Lompoc's historic Rudolph building purchased by local business owners

The historic Rudolph Building located on South H Street in Lompoc officially changed hands on Jan. 4, making way for a new generation of ownership.

The 5,100-square-foot retro-inspired building, originally built by Harvey S. Rudolph in 1894 as a general merchandise store, was recently sold for $115,000 by longtime residents Chuck and Barbara Arnold to business owners and building occupants Halle Dyer, Randall Sena and Brandon Bridge, after sitting on the market since April 2021, according to a property listing.

The Arnolds also own the historic Victorian house on West Cypress Avenue, built in 1890, that they purchased in the '80s and operated as a bed-and-breakfast.

According to Dyer, owner of Southside Coffee Co., the decision to sign on the dotted line came at a time of uncertainty.

"We just didn't want someone else buying the building and telling us that we have to do something different — or even lose our lease," Dyer said, noting that equal ownership of the building is filed under Southside Sparks Corp.

The two-story brick building houses both Dyer's coffee shop and neighboring business, Certain Sparks Music, owned by Sena and Bridge. The shops have served as the heartbeat of the town's iconic downtown area for a number of years, which the trio are committed to keeping that way.

Bridge explained the purchase was an effort to "fight and preserve" the area and that Lompoc could bear to see less corporations move in, especially as great efforts are being made to revitalize the historic Highway 1 route.

He noted that "Lompoc's potential for growth is real" with a budding theater project nearing historic renovations, the addition of an upcoming brewery, a wrestling and events center, and expansion of the cannabis industry and wind energy projects.

"That means more coffee and more music is going to be needed, and we want to be here when they do," Bridge said. "Every town deserves to have a music store and coffee shop."

Sena, who grew up contributing to the local music scene and now helps to create it, described life as a series of unexpected events.

"What a journey, to go from playing small concerts in the coffee shop to owning a neighboring business and now to owning the building," he said, "Life's a trip!"