A new fitness studio called The Cove has opened at 323 Princeton Ave. in Pillar Point Harbor, taking over two of the three buildings that once housed Blue Ocean Brewing. Founder Amanda Watson started the business in her garage before finding a permanent home in the harbor, and the gym held its grand opening on Aug. 22, 2026.
The Cove occupies space in a building that spent years as a harbor taproom, according to Coastside News, which first reported on the studio's opening. Blue Ocean Brewing permanently closed in 2025, according to David Bergman. Watson, who holds a degree in kinesiology from Cal Poly, said the community aspect is what sets The Cove apart, per the same account.
Watson and her family moved to the Coastside after living in France and Folsom, California, the report notes. She said she found a space in the harbor to bring together fitness and community, and the finished studio includes a large fitness area stocked with free weights and equipment, along with a community space where members can gather, have coffee and relax before or after workouts.
Childcare Built Into the Workout Schedule
The Cove offers supervised childcare Monday through Friday during its 9:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Ladies Who Lift classes, with a five-child maximum and advanced registration required, according to the original report. The studio has a dedicated children's space attached to the fitness area for that purpose.
The available sources describe temporary childcare exemptions but do not establish whether fitness centers qualify under the cited provision or whether this arrangement meets those requirements.
Part of a Wider Wave of Coastside Re-Tenanting
The Cove's arrival fits into a broader pattern of local operators filling storefronts left vacant by a string of 2025 Coastside closures, which also included Sacrilege Brewery & Kitchen and Tripp Distillery, Bergman reports. Half Moon Bay Brewing Company later expanded into downtown Half Moon Bay in mid-2026 by taking over the former Sacrilege space at 730 Main Street, a move reported by Stephanie Nash as intended to draw pedestrian traffic to lower Main Street.
San Mateo County's Plan Princeton land-use update addresses coastal access, coastal-dependent uses, jobs, services, infrastructure and sea-level rise, according to the County of San Mateo, which also held community workshops in September 2025 to refine coastal adaptation policies tied to sea-level rise overlay districts. Pillar Point Harbor itself is managed by the San Mateo County Harbor District, established by a countywide vote in 1933, which maintains a protected harbor of refuge with 369 berths completed in the 1970s and 1980s, per the San Mateo County Harbor District.
A Coastal Corridor With Built-In Demand
The Half Moon Bay, El Granada and Princeton coastal corridor includes Princeton, which sits roughly 25 minutes from the San Mateo Peninsula, according to Randy Kinghorn Commercial Real Estate. The article also discusses fitness and recreation infrastructure on the Midcoast.
Watson's academic background traces to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she earned a kinesiology degree. The programming now runs in the former brewery buildings at Pillar Point Harbor.
The opening of The Cove was featured in This + That, a monthly feature from Coastside News focusing on new businesses and business news on the Coastside from Pacifica to Pescadero, with reporting for the piece credited to Megan McDow.
