business community came together for great information on social media. 

OB Oktoberfest was another great two-day event. There were Oompah Bands, great food, contests, and live music all day. The OB Community Foundation once again organized the OB Brat Trot. 

The Annual OBMA Awards Dinner celebrated the 35th Anniversary of the OB MainStreet Association.  Local DJs and OBMA members Glasz Productions emceed the event and it was lively and playful. 

Over fifty local businesses supported the production of a custom OB board game, Ocean Beach-opoly. The logo and all of the artwork was done by local artists and over 1,000 games were sold in the week of the Thanksgiving holiday. More games were ordered and continued to be sold at businesses throughout the community. 

There was a holiday decorating contest between businesses again and cash prizes, along with photos in the Beacon, went to the top four winners.

In January, the third Annual Marketing Breakfast was put on through the Business Development Series. This year, it was held at the Ocean Beach Playhouse. It was a great venue for the event with the stage and amount of room at the venue for merchants.  

Tami Fuller, Ascent Real Estate, hosted a great sundowner at Wonderland Ocean Pub. There was a record attendance – 100+ merchants – and everyone had a great time. 

Las Brisas Dry Cleaners closed after being a part of the community for three generations and the local pet shop Bone Appetit moved into their location. 

A new tree was planted on Bacon St in front of Bravo’s Restaurant as part of the City’s tree-planting grant program.

A second meeting of the Business Development Series was held at the Ocean Beach Playhouse in February. This event was sponsored by member Natalie Chappius of Edward Jones. The focus was on Business Taxes and Social Security, and the group learned so much from the Social Security specialist. 

The Wonderland Mural from the OB Street Fair was installed at 5010 Newport Ave on the side of Hodad's. 

With the help of two local designers, we installed new spring- and summer-themed entryway and Newport Ave banners. Jenn David of Jenn David Designs and Ashley Lewis of Dog Beach Design were instrumental in working to freshen up the art for the banners. 

SD Fire Department Truck 20 from the Midway Ave area was helpful in getting a new California state flag hung on the pole at Veterans Plaza. The flag was donated by Senator Marty Block, and the OB Community Development Corporation helped in coordinating the installation. 

The Ocean Beach Playhouse welcomed our group again for the third time in two months when they hosted the February Sundowner. The delicious food was provided by Surf Rider Pizza Café. 

Shades Oceanfront Bistro hosted a pet adoption in conjunction with several local shelters and pet rescues. 

Espresso Cucina re-opened in the same location that previously held Espresso Ristorante. Chris Stavros, owner of the Olive Tree Marketplace, bought the restaurant and remodeled and re-opened it.  

In March, Kevin Faulconer, our City Councilman, was elected Mayor after Bob Filner had to resign mid term. California Assemblymember Toni Atkins was selected as the next Speaker of the House.

A very fun open house-style sundowner was hosted by two local businesses – each providing their own food, drinks and desserts. Lynnel’s Hair Design and Coastal Sage Gardening, who are neighbors, were happy to host a big group of merchants.

The OceanBeachSanDiego.com website was re-developed and launched with the work of the Promotion Committee along with our local webmaster, Josh Utley, Intrepid Network, Inc.

Surfrider, I Love a Clean San Diego, and Dog Beach Dog Wash partnered up to host the annual Creek to Bay Clean Up. Volunteers showed up with their buckets and spent hours cleaning up the coastal area.

The Friends of the OB Library held a book sale and raised a record amount of money. 

The Promotion Committee got together to clean up the old banners hanging along the entryway and Newport Ave. The banners will now be sold through the online store to raise money for the community. 

The OB MainStreet Association Board of Directors was happy to take a retreat in April to Imperial Beach. The group stayed at the SeaCoast Hotel and enjoyed breakfast and dinner at the Cohn Restaurant Group’s Sea 180 Degrees Restaurant. We worked as a group on community goals and also spent several hours with members of the City, Lifeguard and local public works departments. It was brief, but it was very productive, and everyone enjoyed themselves.

On April 22, 2014, the City of San Diego and the California Coastal Commission issued the Coastal Development Permit for the police trailer in the OB Pier parking lot.

Hostelling International Point Loma co-hosted a Sundowner with Gaglione Brothers, and members were excited to tour the lovely property and ate very well.

The Kiwanis of Ocean Beach held their annual Kite Festival in May. The event takes place at Dusty Rhodes Park and has now been moved to May, and it worked well.

Working with the Western Division of the SDPD, the Police Trailer located in the OB Pier parking lot was replaced with a trailer much smaller to take up the least amount of space in the lot as possible.

The Hospitality Group held its Restaurant and Hospitality Week at the end of April. The week-long event  kicked off with a launch party at four local hotels: Ocean Villa Inn, Inn at Sunset Cliffs, Ocean Beach Hotel, and Elsbree House B&B. Attendees put their information in for a raffle at each location they visited, and there were gift baskets gifted valued at up to $750 at each location. People also enjoyed food and drinks from the participating locations.  

The May Sundowner was co-hosted by OB Waves Salon and Mother’s Saloon, neighbors on the north end of Bacon St. Erica from OB Waves Salon was very welcoming and offered more raffle prizes than any other sundowner has ever had!

Several local community groups got together at the beginning of June to host a Public Safety Appreciation BBQ at the foot of Newport Ave. Many people showed up to enjoy a day at the park with their loved ones and members from the Lifeguards, the SD Fire Department, and the SD Police Department were on hand to enjoy a delicious BBQ meal and some great weather.

The 35th Annual OB Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off Festival was held on Saturday, June 28, and was a great success. The weather was fantastic and there was a broad range of activities for all ages, over two dozen bands performing throughout the day, and to commemorate the custom board game Ocean Beach-opoly, we staged an interactive game in the middle of the festival based on the ideas of Ocean Beach-opoly.

The Ocean Beach Security Program launched as a three-month pilot program. The goal of the program was to have more feet on the street documenting quality of life issues. Over 35 local business owners contributed to the program to get it going.

In conjunction with the Economic Restructuring committee, our Crime Prevention committee was able to work with Senator Marty Block’s office to have SB 1295 passed into legislation allowing for Letters of Authorization to be on file for twelve months instead of six. This was a huge victory for the committee.

On June 18, the OB Town Council unveiled the new entryway sign that was put in place to replace the original termite-riddled sign put in over twenty years ago. 

The 4th of July Fireworks off the Pier were another great success. This year, the OB Town Council ran a public service campaign to Mallow Out. Over the years, the fun of the neighborhood marshmallow fight at the end of the fireworks show had become a little too rambunctious for the community and the beach-goers. Also, there was a real concern about the damage done by the remnants. All of the community groups came together to remind people that it was a bad idea and to ask them to all Mallow Out. The campaign was a success. 

The OBMA Board of Directors elections were held in July and the following Board Members were re-elected to their seats: Craig Gerwig, Matt Kalla, Chris Wilmot, Barbara Iacometti, and Tevia Oskin.

We were happy to enjoy an evening with the staff from Young at Art. They opened their studio up for the July Sundowner and Mike from The Joint served a delicious array of food from their menu. 

In August, the Ocean Beach Historical Society released their book of history on the community, Ocean Beach.

Surfrider hosted their Annual Paddle Around the Pier with hundreds of surfers and paddlers on Sept 21.

The Ocean Beach Town Council hosted their Annual Pancake Breakfast on the Pier and had glorious weather. Many local merchants participated as sponsors. OBTC served hundreds of pancakes.

Catrina Russell, Coldwell Banker hosted a sundowner with OB Noodle House Bar 1502.  The weather was fantastic, and everyone enjoyed seeing the newly opened restaurant. 

The 10th Annual OB Oktoberfest was a success. The Ocean Beach Community Foundation held another Brat Trot to raise money for the community, and people enjoyed live music all night on Friday and all day and into the night on Saturday night.

October brought the Annual OBMA Awards Dinner to the Masonic Center. We were happy to be tweeted by Assemblymember Atkins, “What a fun wonderful, upbeat event” and she was right. The group has become more comfortable with the OB Pledge of Allegiance and were happy to celebrate with their red clown noses on. So fun!

We were saddened to hear about the passing of a local business person, Cristos Stavros. Cristos and his family have operated local businesses and participated at the community level for years and years.

The 4th Annual Marketing Breakfast was held at OB Warehouse. They graciously opened their doors to a room full of active merchants ready to make plans for marketing their business in the new year. We did an interactive exercise pairing business up to create ways to grow their business beyond their four walls. We partnered with Brown Marketing Strategies again and had a great meeting.

The fundraising for the OB Security Program continued for a six-month period with fundraising beginning in January.

Our friends at the OB Woman’s Club hosted a Sundowner in late January at their clubhouse, and the food was catered by Embargo Grill. One of the raffle prizes was an OB Woman’s Club membership – great idea!

We were sorry to learn about the loss of resident and local business owner Alan “Tiny” Kajiwara. He was a treasured member of our community, and we were saddened by the loss.

Our community also suffered the loss of a community artist, David Linton, on January 30, 2015. David was a prolific artist and had done several pieces celebrating our community. Most recently he had developed a series of notecards that we sold through our store. He also did the mural inside what is currently the Starbucks building, which is enjoyed by hundreds of people every day. He will be missed. 

Beardsley Mitchell Funeral Home hosted a Sundowner and had it catered and even live musicians performing. 

In February, the community again suffered a huge loss with the death of Mike Hardin of Hodad's. Mike was the son of the founder of the original Hodad’s and had been successfully running the business for his parents for years. There was a large memorial service celebrating his life at Petco Park, a location where he had recently opened a satellite restaurant. The OBMA Promotions Committee decided to honor a person who exemplifies Mike Hardin’s spirit each year at their Annual Awards Dinner.

The Robb Field Skate Park celebrated its fifteen-year anniversary on February 19, 2015. The park was opened by a very dedicated group of local volunteers who continue to support the park today.  

The OB Security Program had increased shifts during March and April due to increased activity and visitors in the committee.  

On March 1, 2015, the OBMA lost a friend, volunteer, business owner, and board member when Yvonne Cruz passed away.  She had owned the wetsuit shop next door to our office for over 30 years. Surf n’Sea Custom Wetsuits remains open and is being run by her son and daughter-in-law. There was a celebration of life held at Raglan Public House and money was raised to donate to the Ronald McDonald House in Yvonne’s honor. Several local merchants contributed to a raffle and over 100 local business people and members of the Ronald McDonald House staff showed up to celebrate.   

The Ocean Villa Inn hosted a wonderful Sundowner and partnered up with several local businesses: The Little Lion Café, Mother’s Saloon, Pizza Port OB and Raglan Public House. It was unseasonably warm and everyone enjoyed an evening poolside.

The palm trees along Newport Ave. were trimmed through the MAD program. 

Ken Fernandes Landscaping partnered up with Raglan Public House to host the April Sundowner and it was a great night.

The new OB Local business directory was printed in May and distributed throughout the community.

The May Sundowner was hosted by Rock & Roll San Diego and Four Seasons Food Catering at Rock & Roll San Diego's location near the Valley View Casino Center. Entertainment was provided by Rock & Roll San Diego's student bands, and our members formed an impromptu band that gave its debut performance after a quick music lesson from Rock & Roll San Diego's teachers.

New silver-toned cribs began to be installed around the palm trees on Newport Avenue to replace the older style black cribs.

The 2015 Ocean Beach Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off was the best yet! Despite a few raindrops for the first time in the history of the Street Fair, thousands of attendees enjoyed a fantastic day of entertainment, vendors, and food. Rock & Roll San Diego formed the center section of the festival and offered free mini music lessons throughout the day. As always, we had incredible sponsors, volunteers, committee members, and community partners working together to make the day a wonderful success. Videographers documented the event for the first time. The festival raised funds for the Fourth of July Fireworks off the OB Pier, which was another great success.

July's Sundowner at Culture Brewing Co with food from Mad Munch Grilled Cheezer Co was a delicious and fun evening.

The Board of Directors elections were held in July. Mike Akey (Pacific View Real Estate), Ron Marcotte (Sign Diego), and Gary Gilmore (Gilmore Familiy Jewelers) were re-elected, and Board Member Alicia Shapiro (Aliro Marketing) was newly elected to the Board.

Also in July, the OBMA received accreditation for 2015 from the National Main Street Association.

In August, the OBMA Executive Committee was re-elected for another term: President Barbara Iacometti (Details SalonSpa), 1st Vice President Julie Klein (Julie Designs), 2nd Vice President Mike Akey (Pacific View Real Estate), Secretary Mary Orem (Morland Apartments), and Treasurer Mike Stifano (Winstons).

The California Coastal Commission approved the Ocean Beach Community Plan -- a huge victory for OB.

The August Sundowner was held at Wonderland with Tami Fuller's Real Estate Team. Everyone enjoyed delicious food and drinks, a beautiful sunset, and great raffle prizes.

The September Sundowner was co-hosted by the Ocean Beach Community Foundation and the Inn at Sunset Cliffs. Food was donated by multiple local restaurants, and a silent auction, live entertainment, the beautiful setting, and lots of raffle prize made for a very fun Sundowner!

In October, the OBMA received the Community Partner of the Year award from Ocean Beach Town Council. We are proud to partner with the Town Council on so many events and projects.

The successful 11th Annual OB Oktoberfest featured two days of live music, the annual Brat Trot, and vendors on the lawn at the beach.

Also in October, the Association held its Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration, which honored outstanding achievements by our members. The beach-themed event featured giant sunglasses, refreshments and raffle prizes from dozens of our generous merchants, and a commemorative slideshow to remember the past year. Steven Yeng of OB Noodle House and Bar 1502 received the first Mike Hardin "Like a Boss" Award. Mike's son Shane Hardin presented the award in his father's memory.

In November, Shades and Big Block Realty hosted a fun Sundowner with lots of great raffle prizes.

In December, Ocean Beach enjoyed another festive and fun holiday season. Volunteers installed the street decorations in the Business Improvement District in late November, and the Ocean Beach Town Council's holiday tree went up prior to the annual parade early in December. The OBMA hosted its popular Storefront Decorating Contest, with winners receiving cash prizes as well as promotion in the Beacon and through OBMA's marketing channels. Brown Marketing Strategies hosted the holiday Sundowner with several food partners as well as live music.

2016 promised to be an El Nino year, and January proved it with torrential rains and major flooding throughout the low-lying areas of Ocean Beach the first week of January -- including the OBMA office on Bacon Street. The office was closed for repairs for over 3 weeks as constructions crews performed the necessary work and replaced the entire office floor, as well as some of the drywall.  

Despite the flooding, the OBMA held our Annual Marketing Breakfast, part of the Business Development Series, in January. OB Warehouse hosted us again, and we partnered with Brown Marketing Strategies to present an informative seminar on brand equity. In February, the BDS continued with an excellent Financial Workshop presented by Edward Jones.

2016 marked the 50th anniversary of the OB Pier, which opened to the public July 2-4, 1966. OBMA kicked off the year-long celebration with new entryway and business district banners highlighting the pier's birthday.

In early February, the Board welcomed Kyle Jaworski, Raglan Public House, to the team.

Our Board of Directors and staff attended the California Main Street Alliance conference in Oceanside, California, in late February.

Mother's Saloon hosted a fun and lively Sundowner in March.

A new OBMA committee, the North OB Committee, was formed to tackle issues specific to the commercial area in north OB. It was approved by the Board of Directors at their April 2016 meeting.

The May Sundowner was held at Culture Brewing Co. with food by The Joint. A great time was had by all!

The Sea Gods sculpture at the OB Pier parking lot was removed, refurbished by the San Diego Arts and Culture Commission, and returned in June.

The 37th Annual Ocean Beach Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off was held on Saturday, June 25, 2016. We had great music, terrific weather, and a wonderful crowd to enjoy our "Year of the Pier"-themed event.

The OBMA celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the OB Pier with a community-submitted art show at local gallery and boutique Teeter featuring artwork depicting or inspired by the pier. The opening reception in late June included a local chef showcase with food contributed by Raglan Public House, BBQ House, Four Seasons Foods Catering, Mother's Saloon, OB Noodle House Bar 1502, Beach Sweets, and The Cravory and beverages from Mike Hess Brewing and Gianni Buonomo Vintners. Attendees were serenaded by Mark Langford of Rock and Roll San Diego and John Tafolla, whose band The Insites played at the OB Pier's opening celebration in July 1966. On the actual anniversary of the opening (July 2), OBMA invited the community to take a stroll on our beautiful pier and enjoy the incredible views, as well as a number of special activities. The Ocean Beach Community Foundation unveiled a new interpretive sign on the pier in a brief ceremony with remarks by California Speaker Emeritus Toni Atkins and Conrad Wear from City Councilperson Lorie Zapf's office. OBMA President Barbara Iacometti, Details SalonSpa, accepted special proclamations and commendations from our representatives at the ceremony. Visitors to the pier that day received free postcards (we handed out over 2,000) and had them marked with our custom-designed Special Pictorial Cancellation at the temporary OB Pier 50th Anniversary postal station set up by the United States Postal Service. OBMA sold our commemorative merchandise, shared our historical display exploring the pier's rich history, and provided a life-sized backdrop of the pier opening in 1966 along with fun photo props. Leonard Teyssier, the contractor who built the pier, and Chuck Bahde, who served on Peninsulans, Inc., which commissioned the pier, were on hand to meet community members and answer questions. They even signed autographs!

The July Sundowner was hosted by Hostelling International Point Loma. Members enjoyed a lovely evening cookout and tour of the facilities.

The August Sundowner was hosted by Shades and Ocean Dental Care. It was a wonderful send-off for Shades, which closed its doors in September after 13 years as an OB community cornerstone.

The Ocean Beach Library celebrated its centennial on September 10, 2016, with a party called "A Century of Books by the Beach." OBMA was proud to participate in and contribute financially to the event as well as fund a promotional mailing and refurbish the urns at the library's entrance.

The September Sundowner was hosted by OB Brewery. Attendees were treated to delicious food and a wonderful view of the sunset.

In October, another successful OB Oktoberfest was held at the OB Pier parking lot and Veterans Plaza areas. Over 10,000 attendees enjoyed musical performances, contests, vendors, food, and fun. The Ocean Beach Town Council held their annual OBie awards; OBMA 1st Vice President Julie Klein won OB Citizen of the Year, and OBMA Board Member Dave Martin was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The October Sundowner was hosted by the Chameleon Hair Lounge & Boutique along with G-Man Custom Woodworking, OB People's Organic Food Market, Mike Hess Brewing, and Anya Feldman, LMT. Many guests came in Halloween Costumes, and a great time was had by all!

The 2016 holiday season in Ocean Beach was the most festive a fun yet. A record number of merchants participated in the popular annual holiday Storefront Decorating Contest, and the OB Town Council put on a wonderful holiday parade with the theme The Year of the Pier with Holiday Cheer. Brown Marketing Strategies hosted a fabulous holiday Sundowner in December.

2017 kicked off with a fabulous Business Development Series event, the Annual Marketing Breakfast. Over 90 members enjoyed delicious breakfast at OB Warehouse and an informative seminar by Brown Marketing Strategies and OBMA staff. We introduced our 2017 theme: the 25th anniversary of the OB Farmers Market.

Later in January, we held our Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration. Over 45 member businesses were recognized for their contributions to Ocean Beach in economic development, promotion, design, public safety, and community involvement. The festive and well-attended celebration featured food and raffle prizes from dozens of member businesses. Special awards were presented to Julie Klein (the "Sherrif of OB" Award) and Dave Martin (the Mike Hardin "Like a Boss" Award).

In February, OBMA Board Members and staff members attended the California Main Street Alliance conference in Monterey, California, to learn from a wide variety of speakers and experts in main streets and downtowns and to participate in team-building activities.

In March, Edward Jones organized and hosted a Business Development Series event featuring a Health and Finance program. The seminar addressed physical, mental, and financial health and featured wonderful breakfast at Wonderland Ocean Pub with coffee from OB Beans.

District 2 San Diego City Councilmember Lorie Zapf and I Love A Clean San Diego hosted a community cleanup in Ocean Beach in March. Over 300 volunteers came together to paint bike racks, pick up trash, and wash sidewalks. Coordinating efforts by the OBMA North OB Committee worked to clean up the Voltaire commercial corridor.

The March Sundowner at Details SalonSpa was co-hosted by Details, Raglan Public House, and Tami Fuller's Real Estate Team. It was a great evening with delicious food and beverages, wonderful raffle prizes, and excellent networking!

In April, District 2 Councilmember Lorie Zapf put on a Council District 2 Volunteer Appreciation Day where a number of our deserving members were honored, including Julie Klein (nominated by OBMA), Dave Martin (nominated by OBCDC), Laura Dennison (nominated by OB Friends of the Library), and Gloryanna Post (treasurer of OB Woman's Club). Also in April, OBMA hosted another Business Development Series on social media. The Social Media Workshop was sponsored by Aliro Marketing, Intrepid Network, and Brown Marketing, who collaborated to produce a terrific seminar on setting businesses up for social media success. Wonderland provided the venue and delicious food, and Pirate's Cove Tiki Port sponsored the coffee for the morning. The well-attended April Sundowner was held at the Pearl Hotel and featured wonderful food and a fun atmosphere.

We celebrated 25th Anniversary of the OB Farmers Market in May with two special markets that featured great party favors: free reusable produce bag giveaways (generously sponsored by Seaport Realtors, Inn at Sunset Cliffs, Sunshine Co Saloon, House of Yogi, OB Surf Lodge, Newport Quikstop Liquor/Cafe Bella, Catrina Russell, Pioneer, Velvet Hair Lounge, Wonderland Ocean Pub, Beach Sweets, Newbreak Church, Tami Fuller's Real Estate Team, Swanky Sugar, Tony's, Raglan Public House, OB Sands, and Electric Chair Salon) and veggie-themed coloring book giveaways for kids. The Peninsula Beacon sponsored a coloring contest for adults with prizes from OB Brewery, Raglan Public House, Wonderland Ocean Pub, and Newport Pizza and Ale House that garnered dozens of entries. District 2 City Councilmember Lorie Zapf honored the market's anniversary with remarks and a certificate proclaiming May 17, 2017, OB Farmers Market 25th Anniversary Day in the City of San Diego. We debuted a new OB Farmers Market logo designed by AJ Knox in conjunction with the celebration.

The delightful May Sundowner was held at Gianni Buonomo Vintners with food provided by Ortega's. Everyone enjoyed the beautiful winery event space and delicious sangria and other treats!

The 38th Annual Ocean Beach Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off Festival on Saturday, June 24, 2017, was another great success. The event celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love with festive community murals, incredible music, delicious fair food, a fierce chili cook-off, and tons of vendors lining the commercial streets in downtown OB for a fantastic day! The 4th of July Fireworks off the OB Pier were spectacular, too.

Chris Wilmot, CPA, retired from the OBMA Board of Directors after many years of service at the end of his term in July 2017. CC Summerfield, Realtor, was elected to fill his seat and joined the Board at their July 2017 meeting. At their August meeting, the Board re-elected the slate of executive board members: President Barbara Iacometti, Details SalonSpa; 1st VP Julie Klein, Julie Designs; 2nd VP Mike Akey, Pacific View Real Estate; Secretary Mary Orem, Morland Properties; and Treasurer Mike Stifano, Winstons.

We enjoyed two wonderful summer Sundowners. The July Sundowner at Newbreak Church co-hosted by Clayhomes, Raglan Public House, and Lighthouse Ice Cream provided delicious food and amazing live entertainment, including live music and hilarious stand-up comedy. The August Sundowner at Velvet Hair Lounge with food by Four Seasons Foods Catering was a wonderful celebration of Velvet's 1-year anniversary including cake and champagne toasts. Kudos to all our summer hosts!

Fall kicked off with a festive September Sundowner hosted by the North OB Committee at Ocean Villa Inn. Contributors included OB Deli, Car's Jars, BO-beau, Surf Rider Pizza, Mike Hess Brewing, OB People's, and Smokin J's. Michael Head provided music.

The 2017 OB Oktoberfest was a rollicking success with great music and fundraising for community groups. New this year was the OktoberStretch mini yoga festival by the beach. The October Sundowner was hosted by Catrina Russell Real Estate, Bird's Surf Shed, and Surf Rider Pizza, and everyone had a wonderful time!

In the late fall, Deco Bikes at the pier lot were replaced with regular bike racks.

As the holiday season rolled around, we once again enjoyed the generosity of a dedicated team of volunteers who created, restored, and installed the festive street decorations in our BID before Thanksgiving. Next up was Small Business Saturday, and our celebration of OB's small businesses was supported by the Small Business Saturday Coalition. We kicked off our first-ever Passport to OB (a punch-card program for customers to visit local businesses and then enter win fabulous prizes) with a launch event on Small Business Saturday with a giant sand sculpture celebrating Ocean Beach and shopping small along with fun giveaways at the foot of Newport Ave. Our popular Storefront Decorating Contest returned in 2017 with an unprecedented number of participating merchants making OB's commercial districts merry and bright. The festive holiday Sundowner in December was hosted by Brown Marketing Strategies and featured an ugly sweater contest and a toy collection for the OB Food & Toy Drive.

2018, the 40th year of OBMA, began with the Annual Marketing Breakfast in January hosted by Wonderland Ocean Pub with food by OB Surf Lodge/Social Syndicate. Brown Marketing Strategies presented an excellent seminar with information about maximizing your business' online presence. The event was well attended despite rare inclement weather.

Later in January, we held our Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration, when OBMA honors members for outstanding contributions to the Ocean Beach community. Fifty-two businesses/individuals were recognized for their contributions at the event. OBMA founding member and executive director Denny Knox was surprised with the Mike Hardin "Like a Boss" Award in rcognition of her four decades of service to OBMA. Dozens of OBMA member businesses provided food, raffle prizes, and production support for the festive event.

In February, OBMA Board Members and staff attended the California Main Street Alliance conference in Pleasanton, California, to learn from and network with other Main Street communities, instructors, and speakers. Shannon Brown of Brown Marketing Strategies facilitated an OBMA Board workshop during the conference

In March, Launderland on Cable and Santa Monica re-opened after an extensive renovation. The new owners are a local couple and installed all new machines and a large mural. The March Sundowner was co-hosted by the Electric Chair, The Philosophers Stone, and Helms Brewing.

April marked the close of the Newport Avenue Antique Mall, to make way for a new Target Express.

In May, planning for the 39th Annual OB Street Fair began in earnest, with the planning committee meeting each week. A great Sundowner was co-hosted by Sunset Clipps and OB Massage.

June ushered in the Street Fair, which was well attended despite cool and cloudy weather. The music and food vendors were excellent, and a great time was had by all. The OB Shop & Dine Card was launched at Street Fair, a great fundraiser for the OB Clean & Safe Program. 

July and August saw record-breaking temperatures, drawing many visitors to Ocean Beach. The water temps were at an all time high, and a heatwave throughout the county made the beach the best place to be! Iconic Nati’s Restaurant closed its doors in July, and will be greatly missed by the community.

In September the OBMA began working in partnership with CDC Small Business Finance to offer our local merchants an opportunity to secure a 5% fixed interest rate loan that can be used for capital equipment, business expansion, tenant and storefront improvements, and job creation. A fun BBQ Sundowner was held at the Ocean Villa Inn, complete with a mermaid acrobatic show in the pool!

In October, the OBMA celebrated its 40-year anniversary with a month-long show at Culture Brewing, featuring a 20-foot long timeline and OB memoribilia. The October Sundowner was held at Culture, with members recieving limited-edition pins and delicious food from new OBMA member Dirty Birds.

November ushered in Small Business Saturday, a fun event in support of local business. We celebrated our unique and artistic community with multiple interactive art installations and live music shows throughout the business districts. The Passport to OB allowed participants to collect punches from different local business and enter to win a prize drawing with great prizes from local businessess. 

In December we celebrated the holiday season, installing festive swags across Newport Avenue and on every lampost in the Newport Avenue business district.  The Ocean Beach Town Council put on another great Holiday Parade, with great attendance and lots of fun had by all.

In January, we celebrated the 40th Annual OBMA Awards Ceremony, recoginzing local businesses for their outstanding acheivements and community involvement. OB Paint & Hardware recieved a "Passing the Torch" award, along with heartfelt thanks for their 50 years doing business in Ocean Beach. New local owners stepped up to keep the 100-year old business open. At the Annual Marketing Breakfast hosted at the OB Playhouse, we heard from the City of San Diego’s Storefront Improvement Program, learned about CDC Low Interest Business Loans, discussed marketing trends and reviewed the Marketing Planning Guide from Brown Marketing Strategies. Also in January, a huge winter storm destroyed the railings on the OB Pier, causing it to be closed for several months for repairs.

In February, we helped promote the Beachtown Throwdown, a friendly competition among local breweries to determine who had the the best West-Coast IPA.  Modern Times, OB Brewery, Amplified Ale Works, Pizza Port Brewing, and Bay City Brewing Co. participated in a blind tasting competition, with the public voting for the favorite! A great Sundowner Networking Event  to bring local business owners and managers together was held at the OB Arcade Mall, hosted by Seth's Chop Shop, Your Mama's Mug, The Secret Escape Room, Reset Float Therapy, The Philosophers Stone, XP Virtual Reality, Olive Branch Chiropractic, and Heal Thy Goddess.

March found us hard at work producing the 2019-2020 edition of the OB Local Business Directory, a free community resource guide delivered to 13,000 local homes. The March Sundowner was hosted by the OB Garden Cafe, with much fun had by all as we sampled their amazing vegan cuisine. The first in a series of Social Media Workshops was hosted by the "OB Tech Collective," a group of local social media marketing consultants sharing their expertise in Social Media platforms with our members.

In April, the OB Pier Parking Lot Police Trailer was removed after 20 years of service. The 2019 OB Shop & Dine Card was launched, a multiple-use discount card that allows users to get get deals and raises money for community clean-up programs. The Sundowner event was hosted by OB BizMap at Culture Bewing, with a fun interactive treasure hunt for attendees.

May brought the re-opening of the Ocean Beach pier, which was eagerly anticipated by the entire community. Thank you to Mayor Faulconer for getting the pier repair completed on time and under budget!

In June, the OBMA organized and hosted the 40th Annual OB Street Fair & Chili Cook-off, an amazing free event with music, arts, vendors and entertainment! Mad Munch Cheezers opened a storefront on Newport Avenue after growing a successful business from their booth at the OB Farmers Market.

July 4th was another great celebration in Ocean Beach with the Annual Fireworks Show from the OB Pier.  Long time local eatery The Village Kitchen closed it's doors after 32 years on Newport Ave., the new three-story bar & restaurant The Holding Company opened with live music and views over the water, and a mini-Target opened in the former location of the Newport Avenue Antique Mall. A wonderful Sundowner networking event was hosted by EcoLux Interiors at a private residence along Sunset Cliffs.

Ocean Beach MainStreet Association at the Annual Awards Dinner!

Was held Thursday, January 23, 2020

6:00pm to 8:00pm 

Masonic Lodge

All Ocean Beach MainStreet Assocation members were invited to join the us for our Annual Maketing Breakfast.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

8:00am

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Dirty Birds 

1929 Cable Street / San Diego, CA 92107

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