This week in Santa Cruz County business: Forever 21 closing; comic store calls for community help

Quick Take

In her weekly roundup, Jessica M. Pasko reports on the closing date for Forever 21 on a busy Pacific Avenue corner, desperate times for Front Street's Comicopolis and more news, notes and numbers from Santa Cruz County business.

Each week, we’re taking a closer look at the movers and shakers, the growth of industries, and what’s really driving the Santa Cruz County economy. I’ll be spotlighting some of the biggest areas for opportunity, updates on local development and all things underpinning the regional business scene, each Wednesday.

Got ideas? Send them my way to news@lookoutlocal.com with “Business News” in the subject line.

Forever 21 to close downtown Santa Cruz store

The Forever 21 store at the corner of Pacific and Soquel avenues in downtown Santa Cruz is closing at the end of January, after 12 years in business.

While a corporate spokesperson for Forever 21 didn’t respond to inquiries from Lookout about the closure, the inexpensive clothing retailer has struggled financially in the past few years. In 2019, it filed for bankruptcy and began closing many of its then-800 stores around the globe. That included stores in nearby Monterey and Salinas.

The store’s closure could leave a glaringly empty section of Pacific Avenue; its neighbor on the opposite corner, New Leaf Community Markets, closed in October with plans to move to Gateway Plaza on River Street.

Read more here.

Downtown comics shop calls for help, says this holiday season could be its last

Saturday, Nov. 30, is officially Small Business Saturday, and around the country, many small businesses are struggling. Many have found it hard to regain their footing post-pandemic as more consumers turn to online shopping.

Comicopolis on Front Street in downtown Santa Cruz. — Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

One such company is Comicopolis, which has been selling comic books, games, puzzles and more for 27 years out of its downtown Santa Cruz shop. Last week, the store’s owners, Johnnie Arnold and Troy Geddes, posted a plea on Facebook, noting that they might have to close soon.

“With everything the way it is, our little store has taken a beating this year. At this stage, we’re doing everything we possibly can to stay open but to be honest, it’s not looking great,” the post read.

Comicopolis, located at 829 Front St. in Santa Cruz, is one of two comics stores downtown. Atlantis Fantasyworld is over at 1020 Cedar St.

Stay tuned for my story later this week about what’s led Comicopolis to call upon the community and how it, like many other small retailers, are feeling the pinch this year.

ICYMI: Aptos biotech firm says it’s cracked almond industry’s fertilization problem

Nonpareil almonds are the most widely grown variety in California, known for their superior taste and high market value. However, it’s also one of the most challenging types of almonds to grow. Nonpareil almond trees can produce nuts only when their flowers are fertilized with pollen from a different tree, requiring farmers to rely on expensive and resource-intensive harvesting methods.

Now, a biotech company in Aptos says it has created the world’s first self-fertile nonpareil almond variety. Check out Carly Kay’s story here.

Ch-ch-changes: Openings, closings and other developments

Longtime Santa Cruz County Bank exec to retire: Santa Cruz County Bank’s fourth original employee is set to retire early next year. Mary Anne Carson, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, will step down from her role on Jan. 3, 2025. Carson joined the bank during its pre-startup phase in 2003 and has helped lead the bank’s branding and early product offerings. She also led the marketing department through its merger with Lighthouse Bank in 2019 and has helped with the merger with Salinas’ 1st Capital Bank. After retiring, Carson said she plans to continue her work as vice president of Santa Cruz Shakespeare, travel and get back into creative arts like photography and writing.
Zero Motorcycles raises $120 million: Scotts Valley-based Zero Motorcycles will soon close a new $120 million funding round, according to TechCrunch. The company confirmed to TechCrunch that it’s raising the money, which will be used for expansion and to fund new models. This round will mark the electric motorcycle company’s first funding round since 2022, when it raised $107 million from Polaris and Hero MotoCorp in India.
State officials to provide update on Dungeness crab season Thursday: State fish and wildlife officials will decide this week whether the commercial Dungeness crab fishing season can open early next month. The fishing season has been postponed for the past six years due to the presence off the coast of migrating whales, which can become entangled in crab fishing gear. Officials may decide to open the season on Dec. 1 or postpone it again, until at least Dec. 22.
Proposals sought for new retail space at 810 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz: City officials have launched the request for proposals for a newly developed commercial space at 810 Pacific Ave., near the corner of Laurel Street. The 3,688-square-foot space is part of the new Metro Pacific Station South project, and could be used for retail or restaurant concepts. Proposals are due by 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 1. More details here.
Paystand’s philanthropic arm opens applications for 2025 grants: Paystand.org, the philanthropic component of Scotts Valley’s Paystand, is marking its first anniversary. The organization aims to help more people conduct transactions outside the restrictions of traditional banks, credit unions and similar institutions. Paystand.org works with organizations that provide training and skills in areas like blockchain and cryptocurrency. Until Jan. 14, 2025, small and medium-sized nonprofit organizations are invited to apply for grants that range from $3,000 to $25,000. Grantees will receive funding, ongoing support and guidance to assess the progress and impact of the project. More information and the application are available here.
Santa Cruz museum narrows down executive director search: The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History is down to two finalists in its search for a new executive director, Wallace Baine reported. Laura Henkel is the founder and managing director of Sin City Gallery in Las Vegas, while Ginger Shulick Porcella is a curator and art consultant who has served as the executive director of Franconia Sculpture Park in Minnesota and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tucson, Arizona.

Got hires, promotions, or departures to report? Send them to news@lookoutlocal.com with the subject line “Career changes.”

Looking at the numbers

5.4%: That was the unemployment rate for Santa Cruz County in October, according to the latest numbers from the state’s Employment Development Department. That was slightly higher than the rate for September (5.2%) and the same as the overall state rate for October. The county lost 900 farm jobs from September to October, but gained 500 new jobs in other sectors, with private education, health care and government making the biggest gains.

What’s new on the Lookout Job Board

Café Assistant Manager at Kuumbwa Jazz
Chief Financial Officer at Second Harvest Food Bank
Residential Community Service Program Supervisor at UC Santa Cruz
Pastry Chef/ Kitchen Manager at The Penny Ice Creamery
Compliance Analyst at Bay Federal Credit Union

Want more? Browse all openings on our job board.

Hiring? Post your job today!

Save the date

Wednesday, Nov. 20: The Transportation Agency for Monterey County will hold an open house and community meeting to share details about the Pajaro-Watsonville Multimodal Station Project, which would be a major transit hub for residents in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Transit officials will be on hand from 6 to 8 p.m. to hear public comment and provide more details. The event will be held at Pajaro Middle School, 250 Salinas Road, Pajaro.
Wednesday, Nov. 20: Santa Cruz city officials will host a public community meeting at 6 p.m. to discuss a planned development at 831 Water St. Developers are seeking to reduce the existing commercial space from 2,400 square feet to 800 square feet, with a plan for developing 140 affordable housing units on site. Details here.
Saturday, Nov. 23: The Homeless Garden Project will host a holiday celebration to celebrate its trainees at The 418 Project at 155 River St. in Santa Cruz from 6:15 to 9:30 p.m. Trainees will speak about their experience through the transitional employee program and attendees will be able to shop HGP’s artisan products. The event will also include a screening of the documentary “Food Inc. 2,” followed by a talk with journalist Eric Schlosser. Tickets here.
Wednesday, Dec. 4: Santa Cruz Works hosts its eighth annual Titans Awards ceremony, celebrating individuals who have made a significant contribution to Santa Cruz, Monterey or San Benito counties through their innovation, leadership and dedication to making a positive impact. The ceremony is at Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. Tickets and details here.
Thursday, Dec. 5: The Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce will hold its holiday business after-hours networking event at Woodstock’s Pizza, 710 Front St. in Santa Cruz. The event, held from 5 to 7 p.m., is also a food drive to support Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County. Attendees are asked to bring nonperishable food for the drive. More details here.