Artistry by the Sea owners, husband and wife, Micah and Meagan Gittins. Photo submitted
In the digital age, mass-produced and near instant access from around the world has taken over much of the way consumers shop. A recently opened business in Cayucos wants customers to slow down, connect with nature and discover the personal touch in each item they sell — a fresh alternative to cookie-cutter retail.
Artistry by the Sea, 146 N Ocean Ave, B, opened in January of 2026. The store features handcrafted coastal-inspired jewelry; small-batch, clean-burning candles; and goods from independent makers. Their collection includes pottery, textiles, art, body care, and home goods.
“We want to delight people, to give them a beautiful experience from the moment they step inside,” co-owner Meagan Gittins told Estero Bay News. “We really hope Artistry By The Sea becomes more than just a shop. We want it to feel like an experience — a place where people slow down, feel inspired, discover meaningful handmade work, and connect with the creativity and beauty of the Central Coast. In a world that feels increasingly fast and mass-produced, we think people are craving things that feel personal, intentional, and made with heart. It is built around the idea of celebrating life’s little luxuries”
Meagan and Micah, her husband of nearly 23 years, came to the area from their birth state, Idaho. They spent seven years living in Portugal and other locations abroad before making the leap to Cayucos.
“We felt my work would be well received in a coastal community because it’s very ocean inspired,” Meagan said. “When we learned that this particular space was opening, we felt like we just had to lease it and open a shop. The idea of the shop evolved from there. As an artist I know how hard it can be to get your work in front of the very people who want to find it. I hoped that by using my connections with artists I already knew, I could introduce their work to a new audience.”
Megan is a metalsmith and artist creating unique pieces made primarily with sea glass, gemstones, copper and sterling silver in her jewelry line, Silver Coast Designs. Handmade items often offer a unique story and personal connection to the maker who leaves subtle fingerprints of the human process. Megan hopes her work “feels meaningful, organic, and timeless. My jewelry combines traditional metalsmithing with the lesser-known technique of electroforming. Through electroforming — essentially coating objects in pure silver or copper — I’m able to preserve delicate organic materials like sea urchin shells and butterfly wings and transform them into wearable art. Nearly every piece is one-of-a-kind with an emphasis on heirloom-quality pieces that feel both artistic and wearable.”
Micah makes the clean burning, 100% natural ingredient candles using plant based, natural scents — a hard-to-find item in most big retail locations and online purchasing doesn’t allow for evaluating a scent profile in person, which range from floral to sweet and herby to spicy.
“People love our candles,” Meagan said. “They are all inspired by the coast, we have Foggy Morning, Endless Weekend, Walking on Sunshine, Santo by the Sea, and Golden Hour. We wanted them to feel luxurious but also clean and wellness-oriented — something people could feel good about burning in their homes every day.”
The North Coast is fortunate to have many artists and patrons who embrace handcrafted arts as a part of community culture as well as a contributor to the local economy. Megan says the Cayucos community has welcomed them with friendship and support of the store.
“The best thing has truly been the community support and excitement,” she said. “We thought, opening a shop in a tourist town, that the majority of our customers would be tourists. But seeing how many locals are excited about our shop and are coming back with their friends and making comments like ‘thank you so much for opening this beautiful shop in Cayucos’ has been so rewarding.
A quick look to the future includes plans for Artistry by the Sea helping to support and grow events like the Sea Glass Festival and creating new experiences such as a summer sip ’n stroll evening. They also hope to offer classes and organize a sort of “art and wellness” retreat with some other local businesses.
Artistry by the Sea is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Check out their products online at artistrybythesea.com. Better yet, stop by and meet Micah and Meagan in person.
