Sarah Mattinson, owner of Olive Café, owns two distinctions: She’s celebrating her 10th business anniversary as well as having been nominated as “small business of the year” for the Mission Beach neighborhood.
Tuesday, May 12 is the 10-year anniversary of Mattinson’s stewardship of Olive Café at 805 Santa Clara Place.
She was recently notified she’s been nominated by Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, representing the 78th Assembly District in San Diego, as the owner of a model small business worthy of being considered for small business of the year honors. She will find out officially whether or not she won during a presentation planned for June 26 with Atkins.
Noting she’s humbled by the nomination, Mattinson recalls how demanding it was starting out.
“I bought (the café) 10 years ago and it was me and another employee,” she said. “Now we have 15 employees, more in the summer.”
The restaurateur said she overhauled Olive Café, expanding the kitchen and adding full breakfast and lunch menus.
“It (space) was really tiny, 480 square feet,” Mattinson said, pointing out she reconfigured the restaurant’s space six years ago adding “an inside place.”
“We bought the deli next to us and expanded our outside seating; that was four years ago,” Mattinson said adding, “We also run an ice creamery in the summer,” noting her ice cream has all-natural ingredients. She also serves only organic coffee blended by a local coffee roaster.
There’s one other thing that distinguishes Mattinson and Olive Café in Mission Beach.
“We’re just really involved in the community,” Mattinson said. “I think that’s what’s really helped us, and why we’ve been here for 10 years. We have a lot of great locals and regulars. Some even have their own mugs.”
Mattinson loves her retail space, noting it’s “half a block from the ocean, half a block from the bay and the best of both worlds,” enjoying a solid mix of both locals and vacationers.
Mattinson likes the “hominess” of Mission Beach, saying it reminds her of her roots.
“Mission Beach feels like it’s a big community,” she said, saying she grew up in New York next to a deli which also doubled as the community’s post office and gathering hub.
Mattinson and Olive Café were heavily involved in 2014’s Mission Beach centennial celebration, a year-long event that galvanized the community, showing residents just what they could accomplish together.
Mattinson said the Mission Beach centennial celebration was really special because local residents realized “we can do stuff as a community.”
The restaurateur feels good about where she — and her business — are at.
“A lot of my employees have been with me for more than five years,” she said adding her employees have been a real key to business success.
“My employees are passionate about the Olive and enjoy working here,” Mattinson said adding, “I appreciate all my family’s hard work in helping me from the beginning, my dad helping fix stuff and my sister is doing my accounting.”
For more information about the Olive Café call 858-488-1224 or visit www.olivecafe.biz.