Creative Conversation

Living Lavishly recently reached out to a handful of these dreamers, including David J. and Peggy Rogers, ownersartist-in residence of David J. Rogers Fine Art Gallery; Brian and Amie Wilkinson, owners-artist of Tiger Monkey Tattoo; and Aimee Brantley and Shell Vorhees, ownersceramicists of The Ugly Mug Ceramics.

gives it its own identity vastly different than anything else in California.

Typically, the reaction of customers to the downtown experience is pleasant surprise; an appreciation of our small-town vibe where everyone knows everyone. New, niche, and upscale businesses continue to look at downtown Morro Bay. Hopefully they also value its rare, small-town qualities, especially in comparison to California in general, where the pace only gets faster.”

Do you agree Morro Bay’s downtown seems to have a new energy?

David J. Rogers Fine Art Gallery: “I believe downtown Morro Bay is ripe with potential. This area has its own unique vibe, which is extremely location specific … that

Tiger Monkey Tattoo: “Morro Bay has always been one of the best-kept secrets on the Central Coast. It has an understated but thriving art scene. Lately our small-town charm and allure has seen a huge reoccurring social media spotlight, and rightfully so. My wife’s family vacationed here back in the 90s. So many places like

The Shell Shop and Beads by the Bay are still iconic destination shops. They still use real butter on their popcorn at the Bay Theater!

Amie and I appreciate that Morro Bay is still comprised of mostly mom-and-pop stores, which lends an old-world charm you often don’t find in many California beach towns. We love that downtown Morro Bay businesses are connected to real people who live and raise families here. Being a surfer, it also doesn’t hurt that Morro Bay has some of the best wave conditions around!”

The Ugly Mug: “We are enjoying the developing vigor of downtown Morro Bay. As a young business, we respect our neighboring Main Street veterans and hope to capitalize on the collective energies of the many new additions to our downtown.

Like us, many of the businesses have been forced to stretch creatively to grow in a post-pandemic economy. That has created a chemistry of cooperation pointing toward a vibrant, rich Morro Bay. As we continue to host events that highlight a thriving arts culture, a growing food scene, and unique shopping opportunities, we are excited to see where we end up in terms of a competitive destination point for visitors and residents!”

Is customer service Morro Bay’s “Awesome Sauce” for attracting returning patrons and community visitors?

David J. Rogers Fine Art Gallery: “Customer relations has always been the backbone of our business. Brick-andmortar art galleries are becoming a rarity due to the ease and speed of being able to have anything the customer wants at their fingertips. What they don’t get online, and what we hope to provide, is the service and interaction that face-to-face relationships provide. It’s hard to relay the story of a painting through a computer screen. As people continue to want to hear our story, we will continue to develop personal relationships that ultimately create raving fan customers—for us and Morro Bay.”

Tiger Monkey Tattoo: “First time getting tattooed? No worries! Want to add to your arm or leg sleeve? No worries! Fog took away your beach day, so you need to rethink fun vacay activities? No worries! With 25 years of collective tattoo knowledge, we believe that when customers come into our shop, they deserve to have the very best experience. This is how I’ve gained what I call my many ‘tattoo families.’ I’ll tattoo one person who will bring another, who then brings in their best friend and so it goes! Our motto has always been, ‘We’re serious about your good time!’”

The Ugly Mug: “After working years in sales, customer care, and the service industry, we realized, first and foremost, we are ourselves customers and patrons. We understand what it is like to receive exceptional service or abysmal care as a paying customer. There is nothing more telling than the quality of your experience. If you have a pleasant encounter and feel that your time and money are valued, you are likely to return. We have a passion for what we do, and we want our customers to know that we not only value them in terms of a purchase, but also as an integral part of the fabric of our small, but growing business.”

What do you most want customers to know about you and your business?

David J. Rogers Fine Art Gallery: “We strive not only to create a high-end art gallery standard for California’s Central Coast, but we also hope our customers will want to become collectors of artwork that has meaning for them personally. My sincerest hope is to create artwork that captures a tangible expression of their deepest feelings of love, admiration, and longing for the California Central Coast lifestyle. We believe our art in their home can provide them with a touchstone of peace, serenity, and comfort during hectic day-to-day lives.”

Tiger Monkey Tattoo: “We would love to see our shop’s caliber of excellence be noted—from our hygienic practices to the amazing art being produced daily. We strive to represent the amazing culture Morro Bay has to offer. When our clients are out and about in SLO County or anywhere, we want our ink to stand out in the best possible ways.

“The ultimate [accomplishment] would be for clients to hear, ’Nice! I bet you were inked at Tiger Monkey in Morro Bay!’

And maybe most of all, we want to further remove the stigma that tattoo parlors are only for deviants and sailors. That might have been our industry’s historic past, but today we welcome anyone looking to mark their journey through life with unique artistic ink."

The Ugly Mug: “We’d like to make sure our experienced business neighbors feel appreciated for such a positive reception. They have helped us navigate being a new business in Morro Bay. At the same time, it’s so exciting to have so many other newer businesses join us downtown. We’re learning together to serve our community. It has been energizing knowing we are [offering] new, unique goods and services for our Morro Bay residents and visitors.”