LETTERS

DOWNTOWN NOT SO DOWN

Good Times’ newsletter has been very poorly received by the Downtown business community. No one likes it when places close, but spreading misinformation like this will make it more difficult for our community to attract the new uses that we all want. Perhaps you should publish an apology and correction.

Inaccuracies you just spread about Downtown include:

The headline: “For every business that opens downtown, another two close.” Where do you get your information? Did you do any fact checking before publishing this? What 36 businesses just closed Downtown? Because these 18 businesses opened in 2024:

Best Thai Spa, Club Pilates, Freestyle Clothing Exchange, Game Santa Cruz, Hidden Fortress Coffee, Hook & Line Seafood Bar, Jireh Kickboxing & Self Defense, Monaco Night Club, Nico’s Ice Cream, Oblò Cocktails & Kitchen, Offshore Sounds, Pretty Good Advice, Studio About Her, Tarros Mexican Restaurant & Bar, The Buzz Market, The Key Addiction Treatment Center, Tumbleweed Found, Twist Boutique.

Not to mention the 28 new businesses that opened Downtown in 2023. Or Monday’s ribbon cutting for the new headquarters for Paystand, a global block-chain financial services provider now with offices in Downtown Santa Cruz. Two new kiosk businesses just opened serving up crepes and tamales. And there are lots more new businesses to come in 2025!

In the article you write, “Toadal Fitness will soon move from downtown to a new location at 716 Ocean St. These are only the latest in a rash of businesses fleeing downtown Santa Cruz rents and depressed shoppers.”

• Who told you Toadal Fitness is “fleeing” anything? They are temporarily relocating nearby while a brand-new library and affordable housing is built for Santa Cruz families, and then are welcome back in the new Downtown library building alongside a new childcare center.

• Please don’t call our shoppers “depressed”! The data says otherwise. Downtown visitors are vibrant and there are lots of them! Several local Downtown businesses have told me they made or surpassed their holiday sales goals, thanks to the many amazing, wonderful locals who love to support their community and shop Downtown for their loved ones during the holiday season. Places like the Downtown CVS, the Downtown Gap & Downtown Trader Joe’s are also outperforming their peer stores. Downtown shoppers are the best!

We don’t like it when anyone has to close their business, but we are proud of the resiliency of Downtown and the vast majority of businesses that survive year after year, and continue working hard to help our community thrive, even when a handful of visible businesses in the district decide to close.

There are over three hundred locally owned businesses in the Downtown district, with thousands of employees and customers. They deserve our support and yours. We know you can do better than “news” like this that sensationalizes the bad, and shares none of the good.

Sincerely,

Jorian Wilkins

Executive Director Downtown Association of Santa Cruz

ONLINE COMMENTS

Fika Bakeshop Fans

Susan Ortmeyer is the best and most determined baker I have known! Her baked goods are a rare treat.

Philip Spradling | PhD, MFT

Susan’s home bakeshop is a gem in the valley. I’m looking forward to the meals she’ll be offering soon!

Barbara Matessa

Baking is Susan’s love language.

Jon Neff