Sen. Patricia Bates Honors Oceanside’s “The Privateer Coal Fire Pizza” as Small Business of the Year On August 18th, Senator Patricia Bates honored The Privateer Coal Fire Pizza as the 2021 Small Business of the Year for the 36th Senate District. Senator Bates recognized owners Charlie Anderson (father) and Sage Anderson (son) during yesterday’s California Small Business Day awards lunch at Sacramento’s Sheraton Grand Hotel. “The Privateer represents the best attributes of a small business – local roots, independently owned, and a commitment to the community,” said Senator Bates, a former small business owner. “I am proud to honor the Privateer for persevering during these challenging times and congratulate Charlie and Sage Anderson for their stewardship. Their hard work, along with their employees, have made the Privateer a success in North San Diego County.” Original founders Charlie Anderson and Jamey Stone both grew up surfing and dreamed of eventually opening their own restaurant in Oceanside, which became reality in 2012 when they opened the Privateer. The restaurant uses fresh ingredients and a 100% coal fire oven to make their pizzas. They also serve a variety of other menu items and a large selection of wines and craft beers.
award by the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce. In his nomination of the business, Chamber CEO Scott Ashton noted Anderson’s leadership in the restaurant industry especially during the pandemic. “When it first hit in March of 2020, Charlie organized a meeting of restaurant owners to discuss the shutdowns and how they would navigate this issue as an industry. I participated in that meeting along with Councilmember Ryan Keim. As a result of this meeting, the Chamber and City stayed in close touch with that group of restaurant owners during the year to help them navigate all the issues associated with the Covid closures. This turned out to be a very tight knit group of restaurant owners who really looked out for each other and collaborated during the past year. Charlie was instrumental in making that happen.” California Small Business Day honors small businesses throughout the state for their contribution to the state’s economy. According to the latest information available, there are approximately 4.1 million small businesses in California, which account for 99.8 percent of the state’s employers and 48.5 percent of employees.
“We thank Senator Bates for recognizing our restaurant as the 36th Senate District’s Small Business of the Year,” said Charlie Anderson. “Senator Bates understands the challenges that entrepreneurs like us face each day. We especially thank our employees for their work and our customers for their patronage. We would not realize our dream of operating a successful restaurant without their continued support.” The business was nominated for the www.oceansidechamber.com | Fall 2021
Oceanside Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Journal | 21
