What started as a high school side hustle in Oxnard has turned into one of the most recognized names in the Honda and automotive scene. Downstar Inc., founded by Oxnard native Frank Garcia, traces its roots all the way back to Hueneme High School in 2001.
Back then, Garcia was selling burned CDs to students and teachers while looking for a name that stood out. Inspired by the skate brand Dark Star and his love for skateboarding, he came up with the name “@downstar .” The name even appeared in the 2001 Hueneme High yearbook alongside a feature about his business ambitions.
Years later in 2009, Frank started Downstar which has become a household name in the automotive community. From Honda to BMW to Subaru, Downstar is found under the hoods of the best builds worldwide.
Today, Downstar has become a respected name across the automotive world, especially within Honda culture. Garcia has also expanded with a skate shop in Ventura and into media, hosting the “Downtime With Downstar” podcast since 2018 with more than 250 episodes featuring many guests including @bigtime_bake , @yng_chach , @dstructive_filmz , @rarebreed805 , @unbarebeauty , @audiotintlabventura , @bryan.arnett , @rico_radio , @mamboontheradio , @rjenkins1628 and many more.
From selling CDs at Hueneme High to building a nationally recognized automotive brand, Downstar’s story is another example of Oxnard hustle turning into long term success.
