8 Items Communal Owner Jen Byard Has to Have

Jen Byard

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AGE: 50

NEIGHBORHOOD: Golden Hill

JOB: Owner, Communal

Ask Jen Byard about her path to building some of San Diego’s most Instragrammable coffee houses, and you might be surprised that she doesn’t mention coffee at all. Instead, what’s fueled her is a desire to create spaces that, like the name says, feel communal.

Following the success of her North Park and South Park locations, she’s opened a third in North County at Oceanside’s Tremont Collective, along with a separate retail entity, The Annex, where you’ll find Communal’s modern aesthetic but with a coastal twist. “My vision was for it to feel like you’re sitting outside near the ocean,” Byard says. “The skylights, open windows, plants and trees, wood installations, and colors all add to that vibe.” That’s all in addition to items that underscore her design ideology: “I’m attracted to pieces that can stand alone or be the inspiration for an entire space.” These are a few of those finishing touches.