OCEANSIDE — Rick Wright, co-founder and longtime CEO of MainStreet Oceanside, officially retired this month after 30 years devoted to improving the downtown community.
Over his three-decade tenure, Wright was pivotal in championing downtown revitalization efforts, transforming MainStreet Oceanside from a small nonprofit into one of the nation’s largest Main Street programs.
Wright’s leadership extended across 84 square blocks and 12 downtown sectors, fostering collaborations with local entities such as the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce and Visit Oceanside.
Wright’s journey began when he relocated his 1-hour photo business from Carlsbad to downtown Oceanside in the ’90s. The business owner initially volunteered with the Downtown Business Association, which later evolved into Main Street Oceanside, before Wright eventually assumed the CEO role.
During his volunteer days, when he still owned the photo shop (now Little Louie’s Gift Shop), Wright frequently walked between his business and the MainStreet Oceanside headquarters.
“I used to say I wore the sidewalk out between the store and the office, going back and forth all day,” Wright said. “It’s been my passion for all these years.”
Reflecting on his tenure, Wright reminisces about the organization‘s evolution, which spearheaded longstanding community events, such as the Oceanside Independence Day Parade, Taste of Oceanside, Shop Local events, the “Art that Excites” community mural project, the Dia de los Muertos festival and Sunset Market.
Despite initial skepticism, the Sunset Market evolved into a vibrant weekly gathering, embodying Oceanside’s communal spirit.
“When we started the Sunset Market 17 years ago, people told us we were crazy,” Wright said. “They said no one would come downtown after dark, but we plowed through anyway, even with our own doubts.”
While the market started slow, it grew into a weekly festival, attracting thousands of residents and visitors. Today, there are plans to expand the Sunset Market further up Pier View Way once more electricity is installed to support the evening event.
“It’s Oceanside’s gathering place,” Wright said of the Sunset Market.
Wright supported the Mission Avenue improvement project, which widened sidewalks and changed Mission into a two-lane, one-way westbound road. Despite the controversy, Wright and the organization thought the project would help revitalize downtown.
“(The Mission Avenue project) created activity, brought people out onto the sidewalks and created more dining opportunities,” Wright said.
During his time downtown, Wright has seen the city transform from blocks of vacant land with a lack of pedestrian presence to a bustling area with new hotels, resorts, businesses, restaurants and activities.
“I’m really proud of the fact that I can step out onto the sidewalk and point to a project that I had something to do with,” he said. “There’s a lot of work we did in downtown. This is my legacy here.”
At the start of the year, the MainStreet Oceanside board of directors named Gumaro Escarcega as the new CEO to replace Wright, who has helped with the transition over the last three months.
Escarcega has 17 years of experience managing downtown business associations. He graduated from San Diego State University in public administration with an emphasis in city planning.
“I look forward to improving and retaining our small business community by creating programs and activities highlighting our downtown district. With the tools and resources that we have developed in the last 10 years, MainStreet Oceanside is prepared to lead our small business district to success and advocate for smart development that increases our quality of life,” Escarcega said in a statement. “My priority is to improve our business relationships and find opportunities to collaborate with many local leaders to improve our city outlook.”
Wright is excited for the future of the organization and Downtown Oceanside under Escarcega’s leadership.
“Gumaro and the whole staff are doing a great job,” Wright said. “My time has come to an end here.”
In retirement, Wright plans to reunite with family and friends in Orange County, but his legacy remains an indelible part of the city’s fabric.
