Quick Take

Jess Brown of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau and Laura Owen of Santa Cruz Community Credit Union are among those being honored by the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce, Jessica M. Pasko reports in her weekly survey of local business, which also includes a tech company helping navigate tariffs and downtown Santa Cruz development.

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.

Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce announces 2025 awardees

The Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce, which represents businesses throughout the Pajaro Valley, has named Jess Brown and Laura Owen the 2025 Man and Woman of the Year, respectively.

Brown has served as the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau’s executive director for more than 30 years, representing the area’s agricultural community. Owen will be recognized for her service as the director of community development and learning at the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, in addition to her extensive volunteer experience with organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monterey Bay, CASA of Santa Cruz County and the Homeless Garden Project. 

Brown and Owen will be honored at the chamber’s 63rd annual awards dinner at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds on July 26.

Other honorees include business of the year, D’La Colmena Market & Catering in Watsonville; organization of the year, Sons and Daughters of Italy; and event of the year, the Salvation Army’s annual backpack drive. The chamber’s lifetime achievement award will go to Bob and Linda Erbe, longtime community members who have been actively involved with the Agricultural History Project and other local organizations. Bob Erbe also helps lead the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1716’s annual flag displays flown on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and the Fourth of July.

Local payments tech company launches new features to help businesses navigate tariffs

Business-to-business payments platform Paystand has moved into the E.C. Rittenhouse Building in downtown Santa Cruz from its former headquarters in Scotts Valley. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Paystand, a business-to-business payments technology company headquartered in downtown Santa Cruz, is introducing new features that company leaders say are aimed at helping organizations amid evolving tariff changes.

With the new “Smart Controls,” finance officers gain new functionality through Paystand that helps with how they charge, route and recover fees such as tariffs, convenience charges or surcharges. Essentially, it allows them to dynamically adjust how it charges customers in real-time as import costs rise and supply chains change. This is aimed at helping companies manage pricing amid these changes, to ensure they’re also protecting their own bottom line as well as serving their customers.

Paystand, which moved from Scotts Valley to the E.C. Rittenhouse Building at Pacific Avenue and Church Street earlier this year, was founded in 2014. Paystand provides a simplified way for companies to do things like pay vendors directly without having to mail them a paper check or automate payments for recurring expenses. CEO Jeremy Almond has said he wants Paystand to be like a Venmo for business-to-business payments, in which payments can be received quickly without having to wait for a bank to process them.

ICYMI: Santa Cruz planning commission advances ambitious plan to reshape downtown with taller, denser buildings

A proposal to extend the downtown Santa Cruz area to the area south of Laurel Street is moving closer to becoming reality after the city’s planning commission greenlit regulatory changes necessary for the development.

As Christopher Neely reports, the plan for the new area, nicknamed SoLa, calls for taller, denser development, including as many as 1,600 new housing units and buildings up to 12 stories tall. The area is currently occupied by Kaiser Permanente Arena and a mix of single- and two-story buildings. Under the Downtown Plan Expansion, downtown would be connected to the beach through a walkable, bike-friendly entertainment district.

The neighborhood south of Laurel Street around Kaiser Permanente Arena in downtown Santa Cruz.
The neighborhood south of Laurel Street around Kaiser Permanente Arena in downtown Santa Cruz. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

As part of these plans, a Texas developer has submitted what’s known as a pre-application for an eight-story, 245-unit mixed-use development on the Front Street plot currently home to an Ace Hardware store. Read Neely’s full story here.

Also, on Tuesday, the city council unanimously voted to advance a new ordinance that would, in part, add some accountability measures for landlords of long-vacant downtown storefronts. Under a new downtown vibrancy ordinance, property owners who’ve had empty storefronts for at least two years will have to register the vacancy with the city planning department, provide contact information for the owner and manager, and provide updates on maintenance and future plans, among other requirements. The plan, which is set for a final vote on May 13, is part of a broader stimulus package aimed at reviving the city’s downtown core.

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

A rendering of the “Plunge,” La Bahia’s pool area overlooking Monterey Bay. Credit: La Bahia Hotel & Spa
  • New manager on deck for forthcoming La Bahia Hotel & Spa: Dan Smart is leaving his position as director of sales and marketing at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz to serve as the hotel manager for the new La Bahia Hotel & Spa, just steps away. Both properties are owned and managed by Ensemble, a Long Beach-based real estate developer. La Bahia is expected to open later this year on Beach Street. Ensemble aims to make it the most high-end vacation hotel between Half Moon Bay and Carmel.
  • Tariffs hit longtime Santa Cruz cookware store: Tariffs on imported goods are likely to affect shoppers at Toque Blanche, which has sold cookware in downtown Santa Cruz for 29 years. Recently, owner Charles Nelson wrote a letter to his customers to warn them of potential price increases ranging from 10 to 20% on many products. Nelson spoke with Lily Belli last week about the price changes.
  • Scotts Valley audio company launches new video series: Universal Audio is introducing a new series of video interviews with some of the industry’s top producers. The Apollo Creators series started with an interview with Grammy-winning producer Daniel Nigro at his Los Angeles studio, where he discusses his career, workspace and how he uses Universal Audio’s audio production tools. Universal Audio manufactures and sells a range of hardware and software for music producers, including amplifiers, guitar pedals, microphones and pitch correction software.
  • Deadline extended again for proposals for new downtown Santa Cruz complex: Proposals to lease a new 3,688-square-foot retail space at 810 Pacific Ave. are now due June 1 after Santa Cruz city officials extended the deadline once. The space is part of the city-owned Metro Pacific Station South project, a mixed-use complex on Pacific Avenue between Cathcart and Laurel streets downtown. The seven-story mixed-use building includes 70 affordable housing units. Details and submission forms are here.

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Looking at the numbers

  • 7%: That’s the unemployment rate for Santa Cruz County in March, a slight decrease from February’s 7.3%. It was the same rate as March 2024. The county’s March unemployment rate was higher than the state rate (5.3%) and the national rate (4.2%). However, the county also saw growth in the number of jobs overall, gaining 1,100 new jobs from February to March 2025 across multiple sectors, including leisure and hospitality, agriculture, private education and health services, and government/public service.

Save the date

  • Thursday, April 24: Lookout Santa Cruz and the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce are hosting an April business mixer featuring refreshments and networking. The event takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. at Fruition Brewing, 918 East Lake Ave., Watsonville.
  • Thursday, May 1: The Monterey Bay Economic Partnership will hold the 2025 Regional Economic Outlook from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Seascape Golf Club in Aptos. The keynote speaker is economist Jon Haveman, principal with Marin Economic Consulting, which provides reports for government agencies and economic development organizations. California State Controller Malia Cohen, veteran political strategist Mike Madrid and Santa Cruz County Executive Officer Carlos Palacios are also set to speak. More details here.
  • Thursday, May 1: The Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce will host a “state of the city” meeting with Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Dream Inn, 175 West Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz. Tickets are $55 and are available here.
  • Thursday, May 1: The Santa Cruz Hostel will host a ribbon-cutting with the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate its recent renovations, made possible by a grant from the California State Coastal Conservancy. The hostel can now host up to 51 guests in dorms, private rooms and private cottages. The event starts at 5:45 p.m. at 321 Main St., Santa Cruz.
  • Friday, May 9: The Santa Cruz County Small Business Development Center will hold its annual Small Business Summit from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Cabrillo College’s Samper Recital Hall in Aptos. More than 200 local small business owners are expected to attend, along with local business leaders and other industry representatives. Registration and additional details here.
  • Friday, May 16: Event Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz Vibes will be honoring local businesses, entrepreneurs and community leaders at the annual NEXTies Awards from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The event will be held at Woodhouse Blending & Brewing at 119 Madrone St. in Santa Cruz. Tickets and details here.
  • Monday, May 19: The Monterey Bay Economic Partnership will bring together local business leaders, elected officials, community members and tech executives for the 2025 Regional Broadband Summit from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Seascape Golf Club in Aptos. Speakers include Santa Cruz County Chief Information Officer Tammie Weigl, Etheric Networks CEO and co-founder Alexander Hagen and Jacqueline Leon, marketing and programs manager for Loaves, Fishes and Computers. Tickets are $49 for MBEP members, $79 for non-members. Register here.
  • Wednesday, May 21: The eighth annual Santa Cruz Launchpad career fair and student pitch competition will be held at the Cocoanut Grove Ballroom. The student pitch competition takes place from noon to 4 p.m., with the job fair following at 5 p.m. to 7  p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but advanced registration is requested. 

Add your business or networking events to Lookout’s free public calendar, BOLO. Click here to add your event.

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Jessica M. Pasko has been writing professionally for almost two decades. She cut her teeth in journalism as a reporter for the Associated Press in her native Albany, New York, where she covered everything...