The best way to make a lasting impression is to immerse your customers in an environment that embodies the overall spirit and direction of your brand. To deliver the shopping experience that customers expect and deserve, the help of a seasoned professional is needed to design an immersive, experiential retail space.

To help you choose the right designer equipped to handle your building requirements, our editorial team has listed the best retail architects working in Chula Vista, California. These firms were selected for their range of services, specializations, certifications, experience, and professional affiliations. Each of these firms has multiple recognitions in the form of industry awards, client reviews, and press features.


Architectural Concepts Inc.

3958 First Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103

Headquartered in San Diego, Architectural Concepts is a licensed architectural design firm providing service in California, Arizona, Florida, Texas, New York, Hawaii, and Pennsylvania. The firm has been in the business for three decades, offering architecture, interior design, master planning, and consultation services for corporate office, health care, resort, retail, and restaurant clients. The firm takes pride in its dedication and talent, as well as its ability to build solutions that yield outstanding results. The firm fosters collaboration and is committed to going the extra mile to bring its clients’ visions to life.

Margit E. Whitlock founded Architectural Concepts in 1992. She remains responsible for creating the concepts that drive the design. She is an accomplished speaker, and her work is often published in magazines such as Developments and Resort Trades. She led the Architectural Concepts team in designing the Social Tap American Eatery in San Diego.

“Pretty and pink” was the criteria for the new flagship showroom for Nicole Miller. Throughout the 2,300 square foot retail space, the firm developed every detail of the interior architecture and furnishings, from the oversized pink ottoman to the custom case goods.


Davy Architecture Inc.

1053 10th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101

Davy Architecture is an employee-owned company committed to design excellence, integrity, accountability, and communication. The company was established in 1984 to provide architecture, design, and planning services to San Diego, Chula Vista, La Mesa, and beyond. The firm is licensed to perform work in multiple states. The firm cultivates client relationships by keeping promises and completing projects on time, within budget, and with the highest quality. The team shares a passion for thoughtful design.

Ric Davy is the senior principal architect and supervises the team. For over three decades, he has devoted his career to providing innovative design services, bringing the best value to each project. He was an Air Force pilot in the Vietnam War before he pursued a career in architecture. Davy has authored and developed many of the strategies the firm has used to creatively respond to the needs of its clients while staying on top of current trends.

One of Davy Architecture’s most prominent projects is the Chula Vista Commerce Center. The 36,000 square-foot concrete tilt-up shopping center houses several bulk retailers on a prominent two-acre site facing L-street, just east of Interstate 5. Thanks to its location and the quality of the building, this expansive project has enjoyed continuous full occupancy since its completion.


H2 Hawkins + Hawkins Architects, Inc

726 9th Avenue, Suite #1, San Diego, CA 92101

H2 Architects is an architecture firm in San Diego, offering creative and innovative design solutions for clients across California and Washington. The firm offers high-quality architecture, master planning, tenant improvements, construction management, and feasibility studies. Founded in 1988, the client-focused company has expanded its services with licenses up and down the west coast. The well-experienced firm specializes in commercial, cultural, multifamily, and mixed-use projects.

H2 Hawkins + Hawkins Architects brings integrity and quality to its designs, which have received numerous distinctions, including four PCBC Gold Nugget Awards. President and principal architect J. David Hawkins is widely recognized and licensed in California and Nevada. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional in Building Design and Construction. He is also certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). Hawkins’s efforts continue to create value for long-term clients and facilities that stand out in the marketplace, like Caffe Pan Bon.

The 10,400-square-foot restaurant’s main dining room is a dramatic two-story space with a 4,000-square-foot mezzanine and a balcony lounge area. H2’s role was to integrate design concepts inspired by Italian architecture into the final design of the restaurant and to provide construction documents and construction services.


Hauck Architecture

4888 Ronson Court, Suite F, San Diego, CA 92111

Hauck Architecture is a San Diego-based, full-service architecture and interior design firm specializing in custom residential, hospitality, and craft beer projects. The firm is led by T. Dustin Hauck, who has over 20 years of architectural practice experience and takes pride in delivering an exceptional design that consistently exceeds his client’s expectations. As principal of the firm, he serves as the driving force behind anything the firm undertakes. Since 1996, the firm has been changing the restaurant design industry by offering its clients LEED-accredited and Green Building Professional-certified services. The firm is committed to pinpointing each and every green or sustainable design solution available to them that will increase efficiency and decrease the building’s environmental impact.

One of the firm’s most notable projects is the Thr3e Punk Ales brewery. The Thr3e Punk Ales brewery is the product of the conversion of a former Highlander clothing store in the historic downtown area of Chula Vista. This 5,400-square-foot space accommodates 310 gallons’ worth of beer barrels that rise from the basement through a hole in the main floor.


Reyes Architects

2900 4th Avenue, Suite #201, San Diego, CA 92103

To enhance the abilities and passion of next-generation architects, Reyes Architects fosters the development of architectural culture. The firm leads in the development of exemplary architecture through active community participation, ingenious designs, and a strong commitment to the advancement of architecture through active community participation. When it comes to project management, the company is a firm believer in environmentally friendly approaches. It promises that each of its completed projects will have a positive environmental impact. The firm and its staff have earned accreditation from LEAD San Diego and the Urban Land Institute.

Hector Reyes, the firm’s principal and president, has 25 years of architectural and urban planning experience working and living in California, Texas, Mexico, and Italy. This exposure to diverse cultures has allowed Reyes to build on his firm’s prowess in commercial design, resulting in the development of the Eastlake Marketplace.

This project reflects the ranching and farming history of the area and recaptures the essence of the village town center while addressing contemporary needs. The project encompasses buildings varying in size from large big box retail to more intimately scaled shops and restaurants surrounding the public plazas; it’s all linked through attractive pedestrian promenades.