Scores of Windows and Glass Doors Etched Along Newport by Vandals
This is an update from the earlier post about the vandalism in Ocean Beach against Newport Avenue businesses. This morning…
Serving OB, the Peninsula and San Diego Beaches

This is an update from the earlier post about the vandalism in Ocean Beach against Newport Avenue businesses. This morning…
Editor: We will be posting an update on this story later today.
By Jen Lebron Kuhney / SignOnSanDiego / Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 5:46 p.m.
OCEAN BEACH — The windows of at least 31 Ocean Beach businesses were etched by vandals, apparently between midnight and 5 a.m. Tuesday, San Diego police said.
Every now and then, we’ll do a review of what’s been going down on Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach, what’s…
by Sarah Little
Support Your Local Small Business Day?
How about a ‘Local Small Businesses Support Their Local Community Day’?
It’s not that I’m anti-small business. I’m not. I whole-heartedly support small, local businesses. Heck, that is one of the reasons I love Ocean Beach.
Gary Gilmore – Newport Avenue’s goldsmith par excellence – is proud of the fact that he arrived in Ocean Beach in 1973 with nothing else but the clothes on his back, his guitar, and his leather tools. He had journeyed across the country and had found heaven. And he’s been in OB ever since. His is a true classic rags to riches story. Yet it’s an OB hippie version of the classic. For Gary Gilmore certainly looked like a hippie when he arrived 37 years ago.
Gary’s love for OB is so evident that it’s almost difficult to get him to talk about anything else. This was all apparent as we took our seats for a lunch at the quintessential OB restaurant – the Old Townhouse – featured prominently in the current television series “Terriers” which was filmed in OB.
I just got off the phone with Ken Anderson, one of the co-managers of The Black. He has worked on Newport Ave for 18 years and has seen everything. He is the one who ordered the new, controversial anti-homeless stickers that say “Welcome to Ocean Beach. Please don’t feed our bums,” with a graphic of a 1930’s hobo and dog.
by Kristin Condon
The building with Ace Tattoo and El Rodeo is looking spiffy – it has gotten a new paint job and new banisters and signs, including the new “L Rodeo” sign.
Ciao Bella Ristorante e Pizzaria at 4953 Newport opened at the end of February, and appears to be doing a brisk business. Their extensive menu features soups, salads, antipasto, pasta, panini, risotti, pizzas, and handmade desserts. They have a very nice dining room, and also will take phone orders to go….
SEE MORE INSIDE…..
by Nate Hipple
At 2:30 PM a naked man waded into the ocean in the ‘surfing only’ section next to the pier in Ocean Beach. This immediately caused a reaction from people who were hanging out on the boardwalk as well as those standing in the tide pools. Some were cheering. One man shouted, “Put your clothes back on!”
When the skinny dipper returned to the beach, moments later, lifeguards and police were waiting to detain him. One eyewitness saw the naked man struggle with authorities and was forcibly brought to the ground. Onlookers on the boardwalk reacted with obscenities, shouting, “F- the police!” and “Pigs!”
by Anonymous Newport Merchant
I’m cautiously optimistic about this season for businesses on Newport Avenue.
First off there is a much more positive feel from my customers as well as from other merchants that this is going to be a better Christmas than last. Last year there was a palpable atmosphere of fear and uncertainty where as this year the mood is considerably more optimistic.
OCEAN BEACH, CA. Every now and then, we like to check in to what’s been going on Newport Avenue – OB’s main drag. What is going on with the community’s main business street?
Well, there’s lots to report – both good and bad.
COW IS MOVING OUT OF OB
We spoke to Greg last week, the owner of Cow, Newport’s only music store. And unfortunately for the community, his business will be moving out of Ocean Beach by the new year. He is on a month-to-month lease. The reason for the move from the beach? Well, there are two reasons:
Chris Bowd has contacted us at the OB Rag and says he is 85 to 90% back to normal – health and mental wise, and as of today (8/20/09) out of the hospital system. This is great news.
Bowd, the OBcean assaulted July 4th and left unconscious on the sidewalk on Newport Ave and Bacon, and then was in a coma for weeks, wrote to the OB Rag at 4:15 this afternoon and left a comment to the latest article on his situation.
Here is what Chris wrote: …
by Lane Tobias
Its easy to find talented people in OB. For such a small community, we have an unusual amount of creative people, both artists and entrepreneurs, within our midst. I learned this first hand over the last few weeks as I got to know my neighbors Matt Cook and self described “couch-monkey” Joe Clarke.
Matt and Joe have spent the last three months showcasing local residents who make OB San Diego’s most unique and exciting ‘hood on their late night talk show, Matt Cook Live.
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