The Village, nestled off Highway 1, is a small coffee shop, restaurant, yoga studio, and event space. Opening after the highway was closed in 2023, they, like many other businesses in the area, have struggled, finding that fewer people are visiting the region.
“The highway being closed is very, very harmful and makes it very hard to have a business in Big Sur. When the road is closed, it’s like 30% of your business right off the bat,” said Matt Peterson, the market and beverage director for The Village.
With a large part of their business being driven away by the highway, there was not much The Village could do. Being a Big Sur local meant familiarity with the constant road closures; however, when the latest closure — related to Paul’s and Regent’s slides — did not reopen, Peterson said that, like many businesses in the area, they had to make minor adjustments.
“You trim back the staff, you do what you can, and hope for the best. We have no control over whether the road opens or not, so we're just kind of left in the hands of Caltrans, the local government, and what they can accomplish,” Peterson said.
Being only a few years old was especially difficult for The Village, as, unlike other businesses in the region, its resources were far more limited, with less savings to fall back on.
“Anybody who works in Big Sur or runs a business in Big Sur always wants to plan ahead a little bit. You want to, if it's possible, be able to save money and make enough so they can save a little bit for the future. I think that's something that the legacy businesses in Big Sur — the businesses that have been around a long time and have learned from the past,” Peterson said.
Referred to as a “war chest” by Peterson, these savings are based on years of good business, something The Village has not yet been able to achieve, as a result of not only its young age but also the circumstances relating to the highway.
“For a small business like us, we're still just trying to get off the ground. We're still trying to get people to know that we're here, and a road closure is devastating to us. We're just hoping for the best,” Peterson said. “There's not a lot that we can do to really prepare. Just prepare ourselves mentally, stay positive, and hope we're doing the best we can to provide the best products and experience for our guests. That's really the only thing that we can control.”
Another aspect they can control is their community outreach. With the highway reopening and the number of visitors in the region increasing, The Village ensures that its presence is still heard through “pop-ups” and fun activities.
“We are doing some fun little pop-ups. We'll be calling supper clubs and little happy hours on the weekends, to keep the space activated and warm and remind people that we're still here,” Peterson said.
Ultimately, with more people coming to the area, Peterson said he is excited about the possibilities; however, for the time being, The Village will remain a seasonal restaurant.
“Because we're a new organization, and because of the road closures we've had, we've decided that to start for the first couple of years, we're going to be a seasonal operation. We are, probably for the next couple of years, going to close down for the winter because it's so slow,” Peterson said.
