Nautical Bean to open fourth SLO County coffee shop — and it’s got a twist
A new Nautical Bean coffee shop will open in San Luis Obispo this year — but this one has a bit of a twist.
Owner Brett Jones said before the COVID pandemic began in 2020, he was approached by local artist Missy Reitner-Cameron to see if he would be willing to open a coffee shop in The Bunker — a unique collaborative art studio located on 810 Orcutt Road.
The space has been undergoing a transformation under Reitner-Cameron’s ownership, and because the pair are neighbors, they said Nautical Bean felt like a natural addition.
“(It’s) a really exciting project on a couple of different levels,” Jones told The Tribune. “I’ve worked on it for about two years right now with Missy. ... She’s a great local artist and just wants to give back to the arts community of the area.”
The new shop will be very similar to the existing Nautical Bean in Baywood, Jones said, and will serve the entire menu of coffee and coffee drinks as well as pastries and breakfast items all day.
Jones said he anticipates the space will be able to hold about 40 people — all of whom will at the same time be sitting in a gallery space showcasing local artist’s work.
Reitner-Cameron said she automatically thought of Nautical Bean while considering plans for The Bunker’s future.
“We both realized ... this is something that our neighborhood is kind of missing,” she said. “We just don’t really have a neighborhood coffee shop or a gathering place that is kind of for that part of town. So the first person I thought it was Brett. I love what he does with the Nautical Beans. I know that he’s an appreciator of art, and he’s just a good dude.”
Jones said they are aiming for a February launch of the new shop, but that timeline wasn’t set in stone.
Once open, it will be the fourth Nautical Bean location in San Luis Obispo County and the third in San Luis Obispo: the other locations are at 11560 Los Osos Valley Road and 2010 Parker St. in SLO and 1399 2nd St. in Baywood.
Jones has also already committed to opening another shop in The Hub project on Monterey Street in San Luis Obispo, though he added that would likely be more of a “shipping container coffee shop.”
“I’m just trying to build something for the community and for my family,” Jones said. “It’s a great area, and I love it. I think there’s so many opportunities for so many great coffee shops in this town — you know you have Scout, Kreuzberg, Linnaea’s. And we all offer something a little bit different, which I think is great. There’s plenty of room for all of us.”
Jones said The Bunker location is somewhat of a special project for him since it’s so close to home.
“I’ve been opening cafes in this county now for 20 years,” Jones said, “and this one is literally less than a mile from my house. Which isn’t saying much in SLO because the Parker Street location is exactly one mile. But that’s the funny thing about this town is like, I think we’re really building these smaller pocket communities where we have some retail in these areas.”
Because of a boom in building in the areas surrounding Orcutt Street, Jones said he felt like a new Nautical Bean in that location made perfect sense: s place that was “walking distance for families, strollers or a commute on the way to work.”
“That’s gonna be really cool, you know, because that’s our neighbors,” ” he added. “We’re just so excited to serve this neighborhood.”
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