Ocean Grown offers a youth-driven hub.

Ruben Perez, a senior at Marina High, is busy building a beat in the back room recording studio of Ocean Grown in Marina. The modest setup includes a pair of speakers on a desk, a piano keyboard, laptops and a closet-sized recording booth. By the door, a whiteboard warns, “If you’re not contributing musically, you don’t need to be in here.”

Perez tweaks the settings of the sound program on the computer while playing the piano beside him. Amid the heavy bass, the sounds of someone using a skateboard emanate from the store.

“This is the greatest opportunity these guys could give me,” Ruben says. “It’s pushing me to pursue my passion.”

Only Ocean Grown isn’t a studio, but a clothing brand. The studio is one of many indications its owners are interested in more than selling apparel.

After two years, it is already a place young dreamers – skateboarders, musicians or would-be fashion designers – get guidance from two men who have made headway on their own dreams at a young age: Henry Perez, 22, and Jose “JJ” Declet, 22, Ocean Grown’s founders.

Ruben has been making beats for half a year and lists Declet as an influence.

Which is cool by Declet. “I’ve got a lot of people into it,” he says, “which is good.” On a Saturday night, he slouches on the black sofa by the store’s entrance, an Ocean Grown hoodie over his head. “We’re about to form our own production team, about five producers.”

Declet’s beats once started off Seaside High basketball games when he was a student. Later, he did a track for Las Vegas rapper Dizzy Wright, who earned a spot in XXL Magazine’s Freshman 10.

Through a door to the store, a haze lingers around Ben Bushion, owner of vape shop Cloud Nine 2 Five, who picks at some coils of a vaporizer.

The store is a hodgepodge of alternative lifestyle items. At the center stands a table featuring hats by Monterey and Salinas brands. There are glass display cases containing skateboard parts, e-cig liquid, and mixtape CDs with titles like “Central Coast Heat Vol. 1.” On black walls appear baby blue and pink waves painted by pop artist Arron Kai.

“It’s like a one-stop shop: Skate shop, vape shop, clothing, the perfect blend,” says Bushion, who is also Declet’s uncle.

Racks of clothing run along the walls. The right side of the store reps non-Ocean Grown local brands, a practice Declet admits doesn’t bring in much revenue, but is a worthy effort nonetheless.

Derek Hanneman of Pacific Grove, 25, owner and founder of ENGRAFFT clothing, feels the love: “To have Ocean Grown give my line a space [in the store]… I just feel fortunate. It feels natural to have my line in a local store like theirs.”

Despite that spirit, when O.G. got going, the new store in town was met with less welcoming energy. “Hella haters,” Henry says. He says a Marina skate shop fired an employee for wearing an Ocean Grown shirt. His response: “We work better when we work together. Our doors are open to anyone.”

Declet adds, “We knew there would be problems from the start, but we were ready. This is like a baby to us. So many times we stressed, but it makes me appreciate it much more now.”

Now Henry is on the computer at his desk behind the vape display. He has been designing a set of skateboard wheels with an Ocean Grown pattern.

The store currently sponsors four skaters from Marina. They offer skateboard decks. Wheels are in the works, as are plans of selling complete boards.

They also invest more directly in student motivation: Students who bring in their transcript with a 3.0 GPA or higher get a 15-percent discount. Ocean Grown wants to boost local youngsters in other ways, too: Declet envisions cypher sessions and open mics.

He currently studies business management at CSU Monterey Bay. “I pick my classes according to what problems our business is facing; I took marketing when we had to deal with that,” Declet says. “It allows me to apply my knowledge.”

Henry drives up to San Francisco State University twice a week. He expects to receive his teaching credentials next semester.

They are both first-generation college students, sons of immigrants, musicians and serious about giving back.

Declet says 2013 is the year when their “dream became obtainable.” With the money the two saved up from work and scholarships, they were able to lease a space. They knew they wanted to create clothes similar to the brands they liked: Pink Dolphin, Huf, 10 Deep.

“When we opened up, we were just learning,” Declet says. “Neither of us knew much about designing clothes or retail. Henry did most of the research.”

“We’re doing alright for just getting started,” Henry says.

OCEAN GROWN 265 Reservation Road, suite E., Marina. 747-1098, www.oceangrown831.com