NIPOMO, Calif. (KEYT) - Holloway's Christmas Trees is once again open for business, but this year it's anything but business as usual at the longtime farm.
Located along Highway 101 just south of Tefft Street in Nipomo, Holloway's has been a favorite holiday destination for generations ever since it was opened by Del Holloway in 1962.
This past September, current owners Carl Holloway (Del Holloway's son) and his wife Debbie, who took over operations in the late-1990's, announced they were retiring from the business and listed the farm on the real estate market.
"The farm is for sale," said Carl Holloway. "We've had seven different families come and look at it. Five of them were very viable candidates, and two of them I just knew were going to buy it, but they didn't come up with an offer. It's too bad, but you know, it's got to fit their needs."
Ever since the news spread the property was being sold, many people throughout the Central Coast have been worried about the unknown future of the 12-acre site.
The Holloways are hoping who ever purchases the property will maintain the land and the business as it currently exists.
"The idea is to sell the entire farm turnkey for somebody to come in and keep growing Christmas trees," said Carl Holloway. "It's actually more beneficial to us to do it the other way, sell the trees off the property, but we're committed to trying to do what we've been doing for 65 years. We want that to continue because we love it."
Since the tree farm was opened by his father more than 60 years ago in 1962, along with the fact it's been a beloved holiday tradition for thousands of families through the many decades, Holloway is emphasizing to the community just how important it is for him and Debbie to try and keep the farm in operation.
"We're doing everything we can to do that," said Holloway. "We're have an assets list of over $200,000 that is going to go with the sale of the farm, so somebody coming in can just step in here and turnkey it and continue operations either as we have it, or hopefully being a younger, brighter, sharper minds, they come in and make some great changes for the community that will allow them to maybe make more money and, give the community a nice outlet for their Christmas trees."
What eventually will happen to the property is still to be determined in the weeks or months ahead.
Holloway indicated if the farm didn't sell by this time next year, he would reopen for business in 2026, but it would look and feel much different from the past.
"We could possibly be here," said Holloway. "It probably won't be in the same capacity as this, but you never know. We have a lot of money in the inventory on the farm and we would be running a big sale next year on trees. A lot of the playground stuff and all that kind of stuff would go away and we would try to reduce payroll and just clear off the trees."
This year, Holloway's opened for business last week on it's customary Nov. 17 opening day.
While heavy rain poured throughout most of the morning hours, the farm opened its doors in the afternoon with eager customers braving the wet conditions.
"I think we sold about 20 to 30 trees," said Holloway, "Not a lot, but after Thanksgiving, sales just turn and go straight up like a jet. We go from selling 50, 60 trees a day to selling 600 trees a day, and that's a different, different world."
Holloway and his employees are expecting this coming weekend will attract heavy crowds, perhaps as many as several thousand people each day.
"It's going to be really, really busy," said Jack Krauk, who has worked at Holloway's for the past five years. "After Thanksgiving is our busiest time. Definitely this farm, it's going to be hard to walk around. It gets crazy. We're going to sell tons of trees. My guess is we'll have 20 guys, maybe 25 guys working at a time, so it's going to get crazy."
Krauk is one of aboutg 60 seasonal employees at Holloway's, most of them past or present Nipomo High School students.
For Krauk, who grew up in Nipomo, he points out just how important the longtime farm is to the community, both for the town and surrounding area.
"I definitely think it's like a staple for the Central Coast," said Krauk. "Everyone talks about it all year long. You pass it here on Highway 101, and, I just I just think it's a great, great location for it and it brings Nipomo a little life too. It's an amazing experience, seeing everyone come in with their families and pick out their tree. It's not like going to a parking lot and getting in your tree. You get to come here and experience the farm, maybe cut it down yourself and you just see it in the smiles. It's really awesome."
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