Tom Copeland, who changed face of downtown SLO, dies at 80. ‘An architect of his community’
Tom Copeland, a noted local businessman and philanthropist who along with his late brother Jim Copeland helped revitalize downtown San Luis Obispo, has died.
Copeland died Thursday at the age of 80.
His online obituary described him as “an architect of his community, a titan of his industry and patriarch of a loving family.”
“Throughout his life, Tom always chose to care without being asked and was a fierce protector of his family and his community,” the obituary read. “But that never stopped him from being the fun, light-hearted grandpa who always managed to win the pool or card game yet still let you keep the bet. He will be remembered for always helping without judgment, supporting without condition and living without regret.”
In honor of his contributions to the city, Mayor Erica Stewart on Tuesday ordered flags flown at half-staff from 9 a.m. to sunset.
Copeland family business started from humble beginnings
Copeland’s lauded career began while he was attending San Luis Obispo High School.
During that time, he worked shifts at the family’s business, Copeland’s Fine Shoes, while also balancing playing receiver for the high school’s football team. He was a part of the team’s second-ever CIF Southern Section title win in 1960.
“These early experiences helped Tom develop the work ethic and community-based ethos that would drive a life of dedication to those around him,” his obituary read.
According to a 1992 Tribune profile on him and his older brother, Copeland then went on to attend San Jose State University studying business.
He graduated from the university in 1967 and started working at the family business, which he and his brother transformed into a major sporting goods chain, Copeland Sports.
The business was headquartered in San Luis Obispo, with its prominent location spanning the block from Higuera to Marsh streets along Chorro Street in downtown San Luis Obispo — today a vacant property slated to soon become a new Cal Poly hub complete with a university store and hothouse business incubator.
During his time with the company, Copeland — an avid skier — would push for the business to acquire the Ski Hut chain in the Bay area, and Copeland’s Sports would become well known for its “Monster Ski Sales.”
While the sporting goods business grew, the Copelands also began snapping up properties, with an assessed worth of $14.3 million in 1992.
That real estate included spaces downtown that now house Urban Outfitters, Victoria’s Secret and Pottery Barn, as well as the building that housed Copeland Sports, until the brothers sold their flagship store to Sports Authority amid bankruptcy in 2006.
The Copelands’ vision for downtown remade key downtown blocks into vibrant, modern uses, often by replacing surface parking lots, as occurred on the Chinatown property where Hotel SLO now stands and the Court Street project, which is now home to a three-story mixed-use development that includes restaurants, shops and offices.
According to a city news release, Copeland Properties “helped downtown San Luis Obispo become what it is today through a blend of historic preservation and modern developments, including the Downtown Centre, Court Street and Chinatown.”
Copeland was donor to numerous SLO County organizations
Later, Copeland became more involved in philanthropy, searching for ways to give back to his community.
Alongside his wife Pam, Copeland was a major donor to Cal Poly, as well as to French Hospital Medical Center.
The couple paired up with Jim Copeland and his wife Sandy Copeland as founding sponsors of the hospital’s Copeland, Forbes & Rossi Cardiac Care Center, Hearst Cancer Resource Center and the Copeland Health and Education Pavilion.
$100 million expansion to make French Hospital the largest medical center in SLO County
The Copelands also supported other community organizations like the Women’s Shelter of San Luis Obispo and the San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum.
Copeland was preceded in death by his father, mother, stepfather and brother. He is survived by his wife; son John Copeland; two stepsons Jono Hicks and Michael Hicks; two daughters-in-law Stephanie Hicks and Becky Hicks; six grandchildren, Ollie, August, Charli, Jackson, Reese and Sunny; sister-in-law Sandy Copeland and her three children and their families; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Michael and Sandy Morris and their children and families.
The family was holding a private celebration of life for Copeland.
Donations in his honor can be made to:
Cal Poly SLO Elija J. McCoy African-American Engineering Scholarship. Send checks payable to the California Community Foundation, memo: McCoy Scholarship Fund, at 221 S. Figueroa St., Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Friends of Downtown SLO: Downtown SLO 1135 Chorro St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 or downtownslo.com/donate.
Hearst Cancer Research Center: Please send checks payable to French Hospital Medical Center, memo: Hearst Cancer Research, 1911 Johnson Ave., San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401.
