Christian Garvin, affectionately known to friends as Garvin or Salmon, passed away in September.
He was a winemaker, entrepreneur, music lover, and beloved friend whose vision and generosity left a lasting mark on every community he touched.
He left San Diego to attend UC Santa Barbara in the early 1990s and decided to stay in town after graduation, where he became a pioneering force in what became the city’s Funk Zone. Back then, the area looked nothing like the bustling art-and-wine scene people know today. It was a rough-edged industrial district wedged between the railroad tracks and the ocean, filled with boat yards, oyster processors, auto mechanics, and a handful of scattered art studios. It smelled of salt, motor oil, and sometimes overwhelmingly of fish, and most of the buildings were coated in decades of grit and sawdust.
Where others saw a dead end, Christian saw possibility. He had an instinct for community. He could look at a sleepy block and imagine music spilling out of its doors, people laughing, lights strung overhead. He founded Cellar 205 with Ryan Carr, then later transformed it into Oreana Winery on the corner of Anacapa and Yanonali, a space that had once been Bob Woolever’s Tire Shop. Christian famously kept the old “Bob Woolever’s Tires” lettering painted across the wall of the tasting room as a nod to the building’s blue-collar past.
Through Oreana, he became a magnet for energy, business, and creativity. Local artists, musicians, and winemakers followed his lead, and investors soon took notice. Concerts, sea shanties, and costume parties filled the nights, turning the warehouse-lined streets into a new heartbeat for Santa Barbara’s cultural scene. Without his vision, it’s hard to imagine the Funk Zone becoming what it is today: a living testament to how one person’s passion can transform a forgotten corner of a city into its creative heartbeat.
His generosity extended far beyond business. Christian devoted time and resources to several local charities, including the Unity Shoppe and the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County. He also created “Tilly”, a wine named in honor of his grandmother who battled Alzheimer’s disease. True to form, he donated 100 percent of its proceeds to the Alzheimer’s Association. For Christian, success was never just about wine. It was about giving back, lifting others, and building something that mattered.
Music was central to his life. A devoted Bruce Springsteen fan, Christian shared his passion with friends, often bringing them to their first Springsteen concerts. He supported and encouraged local musicians, offering them work, a stage, and camaraderie. His love for music extended to the road, where he briefly toured as The High Pilots’ merch and tour manager, always calling himself “the best TM ever.”
Christian’s friendships were as enduring as they were expansive. Known for his quick wit, warm spirit, and ability to make everyone feel included, he welcomed people into his life with humor, loyalty, and often a nickname of their own. I was “Wolverine.” Ryan Carr was “Coyote.” These names became badges of belonging. They were little pieces of Garvin’s world that he handed out to the people he loved.
He also played a central role in my own wedding. Lauren and I asked him to officiate, and there was no one better for the job. Just days before our ceremony, we had met Bruce Springsteen, who signed copies of his autobiography for us. Lauren decided to give her signed book to Christian as thanks for officiating. When we handed it to him, he wept — an unforgettable moment that showed just how deeply his love of music and his friendships were intertwined.
After his time in Santa Barbara, Christian lived in San Francisco, the Catskills, and Boston before ultimately moving to St. Croix, where he envisioned settling permanently as an expat. Even there, his generosity never wavered. When another expat on the island fell on hard times and was forced to live in their car, Christian opened his small home and gave them a place to sleep. That was the kind of person he was — always ready to help, without hesitation.
Christian is remembered as tall, dark, and handsome, with a presence that was matched by his intelligence, humor, and kindness. To many, he became family—a “sixth Cantillon brother,” a mentor, and a partner in mischief. He will be remembered in photographs, in songs, in the many stories shared among those he touched, and in the spirit of joy he left behind. His influence can be seen in the cultural fabric of Santa Barbara, in the music he inspired, and in the countless lives he touched.
He is survived by his family, a wide circle of friends who considered him a brother, and by a legacy of generosity, creativity, and joy that will not be forgotten.
