VOTE FOR OCEAN BEACH BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Voting is open for Ocean Beach Customer Service Business of the Year. Put on by Ocean Beach MainStreet Association, the award was created for the local business that best exemplifies the spirit of the community and reflects positive awareness through their exceptional customer service. The winner must be a member in good standing of OBMA. The winners will be announced at the OBMA Annual Awards celebration on Jan. 24. To vote, visit surveymonkey.com/r/OBCustomerServiceAward. PENINSULA COMMUNITY CONVERSATION
A community discussion event hosted by the Point Loma Association, featuring free food and a cash bar, will take place 5:30 p.m. Jan. 22 at Portuguese Hall Point Loma, 2818 Avenida De Portugal. Panelists will field questions directly from the audience. The panel will feature: Fred Kosmo, Peninsula Community Planning Board; Andrea Schlageter, Ocean Beach Planning Board; Mark Winkie, Ocean Beach Town Council; Denny Knox, Ocean Beach MainStreet Association; Lt. Danny Grubbs, SDPD Western Division; David Martin, Point Loma Association; Clark Anthony Burlingame will be the moderator. PHIL’S BBQ POINT LOMA LOCATION CLOSES FOR RENOVATION Popular barbecue spot Phil’s BBQ closed its location at 3750 Sports Arena Blvd., on Jan. 2 to get started on a $1.5M renovation. According to Fox 5, updates to the restaurant will include an expanded dining and bar area, additional TV screens and a paint job. “We’re committed to re-investing in our restaurants to make sure we continually offer guests the best and most up to date dining experience,” owner Phil Pace said in a written statement. “More than one million customers walk through the Phil’s BBQ Point Loma doors per year – it was time for an upgrade.”
The restaurant is expected to be shut down for over a month, with the reopening date currently set for Feb. 2. In the meantime, customers can enter the “Shutdown Sweepstakes” contest for a chance to win $2,500 in cash and a $2,500 gift card to Phil’s BBQ. Don’t worry, you can still get your Phil’s BBQ fix. The chain’s locations in Santee, San Marcos, and Rancho Bernardo will stay open during the renovation – and offer all-day happy hours. Visit philsbbq.net. CROWN ACE HARDWARE TO CLOSE
Crown Ace Hardware recently announced plans to close its store at Liberty Station. Originally opened in August 2008, the store will serve customers through mid February and will offer some significant discounts throughout the entire store.
“Closing a store’s always tough because it impacts our customers and our employees; and we do not do so lightly,” said Mark Schulein, president of Crown Ace Hardware. “We’ve been fortunate to serve customers here for over 10 years and have built meaningful relationships with the community in that time; and are very sad to close.
“We truly love this store and our team; and we worked extremely hard to make it a success in the community. Unfortunately, the location proved to be challenging, and we opened while the center was both very new and in the midst of the Great Recession. These factors had lasting impacts, which we were not able to overcome.” 
Schulein added that “We are working closely with our team members to offer positions in our other stores in San Diego or with other Ace retailers in the area.” 
Crown will continue to serve customers at their locations in Clairemont, Encinitas and Carlsbad. OB PLANNING BOARD APPROVES MIXED-USE BUILDING
The Ocean Beach Planning Board voted 11-1 recently to approve the development of a two-story mixed-use building consisting of two dwelling units and two commercial spaces located at 4870 Voltaire St. (Dover Plumbing property). The Board thanks all the community members who attended the meeting and provided input on this project. CLASSICAL GUITAR AND BEYOND
A winter adventurous guitar concert that will take you from the classical realm to the ethnic spontaneous dynamic world of music will take place 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 at Point Loma Assembly, 3035 Talbot St. Come to admire the mastery of guitar playing of three renowned guitarists: well established, accomplished and sought after San Diegan George Svoboda and Fred Beneditti will be joined by a special guest, direct from the Czech Republic, Standa Barek. European delicatessens and refreshments are also available for your enjoyment. For tickets or information, call 619-788-7428. NEW AGENT AT COLDWELL ASSOCIATES There’s a new face at the Ocean Beach office of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. Thomas Fessler has associated as an affiliate agent. “I love to help people through difficult situations, and because of my experience in Kundalini Yoga and energy work, I can energetically and spiritually enhance the quality of a client’s home,” said Fessler. OB MAN NAMED LAWYER OF THE YEAR
An Ocean Beach man was recently named “Best Lawyer of the Year” for 2019 by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers. Kevin F. Quinn, a senior partner at Thornes Bartolotta McGuire in downtown San Diego, was recognized for his distinguished reputation for taking tough cases other lawyers avoid to trial — and winning them. He received an Outstanding Trial lawyer Award for one of the first elder abuse death cases tried under a newly enacted state law in 1998, the Outstanding Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2010 and achieved the victory for the largest single-plaintiff verdict in the state of California for 2010. He also was among the first to volunteer as a pro-bono representative for the families of those who were killed in 9/11. BARONS MARKET BACKROOM BEER PAIRING 
Barons Market is teaming up with Refuge Brewery for its first Backroom Beer Pairing of 2019. Held on Jan. 30 from 6 to 8 p.m., the stockrooms of seven different Southern California Barons Market locations will be transformed into speakeasies to raise money for local elementary schools and education foundations. “Refuge Brewery and Barons Market both come from close-knit communities of the Southern California region,” says Rachel Shemirani, senior vice president of Barons. “We decided this event should raise money for local schools, so each Barons Market will pick a school of their choice to donate to.”
One hundred percent of proceeds from the event are donated to a school or charity. Last year, the event raised over $25,000. This year, Barons Market and Refuge Brewery combined their areas of expertise to create a one-of-a-kind menu, which includes: • Baja Crush: a hazy IPA with a hint of citrus, paired with Asian chicken tacos with zesty slaw and spicy mayo. • Blonde Ale: the beer’s refreshing and smooth flavor profile goes well with gooey roasted vegetable pizza topped with prosciutto and arugula. • Grapefruit IPA: packed with a hoppy citrus kick, this IPA mixes perfectly with Buffalo wings and ranch, and celery and blue cheese. • Blood Orange Wit: the brewery’s freshest and best-selling brew is complemented by Barons’ pound cake with churro ice cream and dulce de leche caramel sauce.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit eventbrite.com. CITY SEEKS BUSINESSES FOR RECYCLING AWARD
If your business or organization took steps to increase its recycling or reduce its waste in 2018, the City of San Diego wants to recognize your efforts. Beginning Jan. 9 through Friday, Feb. 8, applications are being accepted for the 2019 Business Waste Reduction and Recycling Award. Each year, the Environmental Services Department (ESD) recognizes businesses and organizations located within San Diego that have implemented or expanded innovative and successful waste reduction and recycling programs, as well as recycled product purchasing programs.
Applicants with the most comprehensive, creative and/or improved recycling programs will receive the City’s Business Waste Reduction and Recycling Award. Top recyclers will be recognized at an awards ceremony in May 2019 at the San Diego Central Library. All applicants will be invited to the awards event.
Applications can be downloaded at ESD’s website, completed online or by contacting Jennifer Hobbs at [email protected] or 858-492-5076. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 8, 2019 and can be emailed or mailed to the City of San Diego, Environmental Services Department c/o Jennifer Hobbs, 9601 Ridgehaven Court, Suite 320, San Diego, CA 92123. OCEAN BEACH TOWN COUNCIL ELECTION The 2019 Ocean Beach Town Council board of directors election is approaching and letters of intent are now being accepted. If you would like to take your community involvement to the next level, here’s a great opportunity. By being an OBTC director you can be an elected voice in communicating the views and needs of the community to the appropriate agencies, be at the forefront of community discussions, take appropriate action on community issues and be a leader in promoting the general betterment of Ocean Beach. There are 15 seats on the Ocean Beach Town Council board of directors and OBTC members elect board directors for two-year terms. Half of the board stands for election every year. This year, eight seats are up for election. If you would like to be considered for candidacy, submit your candidate statement to: [email protected] by Jan. 21. Eligible candidates must be over 18 years of age, already be a paid-in-full OBTC member, and either live, work, own property, or operate a business in Ocean Beach (92107). Voting for this election will take place from Monday, Jan. 28 to Friday, Feb. 8.
The Ocean Beach Town Council is a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to expressing the will of Ocean Beach residents and representing the welfare of the community. For more information, contact [email protected] or visit obtowncouncil.org.