December 3, 2019 by City of Vista, Economic Development Department

Ryan Cady, who has lived in North County San Diego for over 20 year, has also built his business in the city of Vista because he believes Vista has so much to offer.  "It's an amazing place to live and work.  I wanted to stay close to home and Vista is a great up-and-coming city that is a bit less expensive than many surrounding areas but is developing and is very supportive of the business community.  There is a combination of creativity, collness and enthusiasm, for cycling in North County in general that provides the perfect breeding ground for Eliel." 

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November 25, 2019 by City of Vista, Economic Development Department

In an effort to distinguish themselves from the crowd, many of today’s craft breweries are expanding their brands and looking beyond the beer.  In Vista, Calif. - which is at the epicenter of San Diego County’s “Hops Highway” - several craft breweries have upped the competition ante by creating immersive experiences for their patrons - from golf to fantasy games to a German Bierhall.

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From Environmental Monitoring to Aircraft Parts & Retail, Women-Owned Businesses Make Economic Impact in Vista

November 4, 2019 by City of Vista, Economic Development Department

As various weather and natural events around the world are spurring greater attention to environmental monitoring, one Vista-based company Precision Measurement Engineering (PME) is answering the call by designing freshwater and oceanographic research devices for organizations all over the world. From the rushing rivers in the Rocky Mountains, to the third largest lake in Italy and from remote regions in Antarctica to the crashing waves in California, PME’s sensors are providing valuable data.

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October 23, 2019 by City of Vista, Economic Development Department

All across the country - as the craft and farm-to-table movement continues to grow - people are flocking to community farms, ranches, wineries, breweries and even aquaculture farms. This movement, in the form of agritourism, is creating stronger connections between the community and farmers, promoting healthier eating habits via locally produced foods, and spurring economic development in both rural and urban centers. 

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October 7, 2019 by City of Vista, Economic Development Department

In 2013, a chance meeting between Whit Rigali and Samuel Chereskin in a North County bar would forever change their career paths, one that would lead to sustainable spirits.  Here’s the rest of the story: Rigali, the bartender, wanted to create local craft spirits for other bartenders to use. Chereskin, an agricultural economist, wanted to find ways to improve food systems and show that doing good can also be viable. Their conversation over a glass of whiskey led to the creation of Vista-Calif.-based Misadventure & Co, which officially opened in September 2019 after six years of R&D. 

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Hans Haas has had a love affair with science since he was a kid growing up in San Diego’s North County. His infatuation with the science of beer began years later in 2008 when his wife bought him a home brewing kit off the internet.  “We brewed the batch in the kitchen and were pleased with the results, but wanted to improve.  Years later, we're operating a microbrewery,” said Haas, who opened Wavelength Brewing Co. in downtown Vista in 2014. Wavelength Brewing’s main M.O. is to conduct science outreach through craft beer, and that includes free events that don't involve craft beer directly. 

As startups continue to drive life sciences innovation, incubators across the nation will play an even more important role in accelerating promising science while helping to fuel the economy. These incubators offer temporary accommodations to risky startups that could, one day, develop the next breakthrough therapies for infectious diseases, cancer, diabetes, Alzhemers and more. These spaces - which provide cheap rent to entrepreneurs in the early stages of commercialization - are an increasingly important way to test the science of young startups without burning through a huge amount of cash.

Two decades ago, an engineer named Dirk Soenksen started a small company he named Aperio (Latin for reveal) that would one day make significant contributions to the field of diagnostics. Today, this Vista-based company is a pioneer in digital pathology, an image-based environment for managing pathology information that originates by digitizing a glass slide that has a stained tissue specimen on it.  Aperio technology allows pathologists to scan, distribute and analyze these digitized slides within a digital and web-based environment, so pathologists can more efficiently complete their daily tasks.

All across America, designated Opportunity Zones (OZs) have become a critical tool in the future development and revitalization of cities. These zones give both individuals and corporations the chance to re-invest existing capital gains into Qualified Opportunity Zone Funds in order to receive tax breaks for helping fund investment in impoverished areas. According to the The Rockefeller Foundation, OZs “have the potential to become the largest community development program in our nation’s history.”

The continued rise of social enterprises has created a new paradigm for businesses, which seek to become fully integrated into the social fabric of society. Bottom line: These do-good companies mix business with philanthropy to make the world a better place.

One Vista-based company that combines passion with profits is Dr. Bronner’s, the top-selling organic and Fair Trade soap in the North American natural marketplace.

Imagine banners affixed to street poles in Downtown Vista featuring the artwork of local students. Or strolling down Main Street and sampling craft brews while swaying to the bluesy rhythms at an even bigger street festival than in previous years. Or maybe attending a farmer’s market that has the energy of a carnival.

Downtowns have long served as cultural and economic centers while reflecting the community’s unique history and identity. Today’s successful urban centers are also vibrant places that attract residents and visitors alike by activating the street fronts through beautification programs, revitalization, and a collection of unique shops, restaurants, theaters, breweries, and signature events.

While millennial migration continues to saturate large downtowns across America, some smaller cities and developers are reimagining business parks to attract innovative companies and workers back to the ‘burbs.  

One example is the new Keystone Innovation Industrial Park in Vista. 

The Keystone Innovation Industrial Park, developed by Badiee Development, is comprised of two buildings totaling 77,860 square feet and is slated for completion by the end of August 2019. The Park - surrounded by five acres of permanent open space - will include contemporary amenities and expansive views over Carlsbad to the Pacific Ocean. 

Many vibrant downtowns today no longer have the traditional department stores that once anchored the urban core. Instead, these “Main Streets” are lined with thriving and quaint shops that have played a key role in new economic activity in these urban centers. These unique retail shops are helping to attract residents and visitors back to the heart of town while building a sense of place for the whole community.

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Center Stage: Vista’s Moonlight Amphitheatre Provides Cultural & Economic Benefits to the Region

July 9, 2019 by City of Vista, Economic Development Department

 

 

Having a world-class amphitheatre not only provides a quality of life for local residents but it also attracts thousands of visitors annually, as well as businesses seeking locations with rich cultural experiences to the City of Vista's Moonlight Amphitheatre. 

In cities across the nation, civic leaders more and more recognize that quality recreation and entertainment venues play a vital role in a community’s economic development.  In Vista, the city has helped revamp over the years its award-winning Moonlight Amphitheatre.

Carbon by Design’s ultra light weight Carbon Fiber and Kevlar Flight and UAV System Cases are designed to allow the war fighter in the field to achieve the lowest possible deployed system weight when combined with today’s ultra-light group 1 UAV’s.

While the aerospace and defense industries are under significant pressure to manage costs, they have increased their use of composites to help improve performance and extend flight endurance...

OSML provides valuable internships, training, and programs for college students. Photo compliments of OSML.

In the summer of 2018, Vista-based business incubator Open Source Maker Labs (OSML) conducted a small pilot program with the Department of the Navy’s Naval Innovation Advisory Council for an experiment in workforce development with emerging technologies. As part of that program, OSML hosted an engineering challenge...

Elias Acosta, Director, Inspired Images Studio. Photo compliments of Inspired Images Studios.

About three years ago, Lauren Felhlhaber pitched the idea of a film coworking space in Vista to her father Jim Ellis and his business partner at Inspired Images Studios. But this wouldn't be the usual coworking space - it would include a video and audio production facility under the same roof....

About nine years ago, Daniel Love and fellow downtown Vista business owner and friend Clay McCarthy were chatting at the Vista Strawberry Festival and thought it would be great if they could create a beer and music festival.  A year later, Love, Founder and President of Mother Earth Brew Co., launched what was then called Blues and Brews in downtown Vista...

During the winter of 1943 in Paris, two Frenchman - engineer Émile Gagnan and Naval Lieutenant Jacques Cousteau - developed the first “aqua-lung” demand regulator to make filming and exploring underwater easier. Little did they know that their work and innovative scuba diving equipment would forever change and enhance underwater exploration...

Bernie Smith is all about “Good Lovin.”  And there’s good reason. Smith and her two sons, Ryan and Porter, run Vista-based Good Lovin’ Foods, Inc., creator of the popular Good Lovin’ Bar. The bar, originally called The Bitchin’ Bar, is “organic, grain-free, non-GMO, gluten-free, paleo, and vegan and tastes really freakin’ good,” according to the trio....

If serial entrepreneur Jay O’Brien had his way, the City of Vista could become the region’s next hot software hub. O’Brien is founder and CEO of Vista-based BP Logix, an award-winning business process management leader whose products power hundreds of organizations around the globe.

He explains a little more about why Vista is so attractive to software companies like his.

“We have entered an era in which software talent is disillusioned with the notorious Silicon Valley cost-of-living, but still want the lifestyle that drew..." 

As the new owner of the Vista Village shopping center, CFT Vista, LLC hopes to help bolster downtown Vista’s recent revival through collaboration, connection, and community.

The Las Vegas-based CFT, which has operated a Panda Express in the center for the past 15 years, saw a great opportunity to purchase Vista Village, which fits well with the firm’s long-term real estate investment platform.

One of the segments in which CFT is investing in is grocery and entertainment-anchored centers in strong...

When environmental monitoring firm Precision Measurement Engineering, Inc. (PME) outgrew its office in 2011, finding a larger space was easy, thanks to efforts by the City of Vista.

The 30-year-old family-owned business, which develops high-performing environmental monitoring instruments, moved its headquarters to Vista from a neighboring North County city after Vista officials welcomed the company with open arms.

“Vista offered some attractive properties and we eventually chose the...

A growing interest in walkable and live-work-play urban experiences are breathing new life into downtowns across the country.

In the City of Vista, California, urban sprawl and economic shifts are also reshaping its downtown as city leaders are putting strategies in place to make downtown more inviting while capitalizing on its civic, cultural, historical, and entertainment assets to further support the vibrant environment needed for a thriving city center.

Historic downtown Vista - which used to handle traffic back in the day from old Highway 395 - has undergone...

Welcome to Innovation Hub, a new series celebrating the extraordinary companies that call Vista home. From healthcare tech to precision medicine, electronics, AI, cybersecurity, manufacturing and more, this series takes a deeper dive into the innovative industries that make up the collaborative culture in this diverse city.

Did you know that the world's first 3D printed titanium wheel was designed and made in Vista? Vista-based HRE Wheels, in partnership with GE Additive, recently unveiled the first titanium wheel created using...

A stroll along Vista’s historic downtown during a recent rainy weekday afternoon led to a visit to a couple of breweries where the staff members were friendly and the patrons “hoppy.” One bartender at the Belching Beaver Tavern & Grill on E. Broadway even commented that increased foot traffic from existing breweries is spurring much-needed economic development along this...

City leaders across the nation are tapping more and more into art to help revitalize and grow their cities into vibrant communities. Keeping with that trend, the City of Vista - recognizing that art can be a magnet for economic growth - continues to boost its local public art projects.

In fact, Vista offers a robust Public Art program, which includes Kites Over Vista, the Vista in Bloom Utility Box mural program, downtown murals, and...