Rooted in East County for Over 40 Years
In Lee’s Own Words
Our Story
I started the East County Business Center over 40 years ago when I acquired the building at 270 East Douglas Ave in El Cajon. At the time, I was actually a tenant in the building. I’d often be there late in the evenings and on weekends, and I’d see the elderly couple who owned it vacuuming the floors, emptying trash, and washing out coffee cups themselves. It clearly wasn’t something they wanted to be doing, and it was taking a toll on them.
They’d ended up with the building through a real estate exchange — they traded some older rental houses, in poor condition with difficult tenants, for what they hoped would be an easier commercial building to manage. But they didn’t fully know what they were getting into, and they felt stuck. The building wasn’t bringing in enough to hire help, so they were doing the cleaning themselves, tired and anxious to get home — especially since they lived on the other side of town and hated driving back at night.
I understood the small-scale side of real estate early. At 19, I bought my first income property — two houses on one lot. I fixed up the front house and rented it out, while I lived in the smaller back unit, scrambling to cover taxes, insurance, and my own living expenses. That’s where I first learned the value of multiple units working together — small and simple, but it worked.
That experience is what led me to take on the building at East Douglas Ave, and turn it into what’s now the East County Business Center.
Office Solutions for the New Economy
ECBC is built as a ladder, not a single product — pick what fits your business today, and change as you grow. It starts with a business identity: a real, brick-and-mortar address at 270 East Douglas Ave, not a PO box or a mailbox-store address. It’s built for people working from home or from out of the area who need something credible to put on their listings, licenses, and filings.
From there, clients move into part-time office access when they need a private space to meet clients or get focused work done, without paying for a full-time office they don’t need yet. And when it’s time for a dedicated space of your own, full-time private offices are there too.
Clients move between these solutions as their needs change — and everything is month-to-month, not a standard one-year lease.
"If it's not working for you, we're not going to hold you to a long-term commitment."
That’s not just a pricing decision — it’s meant to give clients the confidence to try what they need, without the stress of feeling locked in.
What Makes Us Different
- Locally owned and operated — not a national chain
- Real people who know your name
- Month-to-month on everything — no pressure, no penalties
- 8,175 sq ft brick-and-mortar building
- Real lobby directory listing — your business shows up as a legitimate office address
By the Numbers & Community
Hundreds of Businesses Served
From solo freelancers to growing teams, ECBC has helped hundreds of East County businesses establish a professional presence.
30+ Years as an Executive Suite
Operating as an executive suite office building in El Cajon for over three decades.
El Cajon Chamber of Commerce
An active member of the El Cajon Chamber of Commerce.
Downtown El Cajon Business Partners
Active in the Downtown El Cajon Business Partners Management District, with Lee serving as a board member.
