SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A local realtor's passion for art helped her make it through the height of the pandemic and is now helping her make it in San Diego. On Friday, she opened her second "The Art Cafe" store at the Westfield UTC mall.
It's not about perfection. It's about expression; especially if you paint with passion.
"Real estate is to provide for my family. I have two children, and even though I love it, my passion is here," Karen Guzik said.
Guzik opened The Art Cafe Carlsbad as a holiday pop-up shop in 2019. But business went surprisingly well. So she went all in.
"January [2020], I signed a year lease. Then comes March lockdown," Guzik sighed.
While neighboring big brand stores were getting grants from the government, Guzik struggled. After two months of the shutdown, she reluctantly reopened, sometimes serving only two customers a day.
Guzik said surviving the pandemic as a small business owner was not easy. But she knew that art was therapy.
"It's not just for me. It's for everyone. And it hit me. It's like yes! This is the outlet that they need," said Guzik.
Customers longing to unleash their creativity donned their masks and came back. Catering birthday parties, Saturday paint classes, and glazing ceramics, Guzik worked harder than ever to provide that outlet.
"They could still enjoy quality time with their loved ones in public in a safe way," Guzik said.
Her perseverance allowed her to open a second store inside the Westfield UTC mall on Friday.
Looking back a year, she was not sure she could survive. But Guzik's will to never give up on her passion allowed her to make it in San Diego.
"If your purpose is bigger than money, and it's bigger than yourself, things will work out," Guzik said emotionally.
Reservations are not required for ceramics painting. Sign-ups for canvas art classes are available HERE.
