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Startup Central

Carlsbad Gateway Center
Published

Startup Central

Carlsbad Gateway Center attracts new local firms

Posted on June 20, 2017

From a distance, the group of buildings just north of Palomar Airport in Carlsbad looks like another quiet, well-maintained office complex. However, this 16.5-acre business park is anything but sleepy. The management of Carlsbad Gateway Center has made a special effort to create room for startups to foster their growth and expansion. The resulting tenant mix buzzes with innovation unexpected for a traditional-looking office facility. It’s something that property manager Toni Adamopoulos takes great pride in, and despite the property’s large size, she knows everyone by name. It’s like a real estate version of Cheers, but instead of pulling pints, Adamopoulos has cultivated a haven for entrepreneurs with the attention and pride of a beaming aunt. “We’re proud of the diversity of our tenants and how our community has evolved into something we believe is very unique and special,” she says.

Carlsbad Gateway Center
Happy Pantry

Crossing the threshold of each storefront of the many artisanal businesses delivers the sensation of uncovering a fabulous secret known only to a very privileged few. Take Happy Pantry: long a farmer’s market favorite for the fermented food-obsessed, the newly renovated space boasts a rainbow of delicious oversized containers of house-made krauts and kimchis, plus tangy, fizzy kombuchas. Husband and wife owners Mark and Rebekah Stogsdill also offer “Kombucha 101” classes on-site for would-be home brewers. Prager Brothers has gained a dedicated following, particularly among its French-born patrons who come daily for fresh baguettes reminiscent of home. The small-batch bakery posts its baking schedule online so devotees of certain varieties can plan accordingly. Visitors can watch skilled bread makers transform the bakery’s house-milled flour by hand into beautiful loaves through a giant glass window while waiting to pick up a crusty loaf or two. But don’t delay — fresh bread this good is nearly guaranteed to sell out daily. Leap Coffee serves high-octane brew in a hip-looking café, with a view into the glass-enclosed roasting room in back. When we visited, owner JJ Cutbirth was chatting with a local brewery for a potential coffee stout collaboration. Speaking of brews, Arcana Brewing’s tasting room offers up styles from pale ale to stout with seasonal offerings Wednesday through Sunday. Francophiles will love Angel’s Salumi & Truffles, where Chef/CEO Pascal Besset offers antibiotic-, steroid-, and hormone-free meats, imported truffles, and specialty charcuterie items for every taste. Loire Valley Wineries offers the artisan wines of 21 winemakers from the famed wine region. This is just a small sampling of what you’ll find if you show up at the center hungry or thirsty.

Carlsbad Gateway Center
Leap Coffee

It’s not all about food — Carlsbad Gateway is also home to other innovators and international brands across the business spectrum, like the premium performance bicycles of Commencal, robotic engineering at R&3D, Plenty of Petals’ wedding florals, and Duke Corporate Education. “We will continue to strive to provide a supportive and collaborative environment for small businesses to flourish,” says Adamopoulos. It is this effort to create community that has transformed an ordinary business park into something truly extraordinary. carlsbadgatewaycenter.com   Deanna Murphy

Carlsbad Gateway Center
Prager Brothers

Happy Pantry: Photo courtesy of Happy Pantry     All other photos by Natalie Warr Photography

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