Northside Shack, founded in Point Loma in 2014 by Pamela Olvera, grew into a locally loved wellness brand known for customizable açaí bowls, generous toppings, and a strong community vibe. The business expanded to North Park and Oceanside before ultimately closing all San Diego County locations by late 2025. The closures followed significant financial strain tied to construction defects and disputes connected to the Oceanside buildout at the Freeman Collective. After a planned sale fell through, Olvera briefly reopened locations mid-2025 in an effort to stabilize operations, openly acknowledging the effort as temporary. By year’s end, the brand ceased operations and was listed for sale without securing a buyer.
Now, the Rosecrans storefront will begin its next chapter under new ownership and a new name. Olvera's son Ismael “Izzy” Chavira has revitalized the space to become Surf Bowl Co., taking over where his mother left off.
“As my mom was closing her doors, I had the will and I knew there was a way that I could bring this location into something of my own,” Chavira said. “It’s very sentimental and means a lot to me. My mom built this space out and built a community around the food and quality that she served for the last 12 years. That care for quality and flavors is instilled in me from her.”
Surf Bowl Co. will serve fresh açaí bowls, smoothies, and coffee, with Chavira hinting at additional offerings such as shaken lemonades and specialty beverages as the concept evolves. While the branding and presentation will shift, he says the quality customers grew accustomed to will remain intact.
Pamela Olvera confirmed that the Northside Shack name will remain dormant and that she has no intention of competing with her son’s new venture. “The brand is in hibernation for a long while,” she said. “Depending on how good Izzy does, because I’m not going to compete with him.”
Many longtime customers already know Chavira as the familiar face behind the counter at Northside Shack over the years. According to Olvera, he developed several smoothie combinations himself and was deeply involved in day-to-day operations. The announcement of Surf Bowl Co. has already generated strong interest, with the family reporting thousands of messages from supporters eager to see bowls return to the Rosecrans corridor.
The space itself carries emotional weight. For more than a decade, it served as a gathering point for health-minded locals, military families, and Point Loma regulars. Surf Bowl Co. aims to preserve that neighborhood energy while carving out its own identity.
Surf Bowl Co. will open on February 13, at 1255 Rosecrans Street, in San Diego's Point Loma neighborhood. For more information, visit surfbowlco.com.
Originally published on February 12, 2026.