Talent & The Art of South Cedros Avenue

At first glance, South Cedros Avenue in Solana Beach is little more than a random mixture of housing, light-industrial buildings and Quonset huts. It’s of note to most non-residents only because it is home to the Belly Up Tavern, which has brought top-rated entertainers to North County for more than 15 years.

But this coastal community street has gradually evolved into a noteworthy colony of craftsmen, woodworkers, collectors, importers and artists. Within a quarter mile, everything from hand-carved carousel ponies to centuries-old coins can be purchased.

There are large shops and some so small you must literally stumble upon them. All along the street, the sound of things being created is in the air--of wood being cut, glass being etched and iron being welded.

South Cedros was not designed with the creative arts in mind, though.

In keeping with its industrial heritage, it runs parallel to train tracks that connect San Diego and Los Angeles. Most of the buildings on the block were built in 1952 by Bill Jack Industries for the aerospace industry. The bays that now house peaceful artists were initially used to manufacture war materiel.

In 1979, the Quonset huts on the west side of the street were purchased by Dave Hodges, one of the owners of the Belly Up Tavern. The nightclub is on the south end of the string of round-roofed buildings collectively addressed 143 S. Cedros. Most of the additional space has been leased to artists--some long-term tenants, some more recent arrivals.

Strolling down Cedros is not like going to a shopping mall--there are no Mrs. Field’s cookies sold here. There is really only one franchise outlet, the outdoor store Adventure 16 Outfitters. Few of the stores have committed a lot of energy to window displays, yet this is an inviting place to browse. The area’s unpolished flavor is part of what makes it distinctive.

“There was no plan to turn this into an artists’ village,” according to Hodges. “The small buildings were properly zoned for things like woodworking. These are good and inexpensive places for the craftsmen to work. Also, it is zoned ‘special commercial,’ which means that an artist can have a work/live-in situation here. You can’t put a working shop anywhere but in an industrial area, and this industrial area being on the coast attracts artistic types of people.”

The area may be facing change, though.

The train station and transit center proposed for Solana Beach would be situated nearby on Lomas Santa Fe. The center would largely replace the Amtrak station at Del Mar and serve bus lines and a future San Diego-to-Oceanside commuter train. In addition to attracting commuters to the area, it would likely bring supporting retail stores.

Discussion of the proposed station and its impact is continuing. Some see the additional traffic the station would generate as a plus for those trying to sell their wares. Others fear that with it will come increased rents that drive local craftsman from the area.

While some are reluctant to see the area’s popularity increase, others, such as shopkeeper Tom Cassidy, envision drawing attention to South Cedros’s unusual collection of craftsmen and woodworkers by promoting it as “The Sawdust District.”

Meanwhile, here’s some of what you will find in the creative heart of South Cedros, which stretches from Lomas Santa Fe to Rosa Street:

Cassidy Southwestern

Furniture and Fine Art

112 S. Cedros Tom Cassidy never thought Cedros Avenue would evolve into any sort of crafts center when he began business here four years ago. His store, which specializes in Southwestern furniture and art, is now one of the largest retail stores on the block, anchoring the northeast corner of the street.

Cassidy started his business almost accidentally. Unable to find the pine pole bed that he wanted for less than $1,000, he decided to build one himself in his back yard. He sold that first bed to a friend before it was ever completed, and then he made another one, and sold that, too.

Before long, a lot of people were asking him for pine pole beds. That’s when he and his partner, Gary Pederson, opened a small section of what was to become Cassidy’s.

Cassidy quickly diversified. Today the shop carries a variety of items, many of which are manufactured at the store’s factory in Sorento Valley. Other items are imported from Africa, Peru, France, Haiti and Indonesia. All this diversity has been accomplished while still maintaining a Southwestern tone, however.

There are thousands of items on the shelves, walls and floor, many of which are unique to Cassidy’s. There are curtain rods, beds, flatware, dishes and baskets, small gift items for as little as $5, and other items that go for thousands of dollars.

Primativo

212 S. Cedros Almost directly across from Cassidy’s is a tiny shop called Primativo, a place that deals in primitive art from around the world.

Spanish Colonial, pre-Columbian from Mexico, African, New Guinean and primarily American Indian artifacts pass through the hands of owner Brad Chill.

Pottery, rugs, artifacts, weapons and tools, some of which date back to prehistory are displayed. Serious collectors and designers are Primativo’s main clientele.

Garage sale bargain hunters need not apply. Hand-woven Apache blankets of intricate detail are priced from $300 to $6,000. A large Apache basket can fetch as much as $30,000.

Peter Alexander Grau Gallery

111 S. Cedros Next door to Primativo is Peter Alexander Grau. Grau is a builder of custom Spanish Colonial furniture, an antique dealer and refinisher.

His shop exudes a combination of Old-World charm and modern design. There are intricate wooden Indians, large antique furnishings and the furniture Grau assembles in the bay behind the retail store. In the business for about 25 years, Grau has been on Cedros for the past seven years.

Original furniture by Grau can cost $150 to $7,000. No nails or screws are used on any of the pieces; the wood is carefully fitted and tightly joined. While remaining essentially faithful to the Old-World methods, Grau prefers to add a lighter finish to his work than was used in original Spanish Colonial furniture.

J&T; Imports Dried Flowers

143 S. Cedros There is no display in front of this store, but you will know you’re here because of the scent of natural dried flowers that wafts from the front door out onto the street.

This shop, owned by Joe and Tina Zucker, sells dried flowers to retailers, wholesalers and walk-in customers.

Thousands of dried flowers, most not easily recognizable, line the walls throughout the building. The flowers have been imported from all over the country. While most customers are local, J & T also has customers throughout California and the Pacific Northwest.

Gossamer Wings

143 S. Cedros Barbara Grimes designs and makes custom clothing under the label of Gossamer Wings Suede & Leather Apparel. Prices range from $500 to $6,000, and she counts among her customers country music stars Randy Travis and Lee Greenwood.

In her Cedros shop, Grimes creates men’s jackets and a variety of women’s clothing and accessories, and does custom beading.

She has some walk-in customers, who can get her attention by ringing the doorbell outside the shop.

Case Brothers

143 S. Cedros The showroom at Case Brothers teams with a menagerie of hand-carved and hand-painted animals from full-sized carousel ponies to larger-than-life trout.

There are intricately made tables and jewelry boxes, art deco sofas, large wooden bowls, polished dolphins, elegant eagles, and what the brothers term “fantasy furniture.”

Case Brothers is owned and operated by Joe, Chris and Leo Case, siblings who have become well known on Cedros Avenue for commitment to their craft.

Each of the three brothers works in the factory behind the storefront window. Customers are not greeted by a professional salesman, but by one of the brothers who has paused from his woodwork momentarily to help out and answer questions.

ControlRoom 143 S. Cedros If woodworking is one of the world’s oldest crafts, video production is one of the newest. ControlRoom is owned and operated by two partners: Ken Gladstone is a cinematographer who films everything from local bands to workout routines; Tony Tersol concentrates primarily on the production end of things.

ControlRoom offers anybody with a video camera a chance to produce his own movies. Since opening their doors last year, Gladstone and Tersol have had a variety of clients. They have helped to edit surf and skateboard movies, yoga and other types of workout videos, and a La Brea Tar Pits film for The Museum Of Man in Los Angeles.

The shop is set up to do production work for clients or to rent the studio equipment to those who want to do the work themselves.

The Garage Sale

143 S. Cedros Some of the least visible tenants on Cedros Avenue are three artists collectively known as The Garage Sale. Michael Schmidt is a glass sculptor and painter. Kate Sanders is a classical pianist who also plays harmonica. Laurie Cooper designs clothes under the label “Idosycrazie.” The three live in a large one-room studio that serves as showroom, workshop and residence.

Access to Garage Sale is at Cut & Dried Hardwood, where there is a directory on the outside wall.

“We’re open when the door is open,” Schmidt said. “But the back roof window entrance is often used for patrons as well.” They don’t take American Express.

David Frisk

143 S. Cedros David Frisk has been a tenant on Cedros for 21 years, and has operated as a woodworker here longer than anyone else. Frisk makes custom-carved wooden doors, furniture, staircases and various types of special items in wood, glass and sometimes metal.

Frisk showed a vocation toward woodworking even before he built his first rolltop desk at age 13. He started his own woodworking business shortly after finishing high school. Frisk gets very few walk-in clients, and finds his main clientele coming from Rancho Santa Fe, La Jolla, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

On average, you can expect to pay between $15,000 and $20,000 for one of Frisk’s doors. A piece of furniture can cost as much as $16,000.

His most expensive piece to date was an entryway for an elaborate home in Los Angeles--a carved family of lions sitting by a pool of water, at a cost of $70,000.

Geissmann Oriental

Carpet Gallery

143 S. Cedros This shop is filled with one-of-a-kind items--Navajo weavings, architectural elements, art and custom furniture by Dave Marsh.

Rudolph Geissmann, the store’s owner, also collects and deals in rare artifacts.

Most notable in Geissmann’s gallery, however, are the colorful Oriental rugs. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and cover most of the wall and floor space in the building. Geissmann sells pillows made from antique rugs for $69. Many other items cost a lot more. Some larger rugs go for several thousand dollars.

Hawaiian Pacific

Tile Designs

146 S. Cedros Marge Buxton began hand painting tiles on Maui in 1983. Three years ago she moved to North County, making her home in Fallbrook and opening the Hawaiian Pacific Tile Designs showroom on Cedros with Darlene Keith, her long-time friend and marketing director.

What separates Buxton from most other local tile artists is that she uses the process of china painting in producing her designs. This method produces an illusion of depth to the piece of art. Buxton’s work often features sea and land animals in idyllic settings.

The Antique Warehouse

212 S. Cedros The Antique Warehouse, operated by Jerry Biddulph, boasts more than 100 antique shops under one roof. You can spend a few dollars or a fortune here, but you need to take your time.

Everything from small tin soldiers, ancient coins, turn-of-the-century photos of North County, antique dolls and a massive collection of Life Magazines are available. Collectors and sellers of antiques all rent space under the same roof.

Heritage Antiques

241 S. Cedros Heritage Antiques, operated by Don and Hester Davis, has a more specialized emphasis.

This shop deals primarily in antique furniture, with elegant sometimes elaborate larger pieces offered for sale. There are items for as little as $1 and as much as $20,000.

Finding Cedros Avenue To get to Cedros Avenue, take Interstate 5 to the Lomas Santa Fe exit. Take Lomas Santa Fe west for approximately 1 mile. Cedros Avenue is clearly marked, located one block east of Pacific Coast Highway. It runs parallel to Coast Highway. Turn left, and park anywhere on the street. The shops mentioned in this article are generally open Monday through Friday, and sometimes on the weekends.