Small sign seen in window of The Black.
The Black — OB”s legendary headshop — is back.
Apparently, the shop’s longtime owner, Kurt Dornbusch, has partnered with a group of unidentified new owners, who wish to keep the place going. Just weeks ago, Dornbusch announced he was retiring after 57 years and was closing the store. Yet, things changed.
As SanDiegoVille reported:
Both Dornbusch and the incoming ownership group have confirmed that new buyers have secured the naming rights to The Black and are currently finalizing a lease agreement to continue operating the store at its longtime home on Newport Avenue.
While the identities of the new owners have not yet been publicly disclosed, the transition is expected to keep the shop in local hands rather than transferring the property to outside developers — a concern frequently voiced by Ocean Beach residents as redevelopment pressure grows across the coastal neighborhood.
The possibility of The Black disappearing had struck a particularly emotional chord because the shop has long served as one of the most visible symbols of Ocean Beach’s free-spirited identity.
The Black is located at 4995 Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach.
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