751 Higuera Street

Downtown San Luis Obispo

Locally Crafted Goods and Gifts
Made here with
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    • We’ve meandered, wandered, searched and scoured…

    We’re journeying through every nook and cranny to uncover the very heartbeat of the Central Coast: the dreamers, designers, artists, innovators, poets, authors, builders, crafters, and makers. The roll-up-their-sleeves local creatives who make it live and breathe.

    We asked ourselves, what would happen if all of this love and detail and beauty were woven together in a single warm and cozy tapestry?

    A spot where you can go to support and cherish the work of real, actual local people. Where that all-too-often hidden talent can shine. A place made with real, authentic ‘from-around-here’ soul. Where locals and visitors alike can go to take a little piece of paradise home.

    We’re Making SLO.

    – April Reeves

    Find what speaks to you

    Peek in through our tiny used-to-be-a-jewelry-shop windows as you walk down Garden Street toward Higuera. Step in through patinaed wrought-iron gates and onto the absurdly-plush red carpet and do a little wandering and meandering of your own. You’ll discover a special collection of handmade creations from all over the area, a bona fide local-treasure happy place.
    Things for the home.
    Things to admire.
    Things to wear.
    Things to eat.
    Things to gift.

    There’s a little something for everyone.

    Every Maker Has a Story

    Every creation has a spark.

    At Making SLO, a big part of our mission is to learn and share the unique and fascinating history behind the people who make all the beautiful things. What is their passion? What makes them different?
    Meet Our Makers

    Only Local Philosophy

    Local people are the lifeblood of the community and the heart and soul of Making SLO.
    We’re locally owned, locally run, and every maker and artist in the store calls this area home.

    Local Initiatives
    We’re members of multiple San Luis Obispo city boards and are part of several Chambers of Commerce throughout the county. We regularly participate in local programs and initiatives designed to help the local economy thrive and grow, such as Art After Dark, the Farmers’ Market, and SLO Earth Fest, to name a few.

    More Than Just a Gift Shop

    Step inside and you’ll find a thriving, year-round-open market with hundreds of beautiful and creative products featuring makers and artists from all over the Central Coast. But that’s just the surface. The majority of the work happening at Making SLO is behind the scenes.

    Our makers and artists have big dreams. They want to take their side gigs and micro-businesses to the next level. They’d love to become successful enough that their products find their way into multiple stores and markets, and perhaps eventually grow beyond the Central Coast. But that kind of success doesn’t happen on its own.

    This is why we’ve structured Making SLO as a teaching store, and we’ve created an entirely separate incubator studio called Creating SLO, solely focused on coaching makers and artists on the ins and outs of a successful retail business.

    Our exclusive programs are designed to help makers continually improve and evolve their businesses, marketing, packaging, and even their very products in order to keep moving toward greater success.
    Learn About Membership