Speak softly and carry a big stick: Little Lompoc is busier than ever
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Described as a “small, Midwestern town on the California coast,” by its economic development director, Kate Griffith, the city of Lompoc has been undergoing efforts to build on its signature Californian characteristics and strengthen its economic vitality, all while maintaining its quaint, small-town appeal.
As California has long been a leader in sustainability and environmental awareness, Lompoc is promoting its legacy of green practices. In Lompoc Valley magazine, the community’s first seasonal magazine highlighting the region, Griffith – also the publication’s editor in chief – said Lompoc is a “model for municipal green practices” and participated in the green movement “before it was cool.”
But the city is also a beacon for affordable commercial and industrial activity, particularly in its ability to draw small wine makers to a section of the city dubbed lovingly by those who know it as “the wine ghetto.”
Tech companies can find large spaces and lower rents in the area, attracting major companies like Raytheon. Now, Lompoc is boasting an industrial condominium project, for the first time making reasonably priced commercial space available for purchase in the city.
