A fuzzy investment: Santa Ynez Valley duo deals in llamas and alpacas
At Alpacas at West Ranch, hundreds of long-necked, fuzzy creatures frolic about and doze under shady trees on a sweltering summer day in the Santa Ynez Valley. Alpacas are often described as just another agribusiness bubble, like emus, llamas, Shetland ponies and tulips before them. But at this Los Olivos ranch, the charm and the Read More →
Parking battle heats up at Ventura Harbor
At Andria’s Seafood Restaurant and Market in the Ventura Harbor, there’s been an odd quirk in the business this summer: Sales are down by about 10 percent, but not all the time. Manager Frederico Castro said it’s only happening on weekends, and only during the daytime — in other words, only during hours that customers Read More →
Message on a bottle: New Paso Robles firm takes the paper out of wine labels
A Paso Robles start-up is breaking into the region’s wine industry by creating custom wine bottle labels printed directly on glass. Peltier Glassworks was founded recently by Adam and Marisa Peltier, a husband-and-wife team who both graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. It’s the only glass silk screening company on the Central Coast, Adam Read More →
Kids' clothes, grown-up businesses
Any parent can tell you that children can be an endless source of joy, tears, laughter and stress. For two Santa Barbara County moms, they’re also a source of business inspiration. In Solvang, children’s clothing company Lollybean has seen steady growth since owner Amy McConnell started the business in 2007. With the clothes she designs Read More →
San Luis Obispo entrepreneur returns to his roots
Buying his old company back last year was a business decision, but James Whitaker admits pride had something to do with it. Quickcondoms.com — as the name suggests, the company sells condoms online — was struggling. Whitaker started the business as a 19-year-old Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student and sold his half to his Read More →
Whole Foods thinks local as tri-county products land on shelves
Whole Foods Market has been in expansion mode for the better part of two decades. As it has opened stores in the Tri-Counties, entrepreneurs have worked to get their products on the stores’ shelves. Beth Bailey is a Santa Barbara mother of two who founded The Kiddo Co. The company makes all-natural, all-organic “squeezies,” Read More →
SLO firm gets local with mobile ads
The buzzword-heavy consensus in the tech world is that print publications are dying, consumers glaze over at the sight of traditional Web ads and hyper-local mobile phone marketing is the official Next Big Thing. That’s all fine — but what’s a corner diner or mom-and-pop shop to do to get out a coupon and grab Read More →
