You’ve heard of Southern California, home to Hollywood stars, surfers and crowded highways. But how much do you know about SLO CAL?
This hidden gem between LA and San Francisco boasts 80 miles of pristine beaches and lush, vineyard-covered hills. SLO stands for San Luis Obispo County and is a hotbed of creative, sustainable business. Entrepreneurs there are constantly finding new ways to use limited resources regeneratively by upcycling often discarded items and making them beautiful – and valuable.
On a recent trip to the charming towns of Cayucos, Morro Bay and Cambria, I was struck by the variety of popular mom-and-pop establishments that turn one man’s trash into another man’s treasure. What about the area that pushes people to do more with less?
“It’s just part of the culture here,” says Ryan Fortini, who opened the renovated Pacific Motel in a former run-down mobile home. “You are limited not only by what is available, but also by what is allowed in our county. But that invites extreme creativity.”
Here are some sustainable businesses to check out on your next visit to the area.
The Pacific Motel
Fun fact: The word “motel” was invented in San Luis Obispo. Back in 1925, an architect named Arthur Heineman built the Milestone Mo-Tel Inn, specifically designed for all new drivers on the road. Since then, highway motels have popped up across the United States, but many have become rundown relics of another era as travelers’ tastes in lodging have changed.
A few years ago, married couple Ryan and Marisa Fortini saw potential in some shabby motels in their hometown of Cayucos, a small beach town of 2,200 people. They spent two years remodeling the former Dolphin Inn, which was first built in the 1920s. The remodeled and renamed Pacific Motel retains the charm of original beach bungalows with a modern twist. The Fortinis removed all the ugly asphalt and gravel and replaced it with palm trees and succulents. The rooms have been completely gutted, redesigned and transformed into a clean boho-beach-chic aesthetic. Outside, they transformed a 1966 Chevy PT step van into a vintage food truck serving drinks and snacks. Guests can ride to the beach or around town on complimentary vintage cruise ships. 399 S Ocean Ave, Cayucos, CA
Photos of The Pacific Motel
The Shell Shop
This shop has been selling seashells on the coast since 1955. It all started when shop owner David Thomas was 11 years old and selling abalone shells at a shell stand in his hometown of Morro Bay. His father was so impressed by his young entrepreneur that he opened a brick-and-mortar clam shop a few years later. The iconic store is impossible to miss with a modified Shell Oil sign on the roof. The Shell Shop carries both local shells and shells from 22 countries worldwide, including East Africa, India, Vietnam and the Philippines. In some countries the shells are thrown away, but Thomas and his family have worked with their international partners to preserve their marine treasures. Shells cost between 15 cents and $15, but some collector crabs cost up to $12,000. 590 Embarcadero, Morro Bay
Maven leather and design
Artist Emma Thieme joined SLO CAL in 2020 after years of creating custom leather motorcycle seats in the wilds of Maine. She opened a studio and store in Cayucos offering all sorts of unique leather goods made from the “rescued hides” of American bison. Normally these skins are thrown away, but Thieme transforms them into beautiful bags, belts and plant swings using natural dyes from plants and insects. “My affinity for our environment inspires me to protect it for future generations. That’s why I use every piece of skin and incorporate natural plant and insect dyes into my work whenever possible,” she says. “Many of the colors you see in my work were sustainably achieved through my own experiments with natural dyes. To do this, I use plant and insect pigments that have provided humanity with color for thousands of years.” 146 N Ocean Ave, Cayucos
Photo by Acacia Productions
The hidden kitchen
The original Hidden Kitchen in the town of Cambira was literally hidden in an alley behind an ivy-covered wooden fence. For centuries, owner Amanecer Eizner dreamed of serving waffles made with a variety of blue corn that grew on the West Coast. Eizner grew up in the new-age Donkey Institute (where Don Draper had his epiphany in the final scene of Mad Men) and is rooted in community, healthy living and sustainable traditions. The restaurant sources most of its food locally, limits plastic use, recycles its water for on-site facilities, and composts and sends waste to a nearby farm. But more importantly, the gluten-free organic foods, including blue corn tacos and superfood smoothies, are insanely delicious. In addition to Cambria, there is a second location in Cayukos. Be sure to get there early. Retrieval lines wrap around the block. 2164 Center Street, Cambria and 113 North Ocean Ave, Cayukos.
Photo by Hidden Kitchen