Business

George Couch was an ambitious 25-year-old when he came to Watsonville in 1973 and negotiated a deal to purchase a small Anheuser-Busch distributorship. It would not stay small for long. His company Couch Distributing, which he runs with his brother Geoff, has since 1973 delivered...

WATSONVILLE—A new business featuring a meat counter, a taqueria, fresh produce, a dairy section and a wide range of groceries recently opened on East Lake Avenue near Holohan Road. The store, called Farmers Market, also boasts a panaderia—or bakery— that features freshly baked Mexican pastries...

Monterey Mushrooms presented 167 children of its employees with $226,500 in scholarship awards for the 2017-18 academic year.

WATSONVILLE—Second Harvest Food Bank’s efforts to aid Pajaro flood victims received a boost Wednesday when Staff of Life Natural Foods and Smart Chicken donated more than four tons of chicken.  With the Smart Giving Program, Staff of Life Natural Foods and Smart Chicken donated over...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council at its Tuesday meeting signed off on an agreement with Pajaro Valley Arts for the sale of the historic Porter Building in downtown Watsonville. In a deal some two years in the making, PV Arts will pay the city $1.15 million...

WATSONVILLE—Opening a new business during a global pandemic might at first seem like a risky move. But for Christian Diaz, it was also an opportunity. With most fitness centers throughout the state remaining closed to stop the spread of Covid-19, people have been looking for...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville’s first retail cannabis outlet, called The Hook, opens Friday. The 3,600-square-foot warehouse is located on a stretch of road on Hangar Way in a quickly growing part of the city that includes the Slough Brewing Collective and Santa Cruz Cider Co. Co-owner Bryce Berryessa...

MOSS LANDING—A Moss Landing company that has produced a variety of vegan foods since its inception in 2017 will close by May 6, laying off 104 employees. In a March 4 Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice to employees, Sweet Earth Foods said it...

WATSONVILLE—With the Covid-19 pandemic—and the restrictions on businesses that have come with it—sticking around for the foreseeable future, the City of Watsonville is hoping a new program will allow restaurants and shops to better handle the hurdles currently in front of them. The Parklet Program...

This past Presidents’ Day on Feb. 18, Juan and Paula Diaz had more reason to celebrate than just the national holiday. The date also marked the 10th anniversary of their family restaurant, Cowboy’s Corner Cafe, located on Main Street in Watsonville.