It’s been home to celebrations and memory-making moments and now a College Area hangout has reached a big milestone.
Woodstock’s, a pizzeria near San Diego State University, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this week.
“We’re really proud to be open for 40 years here,” said general manager Lily Castro.
Although some people believe the restaurant was named after the famous 1960’s music festival, it was titled after its founder, Chuck Woodstock. He opened the first Woodstock’s in 1977 near Oregon State University in Corvallis.
He wanted to create a fun, student-oriented pizzeria focusing on fresh, hand-tossed dough. It became a success and led to a second restaurant in San Luis Obispo. Today, there are six Woodstock’s, including the one in San Diego, and a seventh on the way.
The San Diego location opened in an old laundromat on Rolando Court in 1985. In 2006, it moved to its current location 6145 El Cajon Blvd.
The restaurant celebrated it’s anniversary on Thursday night with a DJ, a ribbon cutting and speeches. The celebration continues all weekend with discount promotions on some pizzas and pints of beer.
Laura Ambrose, who owns the restaurant chain along with her husband, Jeff, said the store’s longevity can be tied to more than its food.
“We like to think that we have some good food,” she said. “We always try to focus on the experience. We want it to be a fun hangout.”
Castro said many customers fondly recall eating at Woodstock’s when they attended SDSU.
She recalled talking to one man who hadn’t been to Woodstock’s since he went to college 20 years ago and had moved back into the area.
“He was like, I’ve already been here three times since moving back,” said Castro. “It’s like, you guys are my favorite pizza spot. So, that was really cool. We have a lot of history here.”
Those college ties are part of the sauce at Woodstock’s.
Local students make up much of the workforce. The restaurant also works closely with the school’s athletic programs on events. And it becomes a raucous gathering place when the Aztecs play a big game.
“Oh my gosh, high energy, very lively,” said Castro, of game nights. “It’s really exciting.”
Ambrose joked that in the end, the restaurant’s 40-year run can be explained simply.
“Students are always going to eat pizza,” she said.
Updated 6:20 p.m. Nov. 20, 2025
