Entrepreneurial couple Keith Haman and Breesa Lee Everett each opened a business in Downtown Oceanside during the pandemic: a plant-based sandwich shop, and a retail floral shop and design studio, both in Pier View Plaza.
Photos by Mirelle Carmichael
When the pandemic hit in 2020, Oceanside native Keith Haman did what many of us did: He went into survival mode.
As a music teacher at an elementary school, the pandemic meant steep cuts to his livelihood. As his contract work dwindled, he began to think about his next move.
“We’ve been eating vegan for many years, and I’d been playing with the idea of opening a vegan sandwich shop for years,” he explained. “So, I decided to finally go for it.”
But he wasn’t the only one planning a big pivot in his home.
Keith’s wife, Breesa, has been a florist for years, mostly for weddings and special events. But as the pandemic brought gatherings to a halt, she knew she needed to shift her business, too.
“Counter to every plan I have ever made for my business, I realized it made sense to open a retail flower shop,” she said.
And so, the couple began scoping spaces — ultimately settling on two storefronts in the same building: one in Artist Alley and one on North Coast Highway.
Today, entrepreneurship is a full-on family affair. Their 6-year-old daughter regularly bops between their shops, with Keith at the helm of his new vegan eatery, The Green House, and Breesa at Blooms Design House.
“My family are longtime Oceanside residents, so it feels great to open a business here in my own hometown,” Keith added.
He opened his doors four months ago, but already there are popular sandwiches, including the Mind Riot — pulled barbecue jackfruit, roasted red pepper and onion, mozzarella and coleslaw on a brioche bun — and Bird on the Wire — a Chk’n patty with cheddar, ranch, lettuce, pickle, onion and tomato on sourdough.
“We’re committed to doing vegan food well, but it’s accessible to everyone. You don’t have to be vegan to enjoy our menu,” Keith said.
Breesa brings the same passion to her line of work, carefully curating flowers for her customers.
“I strive to offer varieties and colors that people have never seen before,” she explains.
She’s even launched a monthly subscription for her bouquets, which always include flowers that are off the beaten path.
“For me, flowers provide the connection to nature and curiosity that we tend to lose as we become adults. I want to give my customers that magical wonderment back through flowers,” she said.
In her flower shop, she carries many unique gift items, many from woman-owned and minority-owned businesses. And she’s also opened a small studio space that can be rented for photography and meetings.
As weddings and special events pick up again, Breesa is returning to her original focus. Though she also plans to keep her retail shop.
“So many locals have told me that they felt like Oceanside really needed something like this. They share that when they walk into the shop, they feel like they are stepping into a magical, curious little world and they feel welcome to just stay and chat” she added. “That’s exactly what I was hoping I could provide for the community, so I’m committed to staying.”
Keith and Breesa admit they certainly didn’t imagine a pandemic pushing them to pivot in tandem, but they’ve embraced their ‘normal for now,’ and are especially thankful to be doing it in Oceanside.
The Green House, 212 N. Coast Highway, is open Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Order online at thegreenhouseoceanside.com. Blooms Design House, 206 N. Coast Highway, Suite A, is open Wednesday-Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment. Shop in store and online at shopbloomsoceanside.com and bloomsdesignhouse.com.
