When Point Loma native Kira Karmazini was in business school at the University of Michigan, she and her roommate had a side gig promoting and selling logo fleeced merchandise.
“We were learning and understanding merchandising and how do we invest our money in SKU, stock-keeping unit,” Karmazini said. “We also learned about colorways, what the logos should look like, understanding competition and how we can make a profit because we were just students and we were investing our own cash.”
While Karmazini was running this sportswear business, her roommate’s aunt, who was president of a specialty store, saw what they were doing and Karmazini recalled her saying, “Wow, you are a merchant, have you ever thought about this as a career?”
“I didn’t even really know much about it, but talking to her really opened my eyes to being able to combine business with a passion,” Karmazini said.
Karmazini, a Point Loma High School alum, originally planned to work in the financial district in New York City, but after her talks with her roommate’s aunt, she pivoted, and after business school, she went to work for The May Department Stores Company in St. Louis and then in New York City for a total of 15 years.
She said she also worked at Victoria’s Secret, The Gap, Coldwater Creek, Lucy Activewear and Carter’s. All of those stops gave Karmazin exposure to different pieces of the business, including at the buying level of merchandising and executive roles of management.
“I really owe a lot to this woman that I met at the University of Michigan, who saw something in me and the potential I had,” Karmazin reflected.
She moved back to Point Loma after 30 years to be closer to family as a single mother, and to get away from the corporate life that took her away too many hours from her daughter, Karmazini said.
In 2013, she started her own company, KiraGrace. It’s a woman’s athleisure company based in San Diego and manufactured in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Turkey. Karmazini said she created her company because she saw a void in women’s yoga performance wear and athleisure apparel branding.
“So the clothes we started designing were specifically for yoga, so flat lock seams, no zippers or things that would get in the way with your mat exercises. The fabrics are four-way stretch and they’re moisture-working and breathable,” Karmazini said. “The kinds of clothes that you need to do your yoga practice and feel comfortable.”
The company also designs and sells apparel on its website that can be worn all day, “on a walk, on your treadmill, or even a yoga class and actually go to a dinner in them, so they’re incredibly versatile,” she said.
Karmazini recalls having an interest in designing and creating ever since she was about eight years old, living in Point Loma. She would draw and sketch designs of dresses, tops and other clothing styles, which her father saved. She also learned the various parts of making clothes, including fabric styles, patterns, trimming and sewing.
“It was interesting because that aesthetic that I was showing at that time has carried through my whole life,” Karmazini said. “And now we’ve even unknowingly taken some of those looks and created apparel within KiraGrace, which are very elegant, timeless and classic pieces.”
Now being back in Point Loma, Karmazini said she has been able to reconnect with the area and explore new places.
“I cannot imagine living anywhere else in the world, honestly,” Karmazini said. “Point Limit to me is so magical and timeless because it’s a small community. Just the fact that we live on a peninsula and being able to walk between the bayside and the ocean side is something that you cannot do really anywhere else.”
Here are Karmazini’s favorite places to explore in Point Loma.
Kira Karmazini is the founder of KiraGrace, an athletic and leisure clothing company based in San Diego. (Christin Willis)
Q: Where is your favorite dining option?
A: Little Lion Café on Sunset Cliffs. It’s just down the street from our home, and it truly feels like family. The food is beautifully prepared and absolutely delicious. The space is charming, and the entire team radiates warmth and kindness. Chef and co-owner Anne-Marie is one of the best in the city, and she’s created something really special. We feel so lucky to have this little gem in our neighborhood. Everything is good, whether you go for brunch or dinner, but I would say you have to try the Belgian lion potatoes because there’s nothing quite like it. They’re just so beautiful and double-fried, which sounds horrible, but they are not.
People walk inside of the Liberty Public Market Nov. 9, 2025 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Denis Poroy)
People walk inside of the Liberty Public Market Nov. 9, 2025 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Denis Poroy)
People enjoy drinks at the Stone Brewery outside the Liberty Public Market, Nov. 9, 2025 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Denis Poroy)
People walk throughout Liberty Station Public Market on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 in San Diego, CA. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
People walk inside of the Liberty Public Market Nov. 9, 2025 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Denis Poroy)
People walk inside of the Liberty Public Market Nov. 9, 2025 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Denis Poroy)
People walk inside of the Liberty Public Market Nov. 9, 2025 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Denis Poroy)
People enjoy the weather outside of the Liberty Public Market Nov. 9, 2025 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Denis Poroy)
People walk throughout Liberty Station Public Market on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 in San Diego, CA. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Liberty Station Public Market seen on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 in San Diego, CA. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
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People walk inside of the Liberty Public Market Nov. 9, 2025 in San Diego, Calif. (Photo by Denis Poroy)
Q: What is your favorite small retail business or pop-up vendor to support?
A: Liberty Public Market. This has long been one of my favorite spots to support local businesses. Our offices were next door for years, and I loved stopping by daily for lunch, a little gift shopping, or some creative inspiration. The market has a warm, lively energy that’s always fun to soak in. There’s a mix of local vendors and artisans. There aren’t that many places that I’ve been to that have the hustle and bustle kind of energy. There’s a whole entertainment value you feel here, and the excitement of discovering new things. But I love Paraná Empanada. They are amazing. I’ve definitely hit up that spot more than once, probably 20 to 30 times.
Q: Where is your favorite open space?
A: Sunset Cliffs. I walk there almost every day. It’s breathtakingly beautiful, with ocean views as peaceful as they are expansive. The cliffs carry this calming, restorative energy that I never tire of. At sunset, it becomes a beloved gathering place, with locals and visitors watching the sunset fall below the horizon. I also enjoy the mornings, when it is quiet, and I can listen to the waves and think about the day ahead.
Q: Where is the best piece of artwork?
A: Shelter Island has some of the coolest public art in Point Loma. The two-mile waterfront pathway makes for an easy stroll, and you’ll see several works of art, including the prominent Pacific Portal by James T. Hubbell, welcoming visitors to Shelter Island.
Q: Where is your favorite entertainment attraction or historic landmark?
A: The tide pools at both Point Loma and Ocean Beach are often overlooked local highlights. The tide pools bring back fond childhood memories for me of exploring the rocks and discovering all the little sea creatures: hermit crabs, sea anemones and so much more. As an adult, I love watching how children interact with these little animals in their natural habitat. I don’t visit as often as I’d like, but whenever I do, it’s a magical experience.