SLO County music promoters buying Los Osos cafe to create outdoor concert venue

A San Luis Obispo County music promoter and his wife have bought a cafe and surrounding property in Los Osos to create a new outdoor music venue complete with food and drinks.

Former SLO Brewing Co. owner Todd Newman and wife Korie, founders of the live music promotion company Good Medicine Presents, are purchasing Celia’s Garden Cafe and the property surrounding it in a deal to be finalized in September, Newman confirmed.

“We always wanted to do something in Los Osos,” said Newman, who lives in Cayucos.

The couple has a long history of bringing top-name talent to the Central Coast, performing at a variety of venues regularly.

Now, they will have a home place to offer shows in Los Osos, which is seeing growth in both venues and events.

Newman was able to cobble together the purchase of the popular cafe from the owner Celia Alfirevic and the purchase of 1.5 acres of commercial land surrounding the eatery from another owner.

Alfirevic wants to retire after 18 years of serving comfort food in Los Osos. The cafe remains open now.

The 1188 Los Osos Valley Road property had been on the market for several years as the former home of Sage Ecological Nursery behind the street-side cafe. The rectangular shaped lot still boasts some large mature oaks and other landscaping, prompting the Newmans to carry on with the name Estero Gardens.

Buying the cafe and liquor license along with the land, the Newmans will be able to design the look for their new outdoor music venue while offering food at the cafe with its own large outdoor seating areas.

The property is sandwiched between two grocery store shopping centers — a kind of oasis in a sea of concrete. The location should mean limited noise conflicts given it is in a retail/service commercial area and a few blocks from homes.

Los Osos is already gaining a reputation as a destination to hear live music while you sip on a brew.

Here’s a look at the current lineup of live music in town:

• Merrimaker: The popular Baywood bar and beer garden is offering 21 musical events in August
• Sea Pines Golf Course: Live music every Saturday afternoon with barefoot dancing on the grass
• Beerwood: Occasional events
• Sweet Springs Saloon: Occasional music offerings
• Olde Alehouse: Offering nine concerts in July

John Lindt is the editor of the Sierra2theSea.net news site.

This story was originally published July 19, 2023 at 5:00 AM.