Some people find their calling in college. Some later in life.
For Timothy Parker, it happened while on a morning jog in his neighborhood. But it started with an epiphany he had while floating in San Diego Bay.
Parker was a Navy search and rescue swimmer stationed at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado when he jumped into the Bay that day during a training session.
It was a painful landing as the jump was probably about 20 feet, a little higher than he usually jumps. So, as he floated in the cold water waiting to climb into the nearby safety boat, the realization dawned on him that he was ready to move on from the Navy.
“At that moment, it hit me,” he recalled.
Fast forward to that neighborhood jog a few months later. Parker was running down Third Avenue in Chula Vista when he passed a building with broken windows that had been abandoned and taken over by vagrants. Parker thought someone should do something about that site and help improve the neighborhood.
So, he thought, why not him. An amateur home brewer, Parker decided this was his next move in life after leaving the Navy — to open a craft beer brewery in his hometown of Chula Vista. Parker is black and his Chula Vista Brewery, opened with his wife, Dali, made them a rarity in the business. They became the first black/brown brewery owners in San Diego.
Since the opening in 2017, Parker and his wife have opened a second brewery location in the city’s Eastlake neighborhood. His craft beers have won awards in competitions. The beers are being sold in South County stores. And last month, he was recognized for his achievements with the first ever Trailblazer Award from the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce.
“You can pretty much do whatever you dream of if you believe in it,” he said.
His unlikely journey started in South Chicago, where Parker, 43, was born and raised. He joined the Navy fresh out of high school and shipped out to San Diego where he was assigned to a helicopter squadron that provided him with a variety of missions, including anti-piracy, drug trafficking and search and rescues.
But after joining the Navy at age 18, Parker was in his thirties and ready to move on. Little did he know that one leap into San Diego Bay would be followed by a leap of faith and a new direction in his life.
Opening a business didn’t come easy. Parker was still in the Navy when he opened the brewery and realized that the Navy prepared him for a lot of things, but not for running a business.
He was overwhelmed by all the permits and licenses he needed to acquire.
“I found out the hard way,” he said. “I think that was the hardest part.”
Then, of course, there was the pandemic that occurred soon after he opened. And there was a dispute with the City of Chula Vista about allowing outdoor seating.
He credits his wife for supporting him and his idea and for doing a lot of the administrative work behind the scenes of the business.
“I couldn’t have done it without her,” he said.
Parker said their success comes from a variety of factors.
“You gotta make good beers,” he said.
But he has also connected with the community by supporting veterans causes year round and by creating a welcoming environment in a changing city. He cites the mix of hip hop and Mexican banda music playing in the brewery as a reflection of his and his wife’s blended cultures.
“When you walk in here, it’s authentic.” he said. He added: “When you walk in here, it’s definitely the most diverse brewery.”
Parker said the next step is to keep growing, and he hopes to see other people of color succeed in the business.
“We still got a long way to go,” he said.
He acknowledged his story can be an encouragement to others with dreams of their own.
“Anybody can do it and truly follow their dreams and get to where they want to go,” he said.