Central Coast Minority-Owned Local & Independent Business Directory
Go Out n About! defines a Central Coast Minority-Owned Local & Independent Business as a firm that is founded, owned, and operated by one or more minority individuals within the communities of Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, or Ventura Counties and where minority members hold at least 51% unconditional and direct ownership, manage day-to-day operations, and make long-term decisions for the business. For the purposes of this directory, minority ownership is recognized consistent with the National Minority Supplier Development Council’s Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) standard, or as self-identified by the owner.
These are the businesses where your dollar stays local.
Administrative & Support Services
No verified minority-owned administrative & support services confirmed at this time. To be updated as businesses are identified or self-identify.
Agriculture, Farms & Fishing
ApricotKing Orchards — Hollister | Latinx family farm since 1946, rare Blenheim apricots & dried fruits | Gonzales family | apricotking.com
Guerra Family Cellars — Hollister | Latinx family-owned vineyard & winery, Pepper Tree Ranch, est. 2006 | guerracellars.com
Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation
Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center (TWDCC) — Santa Cruz | World & contemporary dance education & performance | Founder: Cat Willis (Black-owned) | tanneryworlddance.com
Black Girls Surf — Santa Cruz | (also listed above — Black & women-owned) | blackgirlssurf.com
Black Surf Santa Cruz — Santa Cruz | BIPOC surf & wellness community organization | blacksurfsantacruz.org
Everyone’s Music School — Santa Cruz | Music education for all ages, in-person & online | Owner: Thomas Pedersen | everyonesmusicschool.com
Tai Cheri Music Lessons — Santa Cruz | Individual music instruction, online & in-person | Owner: Tai Aguirre | taicherimusiclessons.com
Family Network Preschool — Santa Cruz | Anti-bias, anti-racist play-based early childhood education | Owner: Melissa C. Wiley | familynetworkpreschool.com
Little Buddies — Santa Cruz | Family home childcare, 30+ years, infants through school-age | Owner: Kymberly Head-Burkett (no website — confirm phone/email contact)
Mad Pursuit Brewing Company — Hollister | Locally founded craft brewery & taproom, downtown Hollister | Co-owners: Alex DeLeon & Lino Gonzalez (Latinx) with Paul Swearingen | mad-beer.com(confirm self-identification before publishing)
AG Entertainment Photo Booth — Hollister | Event entertainment & photo booth services | instagram.com/agentertainmentphotobooth(confirm active website — Latinx surname)
Business Management
Black Owned Santa Cruz — Santa Cruz | Black-founded online directory platform highlighting Black-owned businesses across Santa Cruz County | blackownedsantacruz.org.
Construction & Trades
Cruz Construction — Santa Cruz | Family-owned general contractor, residential & commercial remodels, additions & roofing, 15+ years | (Self-identified Hispanic-owned based on name and family ownership — recommend confirming directly before publishing) | cruzconstruction.net
GLF Enterprises — Santa Cruz | Stone fabrication & tile installation for kitchens, baths & fireplaces | Owner: Gregory Farris | glfenterprisesstone.com
Derek Scott Painting — Santa Cruz | Licensed & bonded residential house painting, est. 2012 | Owner: Derek Scott (no website — confirm phone/email contact)
Earthwise Landscaping — Santa Cruz County | Drought-tolerant, organic landscaping & estate maintenance | Owner: Josh Bailey (no website listed — confirm phone/email)
A & N Plumbing — Hollister | Family-owned plumbing, residential & commercial, est. 1996 | Owners: Antonio & Niessa Guaracha (Latinx) | (no standalone website — confirm active web or social presence before publishing)
BJG Construction — Hollister | Locally founded general contractor & electrical, kitchen & bathroom remodels, custom homes, 8+ years | Founder: Brody Garcia (Latinx) | bjgcontractors.com
Sure Restoration — Hollister | Local restoration & construction services | Owner: Hector Vazquez (Latinx) | surerestoration.com(confirm active website)
Education & Training
Santa Cruz Learning Center — Santa Cruz | (also listed above — Black & women-owned) | Owner: Malika Bell | santacruzlearningcenter.com
Raízes do Brasil Capoeira Santa Cruz — Santa Cruz | Capoeira, Brazilian martial arts, music & cultural arts classes for all ages, est. 1992 | Founder: Mestre Papiba (Brazilian-owned) | santacruzcapoeira.com
San Benito Dance Connection — Hollister | Merger of Flying Colors Dance & San Benito Dance Academy; ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, acro & more, all ages | Owner: Amy Redmond Waran (Hollister native) | sanbenitodanceconnection.com
A+ Tutoring — Hollister | Private tutoring & learning center, credentialed teacher with 15+ years experience | Owner: Liz Markfield | aplustutoring.biz
Copal — Santa Cruz | Authentic Oaxacan cuisine & mezcal bar, scratch-made moles & tortillas, est. 2020 | Chef/Co-owner: Ana Fabian Mendoza (Oaxaca native) | copalrestaurant.com | @copal.santacruz
Buena Vista Brewing Co. — Watsonville & Santa Cruz | Hispanic family-owned craft brewery, founded by brothers Chuck & Phil Ornelas | buenavistabrewingco.com | @buenavistabrewingco
Persephone Restaurant — Aptos | Seasonal fine dining, Black-owned family restaurant | persephonerestaurant.com
Charlie Hong Kong — Santa Cruz | Certified Green Business, Asian-inspired healthy fast food, locally rooted | charliehongkong.com
Tacos Al Fuego — Watsonville (The Hangar) | Fresh Mexican street food, house-made tortillas | (confirm active website/Instagram before publishing)
Oswald Restaurant — Santa Cruz | California comfort food & craft cocktails, est. 1995, downtown | Owner: Damani Thomas | oswaldrestaurant.com(this is a significant omission — well-known Black-owned restaurant)
Mangia Italian Kitchen — Hollister | Family Italian restaurant, handmade pastas & sauces, est. 2016 | Owner: Raul Escareno Jr. (Latinx) | (confirm active website — check current status)
Catch 25 — Hollister | Fresh seafood restaurant, fish & chips & grilled seafood | Owner: Daniel Zubizarreta (Latinx) | (confirm active website — opened 2022)
Danny’s Smoke N Grill Barbecue — Hollister | Local BBQ restaurant | (confirm ownership and active website)
Health & Social Services
The Circle Family Center — Santa Cruz | Childbirth education, lactation support & postpartum services for families of color | Owner: Elisa Havens-Stokes | thecirclefamilycenter.com
Vivere Drip Therapy — Scotts Valley | Concierge IV hydration therapy & telehealth | Owner: Anne Baylis | viveredriptherapy.com
ABC/African-American Community Health Group — Santa Cruz | Health education, outreach & advocacy for the Black community of the Central Coast | Founder: Carmelita Austin | abchealthgroup.org ⚠️ Nonprofit
Alli Wilson, AMFT — Capitola | Individual, couple & family therapy, specializing in identity & culture | psychologytoday.com profile
Manufacturing & Production
Lodging
Posada de San Juan — San Juan Bautista | Family-owned boutique hotel, designed, built & operated by the Lopez family since 1992, no corporate ties, jacuzzi rooms & fireplaces, free breakfast | Owner: Rafael Lopez family (Latinx) | posadadesanjuanbautista.com
Mining & Extraction
No qualifying local & independent Mining & Extraction businesses identified in this county.
Hair by Anita Marie — Capitola (4210 Capitola Rd) | All-texture hair health, cuts & color | Owner: Anita Pedford | anitamariehair.com
Wild Seeds Utility Cream — Santa Cruz | Small-batch CBD/THC-infused skin care products | Owner: Morgan Pedford | wildseedsutilitycream.com
Legacy Automotive — Hollister | Local auto repair & service | Owner: Rogelio Pineda (Latinx) | legacyautomotive.com(confirm active website)
Professional & Technical Services
Fernanda Aguiar, CPA, EA, MBA — Santa Cruz | Tax & fiduciary accounting, individual & business | (confirm active website — flag for outreach)
Capitola Design — Capitola | Black-owned graphic design & web development firm, 20+ years | Owners: Troy & Kathleen Chasey | capitoladesign.com
Devi Pride Photography — Santa Cruz | Business headshots, weddings, events & family photography | Owner: Devi Pride | devipride.com(Best in Santa Cruz 2013–2020)
Elvira Zaragoza Robinson Attorney, Inc. — Hollister | Solo law practice | Owner: Elvira Robinson Zaragoza (Latinx) | (confirm active website)
Bradfield and Associates — Aptos | Black women-owned boutique real estate & property management | Owner: Candace Bradfield | bradfieldandassociates.com(from Black Owned Santa Cruz directory)
Dennis Scott Realty — Santa Cruz | Black-owned Realtor, Strock Real Estate | Owner: Dennis Scott (from Black Owned Santa Cruz directory — confirm active website)
No verified minority-owned utilities or energy businesses confirmed at this time.
Tech & Information Services
Capitola Design — Capitola | Black-owned graphic design & web development firm, 20+ years in Santa Cruz County | Owners: Troy & Kathleen Chasey | capitoladesign.com(from Black Owned Santa Cruz directory)
Transportation & Logistics
M&T Medical Transport of California, LLC — Santa Cruz County | Women-owned non-emergency medical transportation (wheelchair, gurney, ambulatory), serving Santa Cruz & Santa Clara Counties | Owner/Founder: Kumba M. Feely | mtmedicaltransport.net(from Black Owned Santa Cruz directory — also Minority-Owned)
Utilities & Energy
No verified minority-owned utilities or energy businesses confirmed at this time.
Wholesale & Distribution
No verified minority-owned wholesale or distribution businesses confirmed at this time.
This is a dynamic, evolving resource that is regularly updated to reflect the growing network of local and independently owned businesses across the Central Coast.
Go Out n About! 