Quick Take
The timeless charm of the Santa Cruz Roller Palladium remains a strong pull as it hits a milestone, Jessica M. Pasko reports in her weekly look at local business. She's also got news on Joby Aviation, a labor deal in Watsonville 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.
Got ideas? Send them my way to news@lookoutlocal.com with “Business News” in the subject line.
At 75, Santa Cruz Roller Palladium still provides a “wheely” good time
For a small business, making it to 75 years in today’s economy is almost unheard of, but at the Santa Cruz Roller Palladium, the fun keeps on rolling.
Its simple format — just skating to music, no frills — has earned fans of all ages, many of whom skated there as kids and now bring their own children to the rink.
Santa Cruz Roller Palladium first opened on Seabright Avenue in Santa Cruz on Nov. 30, 1950. Current owners Diane and Rick Ethrington purchased the rink from original owners Heddy and Denny Sargeant in 1986. Since then, little has changed at the rink, with the exception of a few upgrades to the pricing and the music. There are no video games, no digital signage, no bells and whistles. It’s just a place for people to come, hang out with friends and family, and skate around, said Diane Ethrington.
Birthday parties remain one of their biggest attractions.
“All of our kids and grandkids have done their birthday parties here,” Ethrington said on a recent weekday as she watched her two youngest great-grandchildren roll around the rink, already pros at ages 2 and 4.
The business’ longevity comes as rinks around the country have closed. Many that were already teetering on the edge shuttered during the pandemic, but a desire to stay physically active also led many people to take a renewed interest in roller skating, which has helped buoy rinks like the Palladium.
Read more about the Santa Cruz Roller Palladium marking 75 years here.
Joby Aviation accuses rival of stealing trade secrets
Santa Cruz-based electric air taxi company Joby Aviation is suing one of its major competitors over alleged theft of trade secrets. The company claims a Joby executive who left for a role at San Jose-based Archer Aviation took confidential information about a real estate deal with him and shared it with Archer executives.
In the suit filed last week in Santa Cruz County Superior Court, Joby officials allege George Kivork downloaded multiple valuable and proprietary files two days before he announced his resignation. The suit claims Archer Aviation gained access to confidential information about a partnership between Joby and a real estate developer, and used that information to try to secure a deal with that developer.
Archer officials deny the allegations, and the case is scheduled for a hearing before a judge on March 20, 2026.
Archer and Joby are two of the most prominent companies operating in the rapidly advancing electric air taxi industry, with both vying to launch commercial passenger service. The two companies are actively working to obtain Federal Aviation Administration certification to offer service in the U.S., but are also simultaneously pursuing deals with entities in the Middle East and Asia. Joby expects to launch electric air taxi service in Dubai as soon as next year.
ICYMI: In reversal, Watsonville reinstates labor pact with unions, adds exemptions for some projects
Last week, Watsonville leaders reversed course on a decision to scrap the city’s longstanding agreement with local trade unions for city construction jobs.
During a special meeting, city councilmembers voted to reinstate the agreement, with a few changes that include exempting some city projects from a requirement to use unionized labor.
Read Tania Ortiz’s full story here.
Ch-ch-changes
- Home Away opens in Soquel: A new lunch and early evening spot from the owners of Home restaurant in Soquel is now open in the former VinoCruz location at 4901 Soquel Dr. Home Away will be open this week Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and extend to Wednesdays through Sundays beginning Dec. 3. Read more from Lily Belli here.
- Longtime Aptos shoe store closing: Solemate, a shoe store in Aptos, will shutter after 25 years. In a post on the store’s social media channels, Solemate owner Tatiana Glass wrote, “it has been an honor to be part of the community to know you, laugh with you and help you find the perfect pair. Your support over the years has meant more than words can ever say.” The store at 7542 Soquel Dr. will close at the end of the year. Glass also owned Shoe Fetish on Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz, which closed two years ago after 20 years in business.
- New owners for Westside dive bar Mission West: Popular Santa Cruz bar Mission West is changing hands in January. Locals Peter and Krista Cook are purchasing the business from owners Grant Staudt and Max Turigliatto. Amy Di Chiro and Jamey Nelson, who have long worked at The Crepe Place, will run operations, as Lily Belli reported. In the meantime, Turigliatto is focused on working to open his new business, the Alley Oop, in the former Poet and Patriot location in downtown Santa Cruz.
- Pacific Valley Bank’s first Santa Cruz location now open: Salinas-based Pacific Valley Bank’s first Santa Cruz County branch is now open at 720 Front St. in Santa Cruz. Pacific Valley Bank is the only locally owned community bank headquartered in Monterey County, where it operates branches in Monterey, King City and Salinas. Earlier this year, the bank hired Dean Austin as senior vice president and market president to open a Santa Cruz branch. Austin will now lead commercial lending for the Santa Cruz area; Laurisa Martone is the branch manager.
- Mad Yolks expands over the hill: Popular breakfast spot Mad Yolks has opened a third location, at 1087 Meridian Ave. in San Jose. Brothers Peter and Henry Wong opened their fast-casual restaurant, known for its egg sandwiches, in downtown Santa Cruz in 2022. The second location opened in the former Ramen Kaito/Flashbird spot in Pleasure Point in July.
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
- Dining Senior Cook at UC Santa Cruz
- House Manager at Jesus Mary Joseph Home
- Senior Building Maintenance Supervisor at UC Santa Cruz
- Physician’s Assistant/Nurse Practitioner at The County of Santa Cruz
- Office Manager/Executive Assistant at Frans Lanting Studio
Want more? Browse all openings on our job board. | Hiring? Post your job today!
Looking at the numbers
- $359: That’s the anticipated price of an artificial Christmas tree this year, up from $299 in 2024, according to the American Christmas Tree Association. That’s largely due to tariffs on Chinese imports, which could raise overall decor prices by 10% to 20% over last year. It’s estimated that 88% of artificial Christmas trees, ornaments and decorations came from China in 2023. On the flip side, a recent survey by the Real Christmas Tree Board revealed that 84% of wholesale growers of natural Christmas trees don’t plan on raising prices this year.
Save the date
- Friday, Nov. 28-Sunday, Nov. 30: The Santa Cruz Makers Market will take over the former Palace Arts location at 1407 Pacific Ave. in Santa Cruz for the next four weekends. There will be 25 local artists selling their wares from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 29: The Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon-cutting grand opening for Beck’s Shoes new location in Pleasure Point from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The new store, in the former Billabong location at 4105 Portola Dr., is the company’s third overall and second in Santa Cruz County. The fifth-generation, family-owned Beck’s, founded in 1919, is currently run by siblings Adam Beck and Julia Beck-Gomez, who grew up in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
- Wednesday, Dec. 3: The Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce will host a holiday business mixer and food drive at Woodstock’s Pizza, 720 Front St., Santa Cruz, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Register here.
- Saturday, Dec. 6: The Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture will hold its annual holiday sale in conjunction with El Pájaro Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit small business incubator in downtown Watsonville. The events take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at locations throughout the Pajaro Valley; more details are here.
- Thursday, Dec. 11: Hwy17 Studios will host an open house and ribbon-cutting with the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce from 5 to 7 p.m. Hwy17 Studios at 831 Almar Ave. in Santa Cruz is a new 22,500-square-foot film and event production facility. For more information, click here.
- Friday, Dec. 12: Santa Cruz Community Credit Union will hold another open house and ribbon cutting for its new mobile branch, this time in South County. MobiBranch is essentially a branded van outfitted with an ATM and staffed by credit union employees. The credit union introduced the van in October with a goal of helping expand affordable financial services to more communities. The vehicle will be set up outside Casa de la Cultura, 225 Salinas Rd., #4A, in Pajaro from noon to 2 p.m.
Add your business or networking events to Lookout’s free public calendar, BOLO. Click here to add your event.
Business news worth reading
- Big Basin Water Co. operations have stabilized, but long-term ownership remains elusive (Santa Cruz Sentinel)
- California’s child farmworkers: Exhausted, underpaid and toiling in toxic fields (Capital & Main)
- Zero muscles into the scooter market with 62-mph electric LS1 (New Atlas)
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