1899

“I have made up my mind to settle in San Diego even if I can only make a bare living, and a bare living in San Diego is better from my standpoint than a comfortable living in the miserable climate of Old England…” — Dr. George Gymer, 1899

 
Great, great grandpa – Dr. George Augustus Gordon Gayden Gymer – makes his way from jolly ol’ England to settle in San Diego, preferring sunshine to fog.

 
We couldn’t agree more!

1906

Great grandpa settles in Downtown San Diego, building apartments, hotels and homes.

 
He has four cars with drivers that take people down to Tijuana!

 
(I guess that’s been a thing for a long time!)

1910

The first San Diego native in the family is born.

 
Hey grandpa!

1940s

Both sides of the family are now living and working in San Diego. The war was on, and San Diego was quickly becoming a bustling and busy city!

Early 1960s

Pops becomes a charter member of the world-famous Windansea Surf Club, and he’s been surfing San Diego’s beaches for nearly 60 years. He travels up and down the California coast in competitions, as well as over to Hawaii, where the team meets Duke Kahanamoku (the Big Kahuna himself), the father of modern surfing.

Late 1960s-80s

The family becomes deeply rooted in San Diego culture — beaches, surfing, grunion runs, camping, and family time from one end of the county to the other.

2007

On a trip to Kauai with my own brood (our sixth-generation San Diegans), I sit on the beach sipping a locally-made soda.
My world is about to change.

2017

Swell Soda officially launches its microbrewery where we lovingly brew and bottle each small batch of our delicious soda!