“Lo que ha sido es lo que será, y lo que se ha hecho es lo que se hará de nuevo; no hay nada nuevo bajo el sol.” — Eclesiastés 1:9
Many changes are taking place in North County San Diego. But really, no hay nada nuevo bajo el sol cansado. Todo vuelve. No hay nada nuevo bajo el sol. Sólo nuevos soñadores. (“Everything returns. There is nothing new under the sun. Only new dreamers.”)
Oceanside has evolved from a blue-collar beach town known primarily to locals into one of California’s most dynamic coastal destinations. New restaurants such as the Rooftop Bar host dreamers and strivers alike. Swami’s and Mantra offer visitors organic and international delights.
New resort hotels such as The Seabird and Mission Pacific are drawing national attention. Investment is flowing.
Entrepreneurs are arriving. Emerging-growth and small-cap titans pop up seemingly out of nowhere. Entrepreneurs are struggling — growing. They are thriving.
The Pacific coastline stretching from Oceanside to Carlsbad is increasingly viewed as one of the most desirable places in America to live, work and build. It is hard not to recognize the Oceanside Strand as some sort of future heyday. Vacationers from across the country will comb these beaches this summer.
Yet amid all this change, the people quietly shaping a community often deserve our attention.
That is what I found when I sat down with Sara Llames, owner of Knuckleheads Barber Shop in Oceanside, the first profile in our new series, “The Builders of North County.”
On any given day, hundreds of people walk through the doors of Knuckleheads looking for a haircut: military service members, young men, working-class residents and professionals.
Many leave with something more.
For Sara, a dreamer, barbering is not simply a profession. It is a family legacy. She knows a thing or two about this deal.
Her father, Alberto Llames, is a Mexican immigrant whose blood courses with hard work. He has been cutting hair since he was 17. Today, at 80, he still works behind the chair two days a week.
Sara grew up watching her parents build a life through discipline, devotion, service and perseverance. When they could have taken a handout or used one, they refused. The opportunity was making a way out of no way.
Alongside her two brothers and sister, she learned early that success was not something you talked about. It was something you worked for. You do. She smiles a knowing smile most of the time as she works away.
Those values remain visible throughout Knuckleheads today.
Every haircut includes a complimentary hair wash. Military members receive discounts. Service comes first. Integrity is nonnegotiable. Leadership begins with example. Customer service is prompt, professional and consistent.
For nearly 20 years, Sara has studied her craft while building her business. Like many successful entrepreneurs, she understood that income alone creates security for a season. Ownership creates opportunity for generations.
Along the way, she became a successful real estate investor, quietly applying the same principles of patience, discipline and long-term thinking that helped her build Knuckleheads.
This is what it means to get deals done in our new age.
Knuckleheads Barber Shop is located at 431 S Coast Hwy, Oceanside, CA 92054.
This is part one of a two-part series.
