One of Doug Irwin’s most rewarding moments recently was when three young boys came into his pumpkin patch at the corner of Garnet Avenue and Bayard Street dressed like him in a flannel shirt, red cap and sporting a charcoal beard. “The service sucks but I guarantee it,” the boys chanted, mimicking Irwin who jokingly gives customers that same line but, in truth, is focused ardently on creating a warm holiday feeling at his tree lot “forest” with complimentary hot cider and candy canes. Irwin and his business partner have run the pumpkin patch in the fall and Christmas tree lot in the winter for 18 years in Pacific Beach. Last winter, Irwin dressed as Santa Claus, but he hardly needs the red coat and white beard. He already sports the jolliness and enthusiasm for selling Christmas trees to customers who he more-often-than-not knows by name. For Irwin, selecting a pine tree for the holidays is less about making a purchase and more about fostering a special moment between families or friends. “It’s what Christmas is supposed to be about – enjoying a moment together,” Irwin said. For those who need reminding, Irwin guides them through the tree branches to stand beneath the 16-foot tree. He instructs them to, “Look up!” and customers crane their necks to feel completely dwarfed by the size of the tree, just as they did when they were children, Irwin explained. “They get the same look in their eye as a child looking up at their first Christmas tree because they have to look up,” Irwin said. Last year, Irwin’s crowning moment occurred when 50 children visited from St. Vincent De Paul School and he made the 25 customers in the lot wait. He later received thank-you letters from both the children and a few customers who said the experience taught them to remember the more important reasons for the holiday. Irwin chuckled when he recalled one child’s letter: “Thank you for the walk in the woods. Your beard is cool.” Irwin moved to Oliver Avenue in Pacific Beach from New Jersey 30 years ago. He worked in advertising for a decade before he began selling pine trees and pumpkins, a former part-time job he held while attending Rutgers University back home. When Irwin is not selling Christmas trees or pumpkins, he works for the PGA Tour at Torrey Pines Golf Course. After the mulch, straw, pine trees and garlands are gone, the lot returns to its usual state as a pay parking lot.
