I walked past the former Second Street cafe on Second Street in downtown Watsonville Thursday and noticed new logo signs in the window for the Craft Bakeshop and Eatery. The folks that owned Corralitos Coffee are on the move to open the new business soon. The large Second Street Cafe signs will soon come down as well. I sure welcome the new cafe and wish them all the best in their endeavor.
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Afterwards I stopped by the main branch of the Watsonville Public Library and the kind folks helped me locate and check out a nonfiction book, “The Control of Nature,” by John McPhee. It was suggested to me by a friend who said it’s a fascinating read about human’s need to control and shape nature.
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Walking along Main Street was sure an odd experience, with the smoke from the fires, Covid-19 and people in masks all around. There was a noticeably smaller amount of foot and motor traffic. With so many businesses running on limited capacity, furniture piled in the corner of restaurants and cafes, and on and on, it really feels like walking through some weird science fiction movie. Masks block people’s expressions and they often make people look like they’re glaring at me with disapproval.
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As I walked past the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture on Brennan Street, CEO Shaz Roth came out and called me in for a chat. She said the Chamber has jumped into the fight in helping fire evacuees at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds livestock area with getting hot food to the folks out there. The chamber’s foundation is helping to round up donations for the cause.
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Across the street, major construction continues on the Grace Harbor Women’s Center, the 90-bed facility to help women in trying times. The former Ford dealership is undergoing a huge renovation for the project.
