Downtown association launches business support campaign Shop Santa Cruz 2020

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION) The holiday shopping season is now well underway with Small Business Saturday encouraging locals and tourists alike to shop in downtown areas along the Central Coast.

Shop owners are all hoping to get a boost in the next few weeks to get them through the tough COVID-19 economy.

Plenty of people were out at Abbott Square on Saturday in Santa Cruz enjoying the sunshine and the good vibes. And with that, comes plenty of eager shoppers looking for their next best wellness product at YOSO The Annex.

"It's been really hard having a small business that has been affected so much with so many closures, but yet so incredible how our community has continued to come forward to stand by our side and hold us up," said Jennalee Dahlen, the owner of YOSO The Annex.

Dahlen opened up the new retail extension for her YOSO Wellness Spa partly to counter some of the challenges she faces with COVID-19 restrictions.

"We opened right as the spike happened in Santa Cruz and we went into the purple tier," said Dahlen.

"It is difficult because we can only have 20 percent of the customers in the store, so that's the restrictions that we have," said Lizette Barajas, the owner of Bunny's Shoes.

Barajas does everything she can to keep customers safe: masks required, sanitizer at the front door and the occupancy limit. She's hoping the 20 percent off sale will also reel in customers too.

"You know, I know a lot of businesses have closed. In the last couple of months, over 15 businesses down here closed," said Barajas.

The Downtown Association of Santa Cruz is trying to inject a new sense of support for local businesses. Launched in October, the Shop Santa Cruz 2020 campaign aims to encourage residents and visitors to shop local.

The association is also kicking off a number of holiday festivities this weekend, virtually and in-person, like the Reindeer Round-up treasure hunt for kids. They feel the future is looking up.

"Just in the last week, we've had a half a dozen new businesses open up their doors, mostly retail. So that is a sign that you can still be successful as a small business even in the time of COVID," said Shiri Gradek, the marketing partner at DASC.

Many shops in downtown Santa Cruz also have online retail as well, so you do not have to mingle around with the crowds if you do not want to.