Students have more spending power than we realize, and if we want to sustain Thousand Oaks small businesses, California Lutheran University students need to make a more conscious effort to support our community’s entrepreneurs.
I’ll admit it, when I’m running from class to class and need a bite to eat, I rarely think about spots beyond our campus. The convenience of simply mobile ordering a drink at Starbucks or The Habit tends to win me over when I’m in a time crunch.
While convenience is tempting, it should not be the only factor behind spending decisions. According to TripAdvisor, there are about 25 family-owned restaurants within a three-mile radius of campus. These restaurants, like Fusion Grill in Thousand Oaks, rely on local support to keep their doors open amidst corporate chains.
“It’s a competition. For example, if we talk about supporting local businesses, and, and privately-owned businesses, the competition for us with franchises or big companies, it’s almost like no chance. I look at larger companies and the amount that they waste on just packaging their food, you know, it’s outrageous,” said Fusion Grill Owner Boroka Soriana.
For the past eight years, Soriana and her husband have operated their New American restaurant, serving students, faculty and Cal Lutheran athletic teams before games. Located a seven-minute drive away from campus, she said she’s appreciative of the community’s support, going as far as displaying a Cal Lutheran sign in her restaurant.
“It’s a journey. It’s our blood, and sweat, and it’s our hundred percent. We are at the point that me and my husband work every single day, every single shift,” Soriana said.
Financial impact aside, family-owned eateries can also cater to dietary needs that chains overlook. As someone with dietary restrictions myself, small businesses like Fusion Grill offer more plant-based and gluten-free alternatives that I can’t get on campus and go the extra mile to ensure cross-contamination does not occur within their kitchens.
“We are super accommodating with every dish. We have one dedicated page on the menu, but besides that, we are willing to play with any other dish and just change it one hundred percent,” Soriana said.
Especially for students new to the area, trying new businesses can be intimidating. To make exploring easier, student brand ambassadors from the School of Management (SOM) have shared videos on their social media platforms exploring local spots, such as Imperial Garden in Thousand Oaks and Coffee a la Mode in Moorpark.
SOM Brand Ambassador Mia Giannandrea said promoting local businesses has been a fulfilling experience for her. Giannandrea said she began trying local spots as early as her first visit to Cal Lutheran.
Now, as a senior, Giannandrea said she has compiled a list of nearby restaurants she considers “hidden gems” and encourages students to get a feel for the city’s “heart and soul” through food.
“We have such a food culture here, I’ve discovered. People are like, ‘Oh, there’s not that much to do around here.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, we have limited activities, but if you want good food, we have a lot of good food,’” Giannandrea said.
Students should also consider investing in local entrepreneurs across different sectors, from clothing to handcrafted goods. Cal Lutheran events, like the Entrepreneurship Club’s Flea Market in the fall and spring, offer alternatives for mass-produced goods without students having to leave campus.
Entrepreneurship Club President Diana Perez said attending events like the flea market gives students the chance to connect with emerging entrepreneurs who might not have physical locations or shipping options for students living on campus.
“They can take down their information, they can get their contacts, and a lot of the vendors do, like, custom work. It’s a good way for them to kind of get that connection and, like, establish that relationship in case they ever want to shop from them again,” Perez said.
A frequent vendor at Cal Lutheran, alumna Jazzy Colbert, started her jewelry small business, Jazzories (Jazzy + Accessories), in 2010. She said connecting with students in person who also find solace in creativity motivates her not only as a business owner, but as an obsessive compulsive disorder advocate.
“I think with, like, the oversaturation of the algorithm right now, like, on Instagram, I’ve accepted that it’s more hit or miss with like conversion versus, like, someone meeting you in person. So it’s good from a business standpoint, … it’s really important and motivating,” Colbert said.
Having spent my whole life in the Ventura County area, I’ve seen plenty of unique small businesses open their spots, full of passion and promise, only to close their doors a few months later. It’s heartbreaking to think that future Cal Lutheran students might not experience my favorite businesses that make our area so special.
By branching out to local entrepreneurs, students become a part of a greater ecosystem where community and business sustainability thrive. Making the conscious choice to support local entrepreneurs— through purchasing goods, visiting a vendor booth, or simply following along on their special media journey— plays a role in preserving the “heart and soul” of Thousand Oaks small businesses.
