Weaving family, love, and local pride into the heart of San Luis Obispo: Blackwater

Celebrating life’s moments while weaving family, love, and local pride into the heart of San Luis Obispo.

Blackwater has been part of downtown San Luis Obispo’s story for more than 30 years. What began in 1988 with Maryalice Hamilton started not as a storefront, but as off-price retail pop-ups traveling throughout the Central Coast. Those early days laid the foundation for a family business rooted in adaptability, hard work, and community connection.

In 2000, the business found a permanent home downtown as H&G Sales, offering women’s apparel at an accessible price point. As downtown evolved, so did the store. Around 2015, the business rebranded as Blackwater, shifting toward higher-end clothing and expanding into gift items that reflected both changing customer needs and a growing vision for what the store could be.

Blackwater faced a turning point during COVID. As fewer people were leaving their homes, clothing sales slowed dramatically. In response, the store pivoted to focus more on gifts and plants, which quickly became customer favorites and often sold out. Being a gift store allowed Blackwater to play a role in celebrating life’s moments, both big and small, and that personal connection has become a defining part of the business.

This year marked a new chapter as Erica Hamilton stepped into the role of Creative Director following her mother’s retirement. Under Erica’s leadership, the store stays rooted in high-quality finds, real relationships, and a fun, lively atmosphere that feels unmistakably Downtown SLO, celebrating the local spirit that makes the Central Coast such a special place to live and visit. Even as the business grows and evolves, the heart and values that built the business remain the same.

Some of Erica’s best memories are woven into the fabric of downtown itself. Years ago, she experienced one of her favorite downtown memories as the Court Street plaza transformed. The iconic San Luis Obispo pub, McCarthy’s, was being relocated to its current location on Marsh Street. The pub had its bar physically lifted and carried down Higuera Street by employees, surrounded by cheering crowds as fellow locals hopped in to create a cavalcade down Higuera. That moment captured the camaraderie of downtown and left a lasting impression on young Erica Hamilton. Other great memories include iconic Pride performances, like RuPaul in the early 2000s, and more recently, walking in the Holiday Parade. Erica once again felt that downtown camaraderie as she saw familiar faces everywhere she looked, waving, cheering, and celebrating together.

Looking ahead, Blackwater has big plans for the next decade. Erica is committed to continuing the store’s growth while staying deeply involved in the downtown community she considers family. As she puts it, “I will do whatever it takes. I will fight to stay downtown as long as possible. That is how passionate I am about our downtown community and family.”

After more than three decades, Blackwater continues demonstrating the importance of strength, reinvention, and the power of staying connected to your roots, your neighbors, and your community.

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