Placemaking.
A working creative space on the 101 — part studio, part workshop, part gathering place. Come see what's happening through the glass, or make it your own for an evening.
A Working Studio
Charlie's Electric Studio is a working creative space on Highway 101 in downtown Encinitas — part studio, part workshop and part gathering place. Through its glass front, the activity is visible: photography sessions, print production, editorial conversations and the steady rhythm of projects moving from idea to finished piece.
The doors are open by design, and the parking lot out front is as much a part of the studio as the space inside. It serves as the home base for Process Inc., Tony Kranz Photography and Encinitas Quarterly — bringing together more than fifty years of experience in printing and photography.
Inspired by places where creative work and conversation naturally overlap, Charlie's Electric Studio is meant to be active, accessible and always in motion.
A little grease, a lot of craft.
The building on the southwest corner of F Street and Highway 101 in downtown Encinitas has been part of the city's automotive history since 1968. Its most recent chapter was as Charlie's Electric Bike shop, opened next door to the foreign car repair business Charlie Sougias built over decades.
Charlie had been my mechanic since the late 1970s. When my Volkswagen needed work one year, I suggested we barter. He fixed the car, and I made these portraits of Charlie and his mechanics in return.
Today, Charlie's son, Niko, owns the repair shop. After the electric bike business closed, he leased the building to me. It now serves as my office, portrait studio, and a place where photographs, conversations, and creative projects continue the building's long tradition of bringing people together.
Charlie's reputation was built on doing the work right and creating something that lasted. As this building begins another chapter, I hope to carry that same spirit forward.
Three studios, one address
Print, portraits and publishing sharing the same floor — and the same standard for how a finished piece should feel.
A print brokerage built on experience, relationships and a clear understanding of how to get work done right. From concept through production and delivery, projects are matched with the right equipment and partners — transparent, responsive and built to scale.
process-inc.com →
Tony Kranz Photography is focused on portraiture — simple, direct and built around the person in front of the camera. Sessions happen in the studio and out in the streets of Encinitas, using natural light and a straightforward approach that puts people at ease.
tonykranz.com →
A seasonal journal of local arts, published four times a year — Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring. Each issue brings together photography, writing and visual work that reflects the creative life of Encinitas, made to hold onto, revisit and keep.
encinitasquarterly.com →Private event space, portraits included
The space is available for private events and small gatherings — often with photography as part of the experience. An open, glass-front room on the 101 with the whole studio at your back.
Inquire about a date- Evening gatherings & receptions
- Portrait sessions on site
- Small creative workshops
- Print & editorial launches
Stop by, see what's happening
Encinitas, CA 92024
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We'll follow up soon about your inquiry. In the meantime, stop by the studio when the doors are open.