Downtown Chula Vista has been on a ten-year track of consistent growth, seeing more breweries, restaurants and retail shops, creating a unique and vibrant urban community.
In 2015, the once-small city center began to get new breweries and restaurants. There have also been improvement projects such as sidewalks and planters to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment.
Steve Garcia, co-owner of 3 Punk Ales, one of Chula Vista’s first craft breweries, has seen the evolution of downtown Chula Vista since his business’ establishment in 2017.
Growing up in the South Bay city, Garcia found it difficult to get local craft beer. To change that, he decided to bring the beer to Chula Vista and jump-started an inspiring progression of local breweries.
“I know what works in our community. I knew that a craft beer brewery would be something that would be a great need,” said Garcia. “People don’t really understand what goes on down here, so it’s going to take people from down here to set it up.”
With growing street traffic and popularity, the once-small area has become a tourist attraction, he said.
“We’re very proud and honored to be a representative of Chula Vista brewing and community,” said Garcia.
Most of the new businesses are owned by locals. In addition to 3 Punk Ales, these businesses include Mmm Cakes, Arts-Rec, Mujer Divina, Talavera Azul, Craft on Third, El Cholo’s Kid, Hidden Beauty Salon, La Bella Pizza Garden and Chula Vista Photo Studio.
“The people that are coming back to open up these shops are from the community … they grew up down the street from Third Avenue,” said Dominic Li Mandri, district manager for the Downtown Chula Vista Association. “They’ve come back to contribute their vision — their dream — to the revitalization effort of Third Avenue.”
Another example of the community-oriented atmosphere is Mike Acosta’s barber shop Mickey Lou’s on Third Avenue.
Acosta inherited the Chula Vista Hair Salon in 2019 from Russell Sanchez, who had owned it since 1969. Transforming the former hair salon into a barber shop, Acosta kept the original interior design while adding his own flare, changing everything from blue to red along with the shop’s name. The Mickey Lou name honors a friend of Acosta’s father.
“It’s history,” said Acosta. “All the other barber shops, they’re modern, they’re for the new age of barbers. I’m the only original, traditional barber shop here.”
Born and raised in Chula Vista, Acosta said the evolution of the downtown has been “well deserved.”
“I watched North Park grow, I watched Little Italy grow. Being born and raised in Chula Vista, I was getting jealous. How come Chula Vista doesn’t do something like this?” he said.
“I think we made it — and it feels good to be a part of it.”
Another big addition to the city is the Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center coming in late spring of 2025, which will “supercharge a lot of the small businesses” due to thousands of new clients who will visit, according to Li Mandri.
With the developments of the Gaylord and the downtown area, the city is beginning to see additional revenue, investments and improved infrastructure for an increased quality of life.
“We want downtown Chula Vista to be open and welcoming of that new clientele that will be experiencing the South Bay for the first time,” said Li Mandri. “We want the Third Avenue district to be a representative of everything that’s great and personable and authentic about the South Bay.”
