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Meet the Originals: San Diego's Historic Businesses

As the birthplace of California and the cornerstone of the Golden State, San Diego knows a thing or two about being original. Some of the oldest businesses in the state call San Diego home, meaning plenty of places our grandparents and great-grandparents loved to go are still around, if you know where to look. We’ve put together this list of some of our favorite San Diego OGs, so next time you’re grabbing a bite or a drink, catching a movie, or getting a tattoo, you can connect with SD history (and maybe even spot a relative’s picture on the wall).

The Little Hotel by the Sea at Grande Colonial La Jolla

In 2007, the Little Hotel by the Sea in La Jolla, California, officially became a part of the historic Grande Colonial La Jolla after operating as a residential apartment complex for the previous 30 years. Prior to that, the Little Hotel by the Sea had a very rich history here in the seaside Village of La Jolla, California.

A New Era of Grandeur at the Grande Colonial La Jolla

At the heart of La Jolla's social scene since 1913, the landmark Grande Colonial enters a new era of grandeur as it unveils its newly renovated meeting and special event spaces. The design team went to great lengths to enhance the feel of the hotel's still intact turn-of-the-century architecture, infusing a classic European ambiance and a refined, contemporary sophistication -- all adding up to resounding success for executive meetings, corporate events, holiday parties, weddings, and social occasions of every description.

La Jolla Concours d’Elegance

Beauty, elegance, and vintage cars intersect for the annual La Jolla Concours d’Elegance, which happens each spring at La Jolla Cove. There are many spectacular car shows in San Diego, but this one features one-of-a-kind automobile gems from all over the world, and every year avid car enthusiasts head to the coast for a display of classic, unique, and timeless automobiles — a showcase that’s been going strong for over a decade.

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