-August 19,2020-
Correction: The physical therapy office relocated – it did not close. The owners are Devon and Matt Ruane. Sorry for the mistake
photo by Margaret Lindt
Miner’s Ace Hardware store will expand in Los Osos taking over 9000 square feet formerly occupied by the Los Osos Fitness gym next door.The gym closed earlier this year due to COVID-19 and financing issues as the pandemic has punished some retail uses and favored others.
An affiliated physical therapy office next door also closed.Both gyms and physical therapy facilities have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic.
“It’s a crazy, uncertain time” admits Miner’s President Paul Filice who confirms the plan to remodel the space and open it up by the end of the year. The demo and remodeling work is already underway this week (pictured).
The new retail space will be “dedicated for hardware, paint, tools, plumbing and electrical and all the things we already do. We are also making a larger nursery area outside to improve our selections of live goods, garden products, lumber and building materials.”
“Our expansion plans include more and better selections of Grills and accessories, larger selection of outdoor power equipment like STHIL, TORO and EGO brands. More patio furniture and a larger selection of pet supplies,” he adds.
“We are going to hire 10-15 more full time people and are excited to grow our footprint in Los Osos” adds Filice who has been in his post since 2008.
Asked how COVID has impacted their business the small chain located in Central California is enjoying a turbulent but profitable year with the number of customers and how much they spend higher this year.
Filice offers “With people spending more time at home, our industry has seen growth over the past five months. People are looking at the projects they never had time to do, and getting them done. Small remodels, painting a couple rooms, and upgrading their grills and backyards to name a few. “
Indeed a stroll around eclectic Los Osos along its typically quiet streets finds clear signs of home improvement projects often with a ladder leaning against a house or new garden in bloom. Besides hardware, local nurseries are reporting a good year for a change too.
Essential Business
Filice notes“Miner’s Ace Hardware is lucky enough to be an essential business and are fortunate to have enough great staff to remain open..” Our Team has really pulled together and done a great job not only in Los Osos but in all our locations. I can’t say enough about our wonderful customers and how understanding they have been with all of the changes to policy and procedure we have gone through over the last 5 months. We are truly blessed to be in the Los Osos community for the last 20 years and hope to be there for another 25 years!
Around Los Osos
Around Los Osos there are other signs that small business, particular restaurants are aiming to come back. Among the signs several eateries have set up outside tables, the brew pub on LOVR (Olde Ale House )is about ready to open after a year of work and new owners of the closed brewpub on 3rd and Santa Maria (Baywood Tavern) are planning to reopen. Baywood has filled a couple of former empty storefronts including a soap shop and art studio.
There is new energy behind the town’s third made-from-scratch bakery. Called Wayside Baking, owner Tim Veatch already offers his lineup of French pastries and bread out of a warehouse at 2015 Fairchild in town but is remodeling a retail location next to La Casita on 9th street.Tim says he is working with the county planning department but has no date yet to open.
Speaking of long time coming, the former Sculptured Egg spot in Baywood is getting a new life after High Street Deli owner Randy “Doobie” Coates bought the place.Remodeling started on the building last year but it was later tied up by a stop-order from the County. Now the County has issued a new permit for the remodel for what is called Randy’s Shack at 1326 Second Street, located across from the Blue Heron. Construction is finally underway.
Also the Baywood Inn has added a new hotel wing and is landscaping on top of where their 2nd St parking lot was, removing parking spaces to add flowers,with patrons now required to park in the rear.Now that’s progress!
One more sign we are slowly coming out of COVID slumber -Chase Bank is expected to reopen in Los Osos early next month.