Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Why change, La Mesa?

Developer describes future vision of the Village

Aaron Dean sees the Cohns' Beau Bo venture as a catalyst for beneficial development in La Mesa Village.
Aaron Dean sees the Cohns' Beau Bo venture as a catalyst for beneficial development in La Mesa Village.

Change continues in the La Mesa area known as the Village or downtown. One highly visible part of this change was the sometimes-maligned Streetscape project, after which several businesses departed or will soon do so.

In their places, new businesses and developments have and are coming into the area, some identifiable by the fencing, green screening, and “coming soon” signs noticed when driving along La Mesa Boulevard between Acacia and Allison avenues.

Aaron Dean, self-described as “an old La Mesa person” by virtue of his family moving into the area in the 1970s, has four projects under development in the Village: Boulevard Noodles (Asian food); La Mesa 8, a ground-floor bakery and eight condo units in two stories above the bakery (the first ground-up development in La Mesa in 23 years); Sheldon’s Service Station, a coffee shop with outdoor seating that offers beer and wine later in the day; and the Depot Springs Soda Company, manufacturing “hop-infused, all-natural sodas” and including a small storefront selling the soda, ice cream, and confections.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Dean is also known for the Depot Springs Brewery, Table 1888, and Platform 1888, projects that are under construction on Fletcher Parkway, a little more than three miles from the Village.

When asked "why La Mesa?" for all of these ventures, Dean said the region has the potential to be a “real neighborhood” and the government, including the mayor and new development director, are very pro-growth.

Dean cited other ventures such as Craft Kitchen, the Hills, Beau Bo, Helix Brewing, and Bolt Brewery that have recently come to this small East County city.

When asked about change, Dean said, “A lot of people get scared when you use the word ‘change.’” He said that a lot of residents have been in the area since the '70s and, “When you say 'change' to them, it freaks them out a little bit. They picture high-rises. They picture traffic. They picture the wrong kind of people in their minds, whatever that may be.

"When I picture change…this area really needs a younger base. Things geared towards younger people, like schools. Younger folks need to move in to feed students into the schools.... The change people are looking for isn’t, 'Let’s tear up La Mesa Boulevard and put up 20-story buildings.' I think the change people want is that Little Italy feel. Bring back the arts. [Though] some businesses here don’t fit the future.”

What about the change in character? Many departing and departed shops were involved with arts, crafts, and antiques.

According to Dean, most locations that have successful art businesses have a great culinary presence. “The art places will do better if there are more people on the street eating and drinking.”

When asked about the service businesses on La Mesa Boulevard, Dean said, “I’ll get yelled at by my real estate friends, but the stores that do need to move off the main street are the escrow offices and the real estate offices.”

He suggested those businesses need to move a block off the main street so that a balance can be realized, in what he described as a "10-10-10" approach: 10 restaurants, 10 unique businesses...and 10 from another category he could not recall.

Dean advocates for at least 10 good places to eat that are open for lunch and dinner. That will drive the businesses, he said.

Dean compared what is occurring in La Mesa with the Gaslamp District in 1995, with Croce’s and the Cohns invigorating the sketchy area.

“I don’t think anyone would complain about the transition from the types of stores that were there to what it is now.”

Dean forecasts that property owners will realize “that instead of $800 a month for a 1000-square-foot space, they can now get $3000 or $4000 for that space. That is where you will see the restaurants and more unique businesses come in.”

Dean expressed strong support for local events such as the weekly car show and Oktoberfest. He said Oktoberfest should be reworked, but not lost because, “it brings a ton of attention to La Mesa and if worked right can be a spectacular event for the community.”

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Our riparian woodland begins to look like fall, Orb Weavers help decorate

Comet of the century?
Next Article

Roll-over crashes crop up in San Diego and Baja

Nails, beer, Coca-Cola, Mexican pop singer Luis Miguel's stage equipment
Aaron Dean sees the Cohns' Beau Bo venture as a catalyst for beneficial development in La Mesa Village.
Aaron Dean sees the Cohns' Beau Bo venture as a catalyst for beneficial development in La Mesa Village.

Change continues in the La Mesa area known as the Village or downtown. One highly visible part of this change was the sometimes-maligned Streetscape project, after which several businesses departed or will soon do so.

In their places, new businesses and developments have and are coming into the area, some identifiable by the fencing, green screening, and “coming soon” signs noticed when driving along La Mesa Boulevard between Acacia and Allison avenues.

Aaron Dean, self-described as “an old La Mesa person” by virtue of his family moving into the area in the 1970s, has four projects under development in the Village: Boulevard Noodles (Asian food); La Mesa 8, a ground-floor bakery and eight condo units in two stories above the bakery (the first ground-up development in La Mesa in 23 years); Sheldon’s Service Station, a coffee shop with outdoor seating that offers beer and wine later in the day; and the Depot Springs Soda Company, manufacturing “hop-infused, all-natural sodas” and including a small storefront selling the soda, ice cream, and confections.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Dean is also known for the Depot Springs Brewery, Table 1888, and Platform 1888, projects that are under construction on Fletcher Parkway, a little more than three miles from the Village.

When asked "why La Mesa?" for all of these ventures, Dean said the region has the potential to be a “real neighborhood” and the government, including the mayor and new development director, are very pro-growth.

Dean cited other ventures such as Craft Kitchen, the Hills, Beau Bo, Helix Brewing, and Bolt Brewery that have recently come to this small East County city.

When asked about change, Dean said, “A lot of people get scared when you use the word ‘change.’” He said that a lot of residents have been in the area since the '70s and, “When you say 'change' to them, it freaks them out a little bit. They picture high-rises. They picture traffic. They picture the wrong kind of people in their minds, whatever that may be.

"When I picture change…this area really needs a younger base. Things geared towards younger people, like schools. Younger folks need to move in to feed students into the schools.... The change people are looking for isn’t, 'Let’s tear up La Mesa Boulevard and put up 20-story buildings.' I think the change people want is that Little Italy feel. Bring back the arts. [Though] some businesses here don’t fit the future.”

What about the change in character? Many departing and departed shops were involved with arts, crafts, and antiques.

According to Dean, most locations that have successful art businesses have a great culinary presence. “The art places will do better if there are more people on the street eating and drinking.”

When asked about the service businesses on La Mesa Boulevard, Dean said, “I’ll get yelled at by my real estate friends, but the stores that do need to move off the main street are the escrow offices and the real estate offices.”

He suggested those businesses need to move a block off the main street so that a balance can be realized, in what he described as a "10-10-10" approach: 10 restaurants, 10 unique businesses...and 10 from another category he could not recall.

Dean advocates for at least 10 good places to eat that are open for lunch and dinner. That will drive the businesses, he said.

Dean compared what is occurring in La Mesa with the Gaslamp District in 1995, with Croce’s and the Cohns invigorating the sketchy area.

“I don’t think anyone would complain about the transition from the types of stores that were there to what it is now.”

Dean forecasts that property owners will realize “that instead of $800 a month for a 1000-square-foot space, they can now get $3000 or $4000 for that space. That is where you will see the restaurants and more unique businesses come in.”

Dean expressed strong support for local events such as the weekly car show and Oktoberfest. He said Oktoberfest should be reworked, but not lost because, “it brings a ton of attention to La Mesa and if worked right can be a spectacular event for the community.”

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Could this be Queen Bee’s last North Park fab fair?

Developers eye site, but historical designation may stop them
Next Article

San Diego Reader Best of 2024

A world-class museum, best drinking, best eating, best shops, ups and downs of Del Cerro, parent-friendly playgrounds, peaceful, eaze-y feeling
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader