NBC 7’s Dave Summers checks in with business owners in Ocean Beach during Black Friday to see how the pier’s closure is or isn’t impacting their business.
It’s beginning to look a lot like the holiday shopping season. The Christmas characters have arrived, but the crowds of shoppers have not.
“It has not been any worse or better than any other average day for us,“ proprietor John Price said.
Price and his partner, Christina Riley, own Humble Heart on Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach.
“We did actually do a sale today [Friday] and for the whole weekend,“ Riley said.
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John says the Ocean Beach Pier closing has little impact on holiday sales since they are three blocks from the beach. Christina isn’t so sure.
Holiday shopping season begins in San Diego
“I feel like it does impact it just a little bit because people like to come and walk the pier,“ Riley said.
The pier closed October 2023. The OB icon drew a half million people to the area each year.
OB may have lost its pier but there are still beautiful things to see like the sunset and the beach. Shoppers would also say the sales.
“Our sales are the ones to look out for because a lot of times we have sales you are not going to find anywhere else,“ Sales Associate Molly Gallagher said.
Gallagher, who works at “closet” across the street from Humble Heart says if you can draw in locals to shop, the rest will follow.
“Focusing a lot on the locals that have been with us since the beginning as well as the newer locals that just moved here,“ Gallagher said.
OB’s reputation alone is enough to get North Carolina visitor Qua Sims here. “Who doesn’t come down here and shop?” Sims asked.
Sims and good friend Gabby Clay find the atmosphere much more pleasant for buying than mall stores.
“It’s a good place. There are a lot of sales. I think it is a great place to go shopping,“ Clay said.
“We kind of pride ourselves on selling unique finding unique gifts,” Price said.
From the established small businesses like Humble Heart to the new Shawarma House opening on Newport Avenue in a couple of weeks, there is a fearlessness in the retailers here.
“We’re confident in the product. We also have plans to lure some customers over here because we know this is a heavy beer area,” Proprietor Mathios Yonan said.
For whatever Black Friday may be, elsewhere it is just beginning of the buying season.
The Ocean Beach MainStreet Association kicks off its “Shop Small Saturday” between 10 and 4 p.m. This day celebrates the diversity of small businesses across Ocean Beach.
