Seaside Market at 40: A Legacy Worth Protecting

This August, the San Diego CFO Lunch & Explore Group had the pleasure of visiting Seaside Market — a coastal gem perched above the Pacific in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. For over 40 years, founder Pete Najjar has built more than just a marketplace. He’s created a community hub — one where residents are on a first-name basis with the staff, where the prepared foods inspire cravings across the county, and where every detail, from produce selection to store layout, reflects pride and care.

During our visit, Pete was a star. Members brought him gifts, others kept asking “Where’s Pete?”—and when he appeared, the energy in the room lit up. It’s rare to see a business so loved, so woven into the fabric of a community, that its leader feels more like family than a CEO.

Left: Pete Najjar, Right: Phu Nguyen 

But here’s the reality: hackers don’t care about that.

In the world of cybercrime, judgment and ethics are absent. To an attacker, Seaside Market is just another target. It doesn’t matter that it’s a cherished part of San Diego’s culture. It doesn’t matter that it employs local residents and supports up-and-coming culinary entrepreneurs. If a vulnerability exists — whether in point-of-sale systems, vendor networks, or internal communications — it’s fair game.

Small and mid-sized businesses, especially those that are beloved locally, often face a dangerous misconception:

“We’re too small, too local, or too well-liked to be attacked.”

Unfortunately, the opposite is often true. Community favorites like Seaside Market can be more vulnerable because:

• They run lean operations — with limited resources to dedicate to cybersecurity.
• They prioritize service over security — focusing on customer experience rather than IT defenses.
• They are trusted — making them prime candidates for social engineering or phishing attacks that exploit loyal customers and vendors.

At ICE Cybersecurity, we’ve seen firsthand how one breach can disrupt operations, damage a hard-earned reputation, and cause financial strain that even decades of goodwill can’t erase. And for a business like Seaside Market, the impact wouldn’t just be felt in spreadsheets—it would ripple through the community.

Pete, congratulations on 40 years of building something remarkable. And to all the local businesses that make San Diego the vibrant city it is:

You are worth protecting.

Let’s make sure your legacy is as secure online as it is in the hearts of your customers.

From left to right: Abe Hughes, Dung Ngo, Bill Dale, Phu Nguyen, Jake Rose, and Encinitas Mayor, Bruce Ehlers.