These SLO County restaurants, wineries and businesses closed in 2025

While lots of businesses opened all over SLO County in 2025, plenty still shut their doors.

The list of closures includes bakeries, restaurants, breweries - and quite a few surprises.

Take a look back at some of the local businesses that closed in the past year.

Kohl's and Sephora in San Luis Obispo, seen here on Jan. 9, 2025. The retail announced it plans to close underperforming stores by April 2025.

Kohl's

The Kohl's in San Luis Obispo closed at the start of the year as the chain planned to close more than two dozen "underperforming" stores across the country.

The company announced plans to close 27 of its more than 1,150 locations as it looks to streamline business amid a disappointing financial year.

Carquest

Auto parts stores closed throughout California this year, with Carquest locations in Arroyo Grande, Santa Maria, Atascadero and Templeton all closing after its supplier, Advance Auto Parts, suffered significant losses.

The supplier planned to close 820 stores, according to Atascadero Carquest Auto Parts manager Dwayne Semans.

Rite Aid locations across San Luis Obispo County such as the East Grand Avenue location in Arroyo Grande, pictured here, closed in 2025.

Rite Aid

San Luis Obispo County was once home to 10 Rite Aids, stretching from Paso Robles to Arroyo Grande.

El Taco De Mexico closed Jan. 23 after business slowed down due to construction on West Grand Avenue in Grover Beach that started in the summer of 2024, pictured here Jan. 9, 2025.

El Taco de Mexico

El Taco De Mexico in Grover Beach closed in January thanks in part to ongoing construction in the area that slowed traffic to the restaurant, owner Angelica Hernandes told The Tribune.

Speaking through her son as an interpreter, Hernandes said El Taco De Mexico, which opened at the corner of West Grand Avenue and North 8th Street in 2016, closed due to a significant decline in business during the roadwork.

The storefront of Rib Line by the Beach, located on 4th Street and Grand Avenue in Grover Beach.

Rib Line by the Beach

Meanwhile, another Grover Beach restaurant also closed in January for the near-same reasons.

Rib Line by the Beach, the sister location of the San Luis Obispo-based Rib Line barbecue restaurant, closed after roughly five years, owner Brian Appiano told The Tribune at the time.

Just a year removed from a significant renovation of the space, Appiano said Rib Line by the Beach closed for a number of reasons - including the strain of operating multiple restaurants and a changing restaurant landscape based on takeout - but most importantly, the impact of continued street, residential and business construction on West Grand Avenue.

Paso Terra closed March 29, 2025, according to co-owner Andre Averseng. The restaurant is up for sale.

Paso Terra

Paso Terra, a French Mediterranean restaurant in Paso Robles, closed in March after being open for 13 years.

The owner, Andre Averseng who also owns catering company Le Gourmet Spot, left the restaurant to pursue new opportunities after the pressures of taking care of the seafood restaurant for over a decade.

The Cowboy Cookie location on Foothill Boulevard in San Luis Obispo is closed, but a notice on the window says the Pismo Beach location is open.

Cowboy Cookie

Cowboy Cookie closed in SLO in April after nearly five decades in business. The ice cream and cookie shop first opened in 1979 and opened up shops in SLO, Pismo Beach and Santa Maria over the years.

Morro Bay Butcher & Deli officially closed at 911 Main St. on April 13, 2025, according to co-owner Geoff Montgomery.

Morro Bay Butcher & Deli

Morro Bay Butcher & Deli first opened in the middle of the pandemic in December 2020, serving high-quality meats.

Five years later, they had to lock their doors for good in April due to USDA regulations and additional taxes. The owners moved to Scotland to discover the established "historical butcher shops" of the country.

Surf Rat Donuts' shack closed its doors on April 13, 2025, due to low business in the winter.

Surf Rat Donuts

A beloved doughnut shop in Cayucos closed its doors back in April, after harsh winter months proved fatal for the fresh-baked doughnut business.

Its spot wasn't kept empty for long - Mosey's Burgers, a new smashburger spot, took over Surf Rat Donuts' lease.

Exposed wrapping material can be seen at the entrance to Bang the Drum brewery, at the building at 1150 Laurel Lane in San Luis Obispo in March 2025. The tenants have been told they have to vacate the property due to unsafe construction conditions.

Bang the Drum

The popular Bang the Drum brewery in San Luis Obispo was forced to close in May after its building was condemned.

Though the business planned to have one last blowout before closing, it ultimately found itself locked out of the building before it could.

"We are being told we cannot operate, and we cannot have people here at all," owner Noelle Dubois said in an Instagram video at the time. "This really sucks. We never got to have a last day with you guys."

At the time, Dubois said she was considering future options for a new home for Bang the Drum, though that has not yet materialized.

Tom, Cassidie and Terrie Banish showcase the wine and spirits of Black Hand Cellars.

Black Hand Cellars

Black Hand Cellars at 766 Main St. in Cambria closed its tasting room in June after 16 years of pouring wine, but its winery remains.

Owner Tom Banish focused on moving the operations to his property at Torie Ranch Vineyard in Paso Robles.

Proof & Gather, seen here on July 2, 2025, has closed its downtown San Luis Obispo location in the Network Mall but is open in Tin City in Paso Robles.

Proof & Gather

Proof & Gather in downtown SLO in June closed due to its lease expiring in its Network Mall spot. The bakery has another location in Paso Robles and its owner said she was never going to remain in the downtown spot for long.

"What people don't know is the Tin City location was supposed to be the one and only bakery, but we had to build it out," owner Kaitlin Ferland told The Tribune at the time. "We were in construction for four years, but my business kept growing and growing, and I can't wait that long to get into a bakery space. So I started looking for short-term leases."

The Hope Chest Thrift Store, owned by Wilshire Hospice, closed its doors on July 11, 2025, after the San Luis Obispo-based hospice care nonprofit shut down due to financial hardship.

Hope Chest

Hope Chest thrift store in San Luis Obispo closed in July after its parent company, Wilshire Health and Community Services went under this summer.

The thrift store's employees were eventually hired by a new outfit, Lumina Alliance's Lumina Thrift, while the building is slated to become yet another thrift store.

Antigua Brewing Company, seen here on Sept. 4, 2025, suddenly closed its taproom doors after nearly four years in downtown San Luis Obispo.

Antigua Brewing

After nearly four years in downtown SLO, Antigua Brewing suddenly closed its taproom doors in August. A sign posted in the window of the restaurant thanked customers "for the memories."

While it was unclear why the business closed, its owners also placed their 10-acre SLO County estate Hacienda Antigua on the market for $4.9 million.

After decades of being a destination for sewing supplies, The Cotton Ball closed, seen here on Aug. 5, 2025.

The Cotton Ball

A beloved sewing institution, The Cotton Ball closed its doors in Morro Bay in August after 56 years. But there was good news: The owners had plans to start selling their custom fabrics online after closing the brick-and-mortar.

Avanti, the longtime women's clothing store in downtown San Luis Obispo, announced in September 2025 that it was closing after more than 30 years.

Avanti

The women's clothing store announced it was going out of business in September, with its high-profile spot on the corner of Higuera and Chorro downtown now empty. Avanti was in its spot for over 30 years selling women's clothing, accessories and shoes as a family-run business.

It's owner Kristen Walker called the closure "heartbreaking."

Brixton in downtown SLO has closed abruptly.

Brixton

A hat, clothing and accessory big brand shop closed its brick-and-mortar downtown abruptly in September, with no indication of why on its website or social media.

Babydudes at 315 Morro Bay Blvd. in Morro Bay recently closed its doors after three years in business.

Babydudes

The business first launched as a coffee shop in New York before the COVID-19 pandemic, closing not long after during the lockdown. The eatery then reopened as a burger and sandwich joint in Morro Bay in 2022, but eventually closed due to high costs.

Brooks Burgers at 134 Tank Farm Road shut its doors in September 2025 after three years of business in the SLO Public Market.

Brooks Burgers

The burger joint, with its original location in Pismo Beach, closed its SLO location inside the SLO Public Market in September with not a lot of information as to why. The spot teased that something was cooking in the winter - ultimately revealing that Mediterranean restaurant Petra was moving in.

CJ's BBQ Smokehouse in downtown San Luis Obispo had no sign announcing a closure in the window or on social media, and yet the restaurant has not been open for more than three weeks as of early October 2025.

CJ's BBQ Smokehouse

CJ's BBQ Smokehouse took over the former Mo's Smokehouse BBQ spot at the corner of Monterey and Osos streets less than a year before its doors shut in September. The business had no sign announcing any closure in its window or on social media.

Socorro Roman sorts the harvest of pinot noir grapes at Courtside Cellars in San Luis Obispo County in August 2004.

Courtside Cellars

E&J Gallo closed yet another of its San Luis Obispo County properties in September as it continued to withdraw from the Central Coast.

Gallo permanently closed Courtside Cellars in San Miguel and laid off 47 workers on Sept. 8, citing a decreased demand for coastal production.

"Due to reduced demand for Coastal production and available capacity elsewhere in the company, fewer wineries are needed on the Coast," Gallo director of corporate communications and public relations Krista Fontana told The Tribune.

Large geode crystals were displayed in Gaia's Gallery during its closing sale in downtown San Luis Obispo.

Gaia's Gallery

After three years downtown, the crystal and geode store closed in the end of September due to "high rent," according to its owner.

"From the very beginning, Gaia's Gallery has been more than just a crystal and jewelry store, it has been a sacred space for healing, learning, and community," Christine Branco wrote in the Instagram post about the closing. "You have all been the soul of this space, and I am endlessly thankful for your support, your stories, and your trust."

Michael's Optical in downtown SLO first opened in 1981.

Michael's Optical

The reason why? Owner Michael Nutt listed a variety: Managed Care insurance, online ordering and box stores not helping the family business.

Grover Beach restaurant The Spoon Trade and owners Brooke and Jacob Town were featured in a Sept. 20, 2024, episode of

Spoon Trade

Spoon Trade in Grover Beach closed in October after nearly a decade in business, with its chef calling the closing "bittersweet."

While the restaurant had plans to move right across the street due to developers' plans to transform its space in Beach Front Plaza into a four-story mixed use building, loss in staff and customers made the business fully close.

Starbucks at 3971 S. Higuera St. in San Luis Obispo is expected to close this weekend as the coffee chain shutters some stores.

Starbucks

Starbucks on South Higuera Street in San Luis Obispo closed in September amid a nationwide transformation led by the company's new CEO.

"You all brought our store to life, enriched our Starbucks family and our hearts," a handwritten sign outside the closing coffeehouse read ahead of the closure.

Burger Village closed its location at 698 Higuera St. in downtown San Luis Obispo in November 2025.

Burger Village

After six years in business, Burger Village abruptly closed its doors in November. The burger joint, at 698 Higuera St. in San Luis Obispo, had a "for lease" sign posted in its window but its furniture and decor remained.

A Burger Village media representative said the restaurant "struggled to recover following the initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic" and noted the downtown area "continues to experience challenges with increased empty storefronts."

SLO Delicious Bake Shop at 1129 Garden St. in downtown SLO closed its doors for good, according to its owner.

SLO Delicious

Its owners opened up the popular bakery in 2021 as a "huge leap of faith" and brought on the community they wanted to foster, according to their Instagram.

Tropics Aquarium Professionals at 12330 Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo is preparing to close its long-running shop this December after 21 years in business. Seen here on Dec. 18, 2025.

Tropics Aquarium Professionals

After more than 20 years in business, Tropics Aquarium Professionals shut its doors at 12330 Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo in December.

Its owner declined to provide details on why the store closed, but sold discounted merchandise and animals.

Ebony SLO, located in The Network mall building in downtown San Luis Obispo, is searching for a new home. The restaurant's building is being renovated into the new SLO Museum of Art space.

Ebony SLO

The most recent of closures has not happened yet - Ebony SLO on Higuera St. in downtown SLO's last day is Dec. 31, after the Ethiopian restaurant's lease is not being renewed. Instead, SLO Museum of Art is expanding into their space in the Network Mall.

The restaurant was still searching for a spot to move in to.

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