A Special Father's Day Note
- Jeffrey Lamont Brown
- Jun 16, 2025
- 3 min read
TIME FOR A TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS
The IZOLA Muffuletta Croissant is inspired by the legendary New Orleans sandwich. Three types of pork - sweet capicola, mortadella and Genoa salami - piled high and are paired with provolone cheese. We add a briny olive salad that is accented with pepperoncini, vinegar, carrots and more. All wrapped in our Beldi olive croissant...made with chopped Beldi olives, buckwheat and sourdough starter.
It's like a charcuterie plate wrapped in an IZOLA croissant. Yum, yum, yum. Served hot-from-the-oven 7 days a week, from 7a-2p. Pre-order now or just pop on by.
In a rush and have a pre-order? Just call us at the bakery when you arrive, and we'll bring your order out to your car with a smile! We call it IZOLA Drive By.
A DEDICATION TO MY POP
My dad, John Owen Brown, passed on Wednesday June 4th, surrounded by the family he loved. While the bakery is named after my maternal grandmother, Izola Eaton, my dad's influence runs deep throughout the bakeshop.
Dad loved to work, had been doing it all his life, from candling eggs and bagging groceries as a kid, then beginning his journey as an entrepreneur in college. As a college student he created Mid Continent Entertainment, producing and managing bands that would go on to revolutionize the Rock and Roll sound in the midwest. He spearheaded the 1965 renovation of the Bowersock Opera House in Lawrence, Kansas, into the legendary Red Dog Inn - where acts like Ike and Tina Turner and the Drifters have graced the stage. He moved onto farming, then later built Colorado Tractor Company with my mom, followed by a move into what might have been his favorite job, grandpa to his 5 grandkids.
When I look around IZOLA, I see Dad’s mark everywhere — in our Saturday live music, a nod to his days as a music producer; in the 700+ investors who joined us because he taught me to think 5, 10, 15 steps ahead; in our safety protocols and redundancies, born from his belief in always being prepared; in the detailed systems we use to move product through the bakery — from making to refrigeration to baking to selling; and even in the absurd amount of rope we keep on hand, because, as Dad always said, you never know when you’ll need to tie something together.
He taught me self-reliance, how to work hard, and the importance of loving what you do. Our space at IZOLA takes on new meaning now that Dad is gone and I'm grateful I get to be reminded of him each day as his legacy lives on through IZOLA.
I've been so, so lucky that both of my parents have fully supported all of my wild endeavors - like when I traded my freshly earned civil engineering degree for a dream of becoming a photographer, to climbing mountains or living in the jungle, to following the journey of immigrants across the border as a photojournalist, and now as a baker.
Dad, thank you for always cheering me on and believing in me. Here’s to all the dads who lift us up, push us forward, and help us believe in ourselves. Happy Father’s Day.
And now a little vid of my Dad basking in the spotlight at IZOLA 13th Street on his birthday two years ago:
LIVE MUSIC SATURDAYS
Every Saturday, we host live music at the bakeshop from 8a-1p. Come on by to see how talented our local San Diego musicians are! Follow us on Instagram to see the lineup!
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