The Tasting Room at the Historic
Sebastian Brothers' General Store

Long, Long, Ago .... The History of Sebastian's General Store

Sebastian's General Store has carried on through the generations. Built in 1852 at the peak of the whaling industry, Sebastian Brothers provided goods and services to whalers, fishermen, miners and neighboring ranches. San Simeon Bay was the significant shipping point for barrels of whale oil, cheese, butter and other commodities on the Central Coast. Old San Simeon Village was flourishing with two hotels, saloons, a blacksmith, a livery stable, a butcher, schools, a depot for a stage travel to Cambria and a telegraph line to San Luis Obispo. In 1878, the Bay View Hotel was built; a first-class hotel with famous guests Thomas A. Edison, Winston Churchill and Calvin Coolidge, to name a few. By 1910, most of the village faded away, but Sebastian's General Store survived. Sebastians was the first post office in San Simeon until 1905 when it was moved to the pier. It was moved back in 1945, where it remains today. The Sebastian family bought the building in 1914 and operated the store for almost 100 years.

The simplicity of life in Old San Simeon Village is far different from the magnificent opulence of Hearst Castle. William Randolph Hearst off-loaded building material, furniture and the world-famous art collection at the San Simeon Pier. A native Indian population resided on the territory of San Simeon and it was later part of a Mexican land grant, the Piedra Blanca Rancho. A small community of Chinese seaweed harvesters lived on the bay in the 1860s. Portuguese whalers from the Azores operated a whaling station at San Simeon Point. Russian fur traders and Aleut hunters came ashore for goods and services. When the shore-whaling industry came to an end, Japanese settlers started a business drying abalone. The 12 acres of San Simeon Point were excluded when William purchased the ranch, but were eventually purchased by his widow, Phoebe in 1894. Today there is not much evidence that the villagers of many cultures lived and worked the land of the Point and the Bay.

In 2010, we are pleased to announce ... The Tasting Room at Sebastians

While it still serves as a general store and café to tourists, campers and sport fishing enthusiasts, Sebastians is also the gathering place to sample the wines of Hearst Ranch Winery. Local residents and visitors from all over the world will savor the amazing Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Late Harvest Zinfandel and our special blend "The Point" in our quaint and inviting tasting room. Historic remnants of the past alongside the new inlaid copper bar top and rustic barn wood siding take you back to the turn-of-the-century when Old San Simeon Village was the center of rural commerce.

Tasting Room Hours: Open Daily 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Map and Directions

Tasting Room Gallery