Business

WATSONVILLE—Despite the economic shutdowns resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, the city of Watsonville’s overall sales tax revenues have held steady thanks to a myriad of reasons, including a sharp rise in online and local shopping. That’s according to Administrative Services Director Cindy Czerwin who at...

WATSONVILLE—The outside of the historic Tuttle Mansion is currently adorned with electric Christmas lights for the first time ever. While the iconic Watsonville home, designed by architect William Weeks, seems like the perfect structure for holiday decorations, there is a reason why it hasn’t undergone...

WATSONVILLE—A long-neglected garden at Rolling Hills Middle School was brought back to life Thursday thanks to the volunteer efforts of the Watsonville company K&D Landscaping.  Armed with a host of tools and dozens of starter plants, the crew tore into the hard-packed soil as part...

In 2007 local fashion designer Sindy Hernandez opened Queen’s Shoes & More, a small boutique featuring a mix of her own and other designers’ clothing and accessories.  Hernandez gradually gained a loyal following of customers. And 15 years later, many of them remain, some becoming...

WATSONVILLE—If Dino Saavedra had it his way, he would open his new Watsonville restaurant this weekend. “My dad just wants to start cooking already,” Saavedra’s daughter, Andrea Saavedra, said. “I think we’re all excited to open up.” Dino and Andrea Saavedra will have to keep a...

ROYAL OAKS—Last year, Church Christmas Tree Farms celebrated its 60th year. The family-owned business, now run by Glenn Church and his two sons, has become a local destination for families to come and cut down their own tree during the holidays. And the Covid-19 pandemic...

The East Fifth Plaza has undergone a major renovation.

The federal government is preparing to open two new industry-specific small-business relief programs, one of them months in the works, as its signature pandemic aid effort, the Paycheck Protection Program, nears its end. The Small Business Administration said it hopes to start taking applications by...

Ahn and his wife, Soon Ja, recently opened Kong’s Burgers & Café at El Pájaro Community Development Corporation’s Plaza Vigil business incubator in downtown Watsonville.