Danny Diaz is focused on bringing Old Town Lompoc back to life. When he moved there a year and a half ago, he’d ask people what there is to do in town but got responses like, “There’s nothing to do here,” and, “Lompoc is boring.”
Since then, he’s grown to love Old Town and would like to see more foot traffic there, especially from the younger crowd. Diaz has already stirred up a buzz with his thrift store, The Silly Bee, and his collaboration with nearby businesses.
“If you go to big cities, they love to pay attention to their Old Town, the beginnings of where their city started,” Diaz said. “I felt that Lompoc could use that as well.”
Get your thrift on
The Silly Bee is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday. It’s located at 101 N. H St. in Lompoc. Call (805) 819-0310 for more information or join the hive on Instagram @sillybeethrift.
At The Silly Bee, customers can find used clothing, small pieces of furniture, and goods from local vendors. Once he gets comfortable running the store, Diaz wants to use the space as more than just a storefront, which celebrated its grand opening on Dec. 1.
“I didn’t expect the local support to be that extreme,” Diaz said. “People really want to help me, and people really like the message.”
He plans to incorporate a craft station that customers can use for personal projects like printing designs on shirts and hats. After regular business hours, Diaz wants to turn The Silly Bee into a space for community gathering.
In his experience, there aren’t many places in Old Town for people to hang out at night besides bars. He envisions open mic nights for poetry and live music, book clubs, and “whatever people tell me they would like,” the owner added.
“I’ll try to make that happen just so the community can have a place where they can go in Old Town,” Diaz said.
A network of small businesses has also formed in Lompoc with Diaz’s help. The Thrift Menu has a rack in his store, and Diaz is partnering with the gym, Awaken, for a clothing swap on Dec. 13. The three businesses are helping throw the event.
“The way it works is somebody provides the spot where people can come in and enjoy the setting, and then sometimes another one provides the clothing or the products, and then somebody provides that promotion, does all the videos,” Diaz said. “That’s how we work together.”
Next, he’s set out to make a scavenger hunt map with participating businesses in Old Town. He’ll post images of bees around the city, and when someone finds one, they’ll read about one of the businesses and maybe even receive a discount.
Ultimately, he wants to help other businesses and residents feel at home in Old Town, whether that’s advising new entrepreneurs or teaching English to Spanish speakers.
“We’re not just here to make a profit and move forward,” Diaz said. “We’re here to engage with people and teach and give.”
Highlights
• Head to Machado Plaza in Santa Maria on Dec. 13 for free festive activities for the whole family. The city’s annual holiday market will run from 5 to 9 p.m. with a mini sledding hill, visits from Santa, handmade gifts by vendors, arts and crafts, and plenty of food. For $5 festivalgoers can take a holiday bus tour to see the winners of the Lights, Sights, and Holiday Nights contest. The Plaza is located at 224 W. Chapel St. in Santa Maria.
• Santa Barbara County is accepting donations for Toys for Tots, which will be delivered to local children through the Unity Shoppe. Donations should be new and unwrapped. Drop off toys by Dec. 17 in the lobby at the Joseph Centeno Betteravia Government Building, located at 511 E. Lakeside Parkway. County fire stations also have drop-off boxes for donations.
Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 11 – Dec 18, 2025.