This week in Santa Cruz County business: New makers space on Westside launches with summer camp; new hires at two nonprofits

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.

From craft distilling to arts & crafts: Santa Cruz Maker Studios reimagines former Venus Spirits building on Westside 

Kyra and David Shugar have always been artists and makers, gaining great enjoyment from working with their hands, long before the two met at UC Santa Cruz. That love of creation helped spur the couple’s latest project, Santa Cruz Maker Studios.

The new DIY arts space took over the former Venus Spirits tasting room and distillery location just off Swift Street on the Westside of Santa Cruz earlier this year. (Venus moved its tasting room to nearby High Road in 2020.) The Shugars have launched their business with a series of weeklong summer camps for students ages 7-12, but they’re already planning more ideas, including after-school programs, birthday parties and artist-led workshops.

A variety of do-it-yourself stations – from woodworking to sewing, 3D printing, beading and more –  now fill the space, replacing the giant copper stills and long bar of the building’s former life. On a recent Friday morning, a group of students was busy creating beaded animals in one room, while two boys clamored for David Shugar’s help with 3D printing their own Dungeons & Dragons characters in another area. The camps run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and include structured lessons as well as time to try different activities and methods. 

After graduating from UCSC, Kyra Shugar spent the past several years working as a director of a nonprofit focused on supportive housing for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. David Shugar earned a master of business administration degree and had worked in sustainable investing, including running his own consulting business. Last fall, he also started a part-time job teaching courses in sustainability at UC Santa Cruz, with a focus on 3D printing and similar techniques. Both knew they wanted to do something involving art and community, but it wasn’t until after they had their first child that they really started to pursue that dream.

“Our mission was more than just making cool things, but also about helping change how people see the world,” said David Shugar. “I had been looking for an art community hub for a while. We kind of fell in love with this space when we visited.”

They signed the lease in February and set out to create “a safe space, a magical space for kids to come,” said Kyra Shugar, who said she drew on her own experiences as a child going to an arts center. “Gaining those skills of working with my hands at a young age really built confidence and joy for creating.”

While their initial focus is on kids, the Shugars plan to expand their offerings to include workshops for teens and adults. They’re also considering offering some kind of membership program, where members could come in and use the equipment and materials to work on their own projects. They’d also like to bring in local artists to teach classes, and potentially collaborate with some of the other arts organizations in the area, including some of the ones right in their new neighborhood. 

Santa Cruz Makers Studio joins a growing community of arts organizations, makers spaces and galleries on the Westside, including Santa Cruz Clay, The Painted Cork and UC Santa Cruz’s Institute of the Arts and Sciences  just around the corner. That’s not to mention Idea Fab Labs, the maker space in the Old Wrigley Building, also home to several galleries and artists’ studios. 

David Shugar is also a member at Idea Fab Labs, so it was important to the couple to ensure they were doing something different. Fab Labs focuses more on high-tech creation, like 3D printing and laser cutting, and members have to be 18 and up, although children are allowed with a guardian. He also works with Slugworks, a maker space at UCSC, and is hoping to see if there is a way for the two organizations to collaborate on future projects.

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

• County’s top executive to retire at end of year: Carlos Palacios will step down from his post as county executive officer in December after eight years in the role. County officials will now start a national search to replace him, for a position that oversees a budget of more than $1.2 billion. Read Christopher Neely’s Q&A with Palacios here.
• BirchBark Foundation names new executive director: BirchBark, a Live Oak-headquartered nonprofit organization that provides emergency veterinary care assistance and other pet-related services, announced Meghan French as its new executive director. French replaces Michelle Frampton, who’d held the position since February 2020. French, a Santa Cruz resident, previously served as director of development at Siena House, a nonprofit residential program for pregnant women and their babies in Santa Cruz. BirchBark, founded in 2013, serves Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties. 
• UC Santa Cruz named to best universities in the world list: UC Santa Cruz is among 12 California institutions on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best global universities, ranked No. 133. More than 2,250 colleges and universities in over 100 countries were evaluated on academic research and reputation across 51 subject areas. Harvard University topped the list, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University. 

• Watsonville restaurant Ella’s at the Airport shutters: After 10 years in business, Ella’s at the Airport is no more. While the owners gave no reason for closure in their social media post, it comes after a rocky chapter for the Watsonville Municipal Airport restaurant under its current owner. Ella King opened the restaurant in 2015 but later sold it to Chielo Apac, who drew criticism after the restaurant hosted a watch party for President Donald Trump’s address to the joint session of Congress in March. Read Lily Belli’s full story here.
• Dientes Dental Care given county’s Workforce Achievement Award: The Santa Cruz Workforce Development Board recently named Dientes Community Dental Care of Watsonville its 2025 Employer Champion award. The award recognizes local employers who provide individuals who’ve overcome adversity with inclusive pathways for employment. Dientes Dental Care worked with the County Office of Education and Workforce Santa Cruz County to establish a new dental assistant apprenticeship program to address the increasing demand for dental assistants and create new job opportunities locally. For over 30 years, Dientes has provided affordable dental care to insured and uninsured patients of all ages through four local clinics and locations at schools and community hubs throughout the county. 
• Save the Redwoods League names new director of science: California nonprofit Save the Redwoods League, which has worked to protect more than 220,000 acres of redwood forests in Santa Cruz County and elsewhere, has hired Alison Forrestel as its new director of science. Forrestel spent 22 years with the National Park Service and will join Save the Redwoods starting July 23. The organization also named a new CEO earlier this year.
• Ben Lomond Transfer Station to end CRV redemption payments as of July 1: Thanks to a shift in the state’s recycling policies, the Ben Lomond Transfer Station will stop issuing refunds for recyclable bottles and cans at the end of this month. Residents can still recycle their containers there after July 1, but won’t receive refunds. The move comes as the state now requires retailers like grocery and convenience stores to offer California Redemption Value (CRV) refunds directly. To find CRV redemption sites, California residents can go here.

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

What’s new on the Lookout Job Board

• Accounting Technician at County of Santa Cruz Personnel Department
• Senior Building Maintenance Worker at UC Santa Cruz
• HR Consultant / Associate HR Consultant at Fortress and Flourish
• Cook I at 1440 Multiversity
• Director of Development, Arts UC Santa Cruz Arts
• Executive Editor at Lookout Santa Cruz

Want more? Browse all openings on our job board. | Hiring? Post your job today!

Looking at the numbers

• 5.6%: That was the unemployment rate in Santa Cruz County for May, down from 6.5% in April. It was above the state unemployment rate (4.9%) and the national rate (4%) for May 2024, according to the latest data from the California Employment Development Department. It also marked a slight uptick from 5.1% a year ago in May 2024. The county saw job gains in the leisure and hospitality, private education and health services, and government sectors from May 2024 to May 2025, but lost roughly 300 farm jobs and also saw losses in the manufacturing, construction, financial services and trade, transportation and utilities sectors.

Save the date 

• Thursday, June 26: CIONIC, a biotech company focused on creating devices for people with limited mobility, will host a demo day at its facility on Green Hills Road in Scotts Valley. Executives will talk about the company’s work and demonstrate its neural sleeve, a wearable fabric device that uses sensors and electric signals to help stimulate muscle movement. Those interested in attending and seeing a demo should email maddi@cionic.com.
• Thursday, June 26: Leadership Santa Cruz County, in partnership with Bookshop Santa Cruz, will present a talk with New York Times bestselling author Charles Duhigg about his new book, “Supercommunicators: Communicating in a Complicated World.” Tickets are $19.95 or $49.95 with a copy of the book. The event takes place at the Rio Theatre on Soquel Avenue in Santa Cruz, starting at 7 p.m. More details and tickets here.
• Friday, June 27: The Santa Cruz Small Business Development Center will host a workshop to help entrepreneurs and small business owners secure funding, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will be held at the center, 6500 Soquel Dr. in Aptos. Additional details and registration are here.
• Saturday, June 28: Community Bridges holds its 10th annual Farm to Fork Gala & Action at Seascape Golf Club in Aptos from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets for the fundraiser are $150.
• Saturday, June 28: P&D Botanicals, a new boutique selling homemade candles, soaps, lotions and more, will hold its grand opening from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The store is located at 236 Santa Cruz Ave., #C, in Aptos. 
• Wednesday, July 16: The Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce will join forces with Santa Cruz County Parks and Santa Cruz Public Libraries to host the next “business after hours” event at the Live Oak Community Center at 979 17th Ave., next to the Simpkins Family Swim Center. The event runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more details and to purchase tickets, go here.
• Thursday, July 17: The Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its next Women in Business luncheon at Seascape Golf Club in Aptos from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The featured speaker is Morgan Lukina, managing broker and CEO of David Lyng Real Estate. Tickets can be purchased here.
• Saturday, July 26: The Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture will hold its annual awards dinner and auction. The event takes place from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Details and tickets here.

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

Business news worth reading

• Fuel firms can challenge California’s emissions limits, Supreme Court rules (The Guardian)
• Are market-rate apartments sitting empty in downtown Santa Cruz? (Santa Cruz Local)
• Prevedelli Farms approaches 80 years (The Pajaronian)

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