GALLERY: A tour of Highland Avenue’s small businesses

The street is home to small, locally-owned restaurants, barbershops and markets

The 1.5-mile stretch serves as National City’s downtown, starting on Division Street to the north and running all the way down south to the Sweetwater River at the city’s border with Chula Vista. Photo by Vicky Pineda/City Times Media

Highland Avenue was once known for lowrider car cruising. Now it is National City’s downtown, a strip where small businesses reside.

The 1.5-mile stretch starts on Division Street to the north and runs all the way down south to the Sweetwater River at the city’s border with Chula Vista. Many small family-owned markets, barber shops and restaurants there strived to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To view the tour of some small businesses on Highland Avenue, click “Gallery 28 photos” on the bottom left of the image above.

This story is part of The Highland Avenue Project and the Democracy and the Informed Citizen Emerging Journalist Fellowship program.