New Businesses Coming to Downtown

Posted: Jun 16, 2011 7:04 PM by Kathy Kuretich
Updated: Jun 17, 2011 8:19 AM

As one business closes, another one is ready to take its place. That's the trend in downtown San Luis Obispo, according to the Chamber of Commerce.
It says new businesses, in the city, are up 5 to 7 percent over last year.
They've seen a steady recovery since the economy's low point in 2009.
In the 600-900 block of Higuera Street, three new business are moving in.
Kreuzberg Coffee house is moving into the Golden China restaurant space from their location on Monterey.
Raku, a new Japanese restaurant is coming in from Grover Beach, and Renaissance Salon and Boutique will also open soon.
"There's a lot of new business activity and that really says a lot of good things about the future. There are people willing to invest, and there are people willing to come into our market and that really is the indicator that things really will get better," said chamber president and CEO Dave Garth.
While there has been steady new business growth since 2009, Garth admits they still have a way to go.
"it's a mixed bag, really. It hasn't been a recovery as fast as we'd like and it's still tough times for some businesses, while other businesses are doing better," he said.
Although they typically have a higher failure rate, you may also notice more bars, restaurants and coffee shops, downtown. Garth says it's an effort to expand the downtown atmosphere from a retail location, to more of an entertainment area.
"I don't know that that means they will be more successful, some of the restaurant owners are thinking that it will be tougher with more competition,"
Import furniture store Luna Rustica on Broad Street in San Luis Obispo will soon be returning downtown after a three year absence.
"I think opportunity is there," said owner Michael Carija. "We've been vacant of that exposure in the downtown corridor."
They left their downtown location in 2007 after their lease was up, then the economy took a turn for the worse. But now they say they're ready to open up a second location again... and they feel downtown San Luis Obispo's unique clientele and store visibility will be good for business.
"The merchants and shop owners, that creates an interesting family and neighborhood of people, working their hardest to do a good job."
While he thinks it's the right fit for his import furniture shop, he says downtown is not for everyone.
"San Luis Obispo has a very unique climate downtown and there's a very interesting area, that does not make it easy to do retail," said Carija.