As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and its lingering effects on economies everywhere, we’ll be taking a closer look at the movers and shakers, the growth of industries, and what’s really driving the Santa Cruz County economy. I’ll be spotlighting some of the biggest areas for opportunity, updates on local development and all things underpinning the regional business scene, each Wednesday.

Got ideas? Send them my way to [email protected] with “Business news” in the subject line.

Joby Aviation plans expansion in California, including 690 new positions

A new state grant will help Joby Aviation expand its facility in Marina and hire almost 700 new employees at its California offices, including Santa Cruz. Currently, the company has more than 1,250 employees in the state.

The company announced last week it had received a $9.8 million CalCompetes grant. The funding will help support a significant expansion of its facilities in Marina, with a focus on hiring more people on the manufacturing side.

As part of these hiring efforts, the company is working with Mujeres en Acción, a nonprofit that helps women in the Salinas Valley area by connecting them to new career opportunities.

New study finds arts and culture contributed $68 million to local economy

The county’s arts and culture industry doesn’t just contribute to the quality of life locally, it’s also a significant economic driver, according to a new report commissioned by the Arts Council Santa Cruz County.

The study, conducted by Americans for the Arts, found that arts and culture activities generated $68 million in economic activity in 2022. Two additional reports examined the arts industry in the cities of Watsonville and Santa Cruz; in the former, the total economic impact figure was $8.9 million compared to $38 million in Santa Cruz.

Among the other findings:

• Of the $68.2 million impact to the county overall, $54.5 million of that was in spending by arts and culture organizations, with $13.7 million in event-related expenditures by their audiences.
• Nonprofit arts and culture organizations support 1,437 jobs in the county.
• People attending arts events in the county spend an average of $30.26 per person in addition to the cost of admission, including things like dining at a restaurant beforehand or paying for parking.
• 22.5% of attendees of local arts events are coming from outside Santa Cruz County.

The study was part of a national research initiative that has been tracking the impact of nonprofit arts and culture in the U.S. for 30 years. Nationally, this sector is a $151.7 billion industry, supporting 2.6 million jobs and generating $29.1 billion in government revenue.

ICYMI: Dungeness crab season delayed again

State officials have delayed the start of commercial Dungeness crab fishing for a second time due to a high risk that migrating humpback whales may become entangled in fishing gear. The next assessment is scheduled for around Dec. 7.

The delayed season puts additional pressures on local fishermen who are already grappling with a canceled salmon season. See my previous story here.

Ch-ch-changes: Openings, closings and other developments

• Cats Meow closing downtown Santa Cruz store: The vintage store on Lincoln Street plans to shutter its doors by end of year in anticipation of a move to Las Vegas.
• La Marea Cafe opens in Capitola: Jayne Droese, of popular pizza popup Jayne Dough, has opened her new cafe in the former Reef Dog Deli location at 311 Capitola Ave.
• Faultline in Scotts Valley to become Laughing Monk Brewing: The Faultline Brewing Company tasting room will be rebranded as Laughing Monk Brewing by Dec. 1. The move comes after Faultline’s parent company acquired San Francisco’s Laughing Monk. Read more from Lily here.

Got hires, promotions or departures to report? Send them to [email protected] with the subject line “Career changes.”

Looking at the numbers

• 33%: That’s the percentage of working households in Santa Cruz County living below what’s defined as “the real cost measure” – essentially, the cost of living locally. Max Chun has more on a study that digs deeper into these numbers and what’s behind them.
• $61.17: That’s the average cost of a Thanksgiving feast for 10 this year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. That’s slightly down from last year at $64.05.
• $9.8 million: That’s the selling price of what’s reported to be the priciest home sale in Santa Cruz County this year, for a four-bedroom home in Aptos. The Real Deal reports it was sold to someone affiliated with Driscolls.
• 4.8%: That’s the unemployment rate in Santa Cruz County in October, a slight uptick from 4.7% the prior month. That’s on par with the state rate but above the national rate of 3.6%.

Save the date

• Thursday, Dec. 7: Lookout celebrates its third anniversary and shares our new digs on Pacific Avenue. Come say hello! Details and signup here.
• Saturday, Nov. 25: It’s national Small Business Saturday, an annual backlash to the big-box frenzy of Black Friday sales. Businesses around the county will be hosting sales and specials for those looking to shop local this holiday season.
• Thursday, Nov. 30: Jazzercise Santa Cruz marks its one-year anniversary at its brick-and-mortar studio in the Capitola Mall with a holiday open house from 4 to 7 p.m. More info here.
• Wednesday, Dec. 6: AI Horizons, Part 2 will bring industry luminaries together at the Cocoanut Grove in Santa Cruz to talk about this rapidly developing technology. Details here.

Add your business or networking events to Lookout’s free public calendar, BOLO. Click here to add your event.

Business news worth reading

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