The OB Centric Gallery in the heart of Ocean Beach on Santa Monica Avenue, is just a few doors up from the Cable Street corner. The unique gallery space is housed inside Saffran Packaging and Supply, which has been owned and operated by Michael and Lynette Saffran for more than five years. About two years ago, the couple had the idea for a gallery space. “Instead of another gift shop, Lynette and I wanted to provide a forum for local art,” said Michael Saffran. “The name ‘OB Centric’ came out of a conversation I had with Cindy Love to describe the way we all feel about OB.” Soon after, their friend and local artist Danielle Eder volunteered her expertise. It worked out so well that the Saffrans invited her to stay, and she is now the gallery’s creative director. “We’re planning to change things up a bit,” Michael Saffran said. “In addition to offering arts for sale, we are focusing on outreach events. We will continue the clothing swaps — extra clothing goes to the women’s shelter. Workshops will include how-tos from some of the artists. We will also provide a venue to some of the local published authors where they can share their work and views.” Eder has a synergistic approach to the art and the display space. It is not unusual for each visit to offer a unique experience because Eder shifts and rearranges interior fixtures, photographs and paintings, jewelry and other hand-made objects d’art. Many of the local artists work with “found” or recycled materials, like guitar picks, old vinyl records, paper, vintage yarn and deconstructed T-shirts. There is also a shelf of gently-loved books for sale, as well as incense, candles and hand-made cards. Even though the OB Centric Gallery is expanding to include more local artists and events, Michael Saffran said he wants the neighborhood to “remember that we take very good care of packed and shipped items. Buy local, pack and ship local to most anywhere in the world. We are trying to be good community neighbors, providing the goods and services our community needs, and will continue to offer an ever-evolving sales and outreach program for our community.” The facility provides a one-stop experience for several related services. Baha Acar’s Copy Hut Plus (since 1997) and Jean Simoneaux’s Office Service (since February 2008), are also housed in Saffran Packaging and Supply. They work together to provide a central location for home and office business needs. The OB Centric Gallery is located at 4876 Santa Monica Ave. For more information, call (619) 222-4876, or visit www.obcentricstore.com.
