Quick Take

In her weekly look at local business, Jessica M. Pasko has an update on Toadal Fitness' moves, what Santa Cruz County day laborers are seeing and names, numbers and dates to know.

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.

Note: The column will be off on April 2, returning April 7.

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

Toadal Fitness opens new downtown location on Ocean Street as Lincoln Street shutters to make way for mixed-use library development

Toadal Fitness’ newest location at 716 Ocean St. in Santa Cruz. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Toadal Fitness’ new gym on Ocean Street in Santa Cruz is officially open for business.

According to owner Christophe Bellito, the gym’s new location at 716 Ocean St. opened this past weekend as the former location at 113 Lincoln St. shuttered. The new gym – just south of Water Street and across from the county administration and courts complex – is now fully operational.

Bellito and his wife, Cecile Bellito, opened the downtown gym in 1996, the first in the Toadal Fitness family. The Bellitos now run six locations, including Watsonville, Scotts Valley, Live Oak, Aptos and a Westside location. 

The downtown gym’s move has been in the making for almost a year. The City of Santa Cruz purchased the Lincoln Street building from Bellito last April, helping to pave the way for the new downtown library mixed-use development. The city leased Bellito the current space until his new, larger location at Ocean Street (formerly used as office space) was ready. One perk of the new spot? Free parking. 

Hours at the new location are the same as the previous location, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Anytime access, a select tier of membership that allows access 24 hours a day, seven days a week, isn’t currently available but should start April 1, Bellito said. 

Toadal Fitness’ location on Lincoln Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz has closed to make way for the mixed-use library development, due to break ground this spring. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

The city purchased the old Toadal Fitness building for $2.5 million, with a plan to demolish it to make way for the new construction. As part of that planned project, Santa Cruz Community Farmers’ Markets will also temporarily move its downtown Wednesday market to Cedar and Church streets starting in May. Work on the new 41,000-square-foot library is expected to begin in June, with construction expected to take at least two years. The development also includes a 124-unit affordable housing project, a large parking garage and room for commercial uses on the ground floor. 

ICYMI: In Santa Cruz County, day laborers find fewer jobs and growing fears

Day laborers are struggling to find work locally as Santa Cruz County employers grapple with rising construction costs, uncertainty over proposed federal tariffs and ongoing immigration enforcement concerns.

As Tania Ortiz reported, some workers believe employers are staying away from the places where they’d traditionally find workers amid concerns about federal immigration agents’ activity. Leaders at the Day Worker Center of Santa Cruz County, an intermediary between laborers and employers, told Ortiz they’ve observed a decrease in the number of employers available. Read her full story here.

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

  • Monterey Bay leader named a 2025 AAIPI Business Leader Award honoree: The Silicon Valley Business Journal selected Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) CEO and President Tahra Goraya as a winner of its inaugural Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Business Leadership Awards. MBEP is a member-supported nonprofit that represents Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties. Goraya, who joined the organization in 2022, was honored for her efforts to drive the region’s economic growth, including advocating for affordable housing projects and co-creating the Monterey Bay Tech Hub, among other achievements. 
  • Applications open for Leadership Santa Cruz County: Applications are being accepted through April 30 for the 39th class of Leadership Santa Cruz County. The Leadership Santa Cruz County program educates, fosters connections and increases participation of individuals in leadership roles in the county. The program runs from August/September to June, and participants must commit to nine Friday sessions and a two-day retreat. Around 1,5000 people have gone through the program since it was founded in 1985. Training is facilitated by Executive Director (and former Santa Cruz County Supervisor) Ryan Coonerty, along with over 100 community members working in different fields. The application and more information are here.
Johnny’s Harborside restaurant and H&H Fresh Fish Co. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz
  • Harbor businesses prepare for Murray Street bridge construction interruptions: At long last, construction began this week on the Murray Street Bridge, which crosses the Santa Cruz Harbor and connects Live Oak with the city of Santa Cruz. The construction has been in the works for years, but now businesses in the area are girding themselves for the potential impact of ensuring traffic snarls. Lookout’s Max Chun spoke with business owners in the area about what they’re expecting.

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

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Looking at the numbers 

  • $555,000: That’s the amount awarded by the state Department of Industrial Relations to the AFL-CIO Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, which represents workers in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, to help ensure workplace safety. The money is part of $25 million in new funding for the California Workplace Outreach Project to support 89 community-based organizations across the state. The initiative helps educate workers about their rights and promotes workplace safety. The Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County also received $200,000 for the initiative, state officials announced last week. 

Save the date

  • Thursday, March 27: The Watsonville Woman’s Club will host a Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce mixer at 12 Brennan St. in Watsonville from 5 to 7 p.m. Admission is free; refreshments will be served. 
  • Tuesday, April 1: A ribbon-cutting will be held for West Coast Community Bank, the new name of the merged Santa Cruz County Bank-1st Capital Bank. The mixer takes place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the bank’s location at 75 River St. in Santa Cruz. Attendees are asked to register by March 25 here.
  • Thursday, April 3: The Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual awards gala at the Cocoanut Grove Ballroom in Santa Cruz from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Details and registration here. 
  • Thursday, April 10: The Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce is hosting a business expo and job fair at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Watsonville from 4 to 7 p.m. Register here.
  • Thursday, April 10: The Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a business after-hours event at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History from 5 to 7 p.m. Registration and details here.
  • Thursday, May 1: Registration is now open for the 2025 Regional Economic Outlook, held by the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership. This year’s event occurs 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. 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 to 10 a.m. at the Dream Inn, 175 West Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz. Tickets are $55 and are available here.

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

Business news worth reading

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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...