O’mazing O’riginal O’siders
Oceanside’s community is made up of a diverse group of both locals and businesses that together shape and mold Oceanside into the amazing city it is today. With the sudden COVID-19 pandemic reaching the United States and government officials calling for widespread stay-home orders and business limitations, our community of O’riginal O’siders were put to the test. Forced with the option to retreat or rally together, the City of Oceanside, residents and business owners responded with a chorus of collaboration, innovative pivots and an overarching drive to help one another other through this trying time. In short, our community adopted the mantra that together, we WILL get through this. Here are just a few examples of O’siders being O’mazing.
Gilead Sciences
Normally when you think of Oceanside images of picturesque beaches, the iconic pier, harbor village and other similar imagery comes to mind. Something you might not think of is innovative companies on the cutting edge of science! Oceanside is home to many such businesses, and one company in particular is using its expertise with antiviral medicines to help solve this crisis. Gilead Sciences, a research-based biopharmaceutical company, is working with the FDA, CDC, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, Department of Defense, World Health Organization and other global health authorities to test their experimental antiviral drug called remdesivir. Currently involved in numerous clinical trails across the globe, as well as testing at UC San Diego, UC Irvine, UC Davis and UC San Francisco, Gilead Sciences is working with researchers to further study the drug as a potential treatment solution for COVID-19. To learn more about Gilead Sciences and the work they are doing visit https://www.gilead.com/purpose/advancing-global-health/covid-19.
Pryor Products
Oceanside based company Pryor Products has been manufacturing medical equipment since 1990. To support our medical professionals working to fight COVID-19 on a global level, Pryor Products has collaborated with General Motors and Martinre to ship 6,000 ventilator mobility stands in the last 30 days. In response to the growing demand, the company is setting sights on manufacturing upwards of 10,000 more units in the next 30 days. To assist in this endeavor, Pryor Products has tapped into MiraCosta College’s Technology Career Institute to involve students with additional efforts like creating masks for frontline workers- giving the students real world experience of product creation in times of crisis. To learn more about Pryor Products visit https://pryorproducts.com/.
In the News:
Rais Case
O’side O’riginal Julie Rais Ellis has helped lead Oceanside’s handcrafted and artisan retail market with her company Rais Case. Traditionally selling a wide variety of bags, fashion accessories and DIY kits, Julie has shifted her talents towards a new goal; supporting our community by sewing masks for local hospitals, nurses, doctors, homeless, elderly and anyone else in need. To aid in her efforts, local donations for the materials needed to make the masks are being accepted at their co-op space The Rising Co., as well as monetary donations to help increase their production abilities and cover the costs. Finally, Rais Case’s website also lists a free downloadable pattern for people to use as a template for making their own masks at home. To learn more visit https://www.raiscase.com/.
Studio Ace
Studio ACE has been serving the Oceanside community with art classes for a diverse range of skill levels and ages since 2018. As families find new routines with kids schooling and playing from home, ACE has worked to provide hundreds of Free Art Kits to Oceanside families. These kits include basic school and art supplies, as well as creative art prompts and activities that keep children stimulated and equipped with materials many families don’t already have at home. To further their efforts, ACE is now partnering with Oceanside Unified School District to provide even more families with Free Art Kits with the help of monetary and art supply donations. To learn more about this initiative and how to donate visit https://www.studioace.org.
Linksoul
Iconic Oceanside brand Linksoul has joined the #FlattenTheCurve movement with their own take on the phrase through the lens of golfing. Utilizing their apparel design expertise co-founder Geoff Cunningham designed a special limited edition t-shirt that features the golfing phrase “This Calls for the Low Stinger” with an accompanying graphic, both signifying support for flattening the curve to slow the spread of the Coronavirus. Best of all, 100% of all proceeds from sales of this t-shirt design will be donated to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s COVID-19 relief fund which specifically aids the most vulnerable populations affected by the ongoing crisis, as well as providing needed supplies to hospitals. As of writing, Linksoul has raised over $130,000 through this promotion with more support continuing to flood in. To learn more visit Linksoul Flatten The Curve Limited Edition Tee.
In the News:
Suja Juice
Oceanside based cold-pressed juice company Suja is focused on plant-powered wellness! Their beverages include their well-known juices, in addition to their newly launched kombuchas and wellness shots. Now Suja is “paying it forward” and working to help fight hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the #HomeFoodChallenge launched by the SWITCHFOOT BRO-AM Foundation, the company has donated more than 7,500 bottles of juice to Feeding San Diego. In addition, Suja is working to donate their organic juices and wellness shots to first responders and frontline workers in the Los Angeles, Denver and Phoenix areas. To learn more about their efforts visit https://www.sujajuice.com/.
In the News:
Pacific Coast Spirits
Opening towards the end of 2019, Pacific Coast Spirits is a newer member of the Oceanside community serving hand-crafted small batch spirits from their in-house distillery, as well as farm-to-table dining. With the outbreak of COVID-19 came hand sanitizer shortages in most communities, including ours. Pacific Coast Spirits responded by pivoting from their primary business of making high-end drinks to utilizing their distillery for the creation of hand sanitizer. This move enabled them to keep their business open while aiding the community by offering individual 2oz sanitizer spray bottles, as well as 750ml refill bottles for local hospitals, businesses and residents to purchase.
In the News:
O’side Kitchen Collaborative
With many dining establishments and farmers forced to shut down operations or scale back significantly, excess and unused fresh food ingredients are at risk of going to waste. One Oceanside group known as O’side Kitchen Collaborative has stepped up by partnering with local farms and now-closed dining businesses to rescue their fresh ingredients and feed those in need. Starting by gathering thousands of pounds of food that would otherwise go to waste throughout the week, a team of volunteer chefs then create hundreds of healthy meals daily that are ready to be delivered to local seniors and the food deprived. In a 5-day span the O’side Kitchen Collaborative reports rescuing 4,228 pounds of food and providing 1,350 nutritious meals to locals in need.
The City of Oceanside has decided to fund 3,500 meals a week for Oceanside residents through O’side Kitchen Collaborative, ensuring this program can continue to help the community through this crisis.
In the News:
- San Diego Restaurants Now Closed Give Unused Ingredients to Oceanside Group Making Meals for Elderly
- Oceanside single mother passes out nearly 10,000 hot meals to the homeless
- Oceanside kitchen ramps up, becoming a lifeline for some restaurants
- Oceanside nonprofit honored for feeding 400,000 meals to needy since pandemic began
Coomber Craft Wines
Located along iconic Mission Avenue, Coomber Craft Wines has championed collaboration with fellow local businesses in order to keep the Oceanside dining scene alive and well, despite the circumstances. Starting with a partnership between two neighboring restaurants, Rosewood Kitchen and Rim Talay, Coomber Craft Wines began offering dinner specials for two when you order a bottle of Coomber wine. Complete with free delivery if ordered before a certain time, this promotion proved to be successful for all involved. Beyond providing a service to customers, these partnerships and personal touches, including their specially made Coomber “home delivery placemat” which is used to present the deliveries and keep the food off the ground, help build a sense of community without breaking social distancing protocols. The next iteration of their dinner for two promotion will include a choice of two family-friendly board games or a puzzle from neighboring game manufacturer USAopoly to go along with the meal and wine. To learn more visit https://www.coomberwines.com/About-Us.
Finally, Coomber Craft Wines offers DIY hand sanitizer that meets the CDC guidelines for sale while also making a priority to give away 3oz bottles to local police, fire, and medical personnel on the front lines. In addition they have sanitizer available for those that appear to be vulnerable and in need.
In the News:
Blade 1936 & Mangia e Bevi
Who doesn’t love pizza? Two Italian restaurants in Oceanside, Mangia e Bevi and Blade 1936, both offer exquisite authentic pizzas on their normal restaurant menus. When dine-in restrictions were put in place an opportunity arose, and both seized the moment to offer something a ready-made meal cannot; family-friendly fun. Creating special DIY pizza kits complete with all of the ingredients needed to make your own iteration of their famous pizzas, both launched on Instagram and received widespread community support.
To help further, how-to videos were shot showing the step by step process for making pizza’s using their kits, even getting their kids involved to make it a fun experience for the whole family! Finally, Mangia e Bevi began hosting a DIY pizza making competition on Instagram encouraging customers to share their creations for a chance to win restaurant gift cards. Together these creative efforts helped bridge the gap between business and customer, further building up a sense of community from the comfort and safety of home.
Blade 1936
Mangia e Bevi
333 Pacific
Acclaimed Oceanside restaurant 333 Pacific, a member of Cohn Restaurant Group (CRG), is known for its phenomenal beachfront dining experience featuring elegant cuisine and a stunning view of the Oceanside Pier. With restaurants temporarily halting operations, 333 Pacific was one of many businesses impacted. To support the restaurant community, 333 Pacific is now one of two Cohn Restaurant Group businesses in greater San Diego County serving as a CRG Team Food Pantry. Three days a week 333 Pacific remains operating to serve free family-style meals curbside for CRG employees to bring home to their families. In addition, CRG launched an employee assistance program, contributing $250,000 in the form of $500 Visa gift cards to help support their employee’s daily essential needs. To learn more about 333 Pacific visit www.cohnrestaurants.com/333pacific.
In the News:
Cyclops Farms
Serving as a backbone for many local restaurants by providing fresh produce daily, Oceanside’s own Cyclops Farms responded immediately to the crisis. With the closure of most restaurants and markets, including Oceanside’s weekly Thursday Farmers Market, farmer Luke Girling opened his home food stand at the foot of his property on weekends to continue to offer his fresh produce while many grocery stores were cleaned out. Maintaining his desire to help people first and foremost, Cyclops Farms does not sell boxes of produce to ensure there is enough for all of his customers to go around, and to not price anyone out of getting essential foods. Furthermore, collaborations are ongoing, including pop-ups from Loose Leaf Tea, as well as shared space for other local farmers that are having a hard time selling existing crops. As of late farmer Luke has also begun selling bouquets of fresh grown flowers! All goods are while supplies last and can be purchased from your car to maintain social distancing. For details on hours and what will be available check Cyclops Farms Oceanside and the Cyclops Farms Facebook Page.
In the News:
Oceanside Museum of Art
If it’s one thing artists know, its thinking outside the box. Without the ability to welcome guests to see exhibits and attend events in person, the Oceanside Museum of Art has turned to technology to offer the experience of inspiration and creativity from home. Virtual events include live streamed art lectures on topics such as art theft and art censorship, as well as instructional art tutorials and even community art projects you can help contribute to! One such art project aims to create boxes full of art supplies to offer inspiration and opportunity for creativity with artist Gloria Muriel coloring sheets and Katie Ruiz’s inspired pom-pom making supplies. These all-ages “OMAmagination” art boxes will be delivered to families at the Oceanside Women’s Resource Center. You can contribute to this fantastic community project by donating yarn in all the colors of the rainbow, even if you only have just a few yards leftover from other projects
To learn more visit https://oma-online.org/virtualoma/, and to coordinate yarn donations contact adam@oma-online.org.
Oceanside Theatre Company
The Oceanside Theatre Company was poised to have another successful season with their new hit “Sweet Charity,” however three shows into its performance schedule the call was made to postpone performances until state guidelines allow them to continue. In the meantime, Sweet Charity lives on through video recordings of the stunning musical numbers. Viewers are encouraged to enjoy the scenes from home for the time being until it can be experienced live and in person, and to donate to their fundraising campaign to help the actors, directors, musicians, and production crew with the loss in income.
Beyond Sweet Charity, the Oceanside Theatre Company has also conducted live stream readings of local playwright Casey Tibbitts newest play “Quiet Cross.” More online virtual events are in the pipeline so be sure to check their website Oceanside Theatre Company often to catch the next live stream!
Stay Tuned!
New stories about O’siders being O’mazing are cropping up daily! We will be continuing to update this page, so check back often for more stories about the people and businesses that make Oceanside the great city it is.
