City of Tehachapi approves permits for Walmart construction

Central CaliforniaPress Room2018July
By Jennifer Commercial • Economy • New Developments • New Location 0 Comments

City of Tehachapi approves permits for Walmart construction

  • By DAKOTA ALLEN dallen@bakersfield.com

TEHACHAPI — The city of Tehachapi finalized and approved building permits Tuesday with Eleven Western Builders, Inc., clearing the path for construction of the new Walmart store to begin next week.

City officials gathered in the city hall annex with Eleven Western Builder’s Superintendent Craig Stewart for the start of what City Manager Greg Garrett called “the next chapter in the Walmart book.”

The process of getting the new Walmart has been going on for about nine years due to legal hurdles and the process of contracts and permits, said city Development Services Director Jay Schlosser.

Now that permits are complete, Eleven Western Builders can begin construction July 30 with the intent of finishing by spring 2019. The company, Stewart said, is familiar with building in small towns and recently constructed a new Walmart store in Ridgecrest.

“I couldn’t be happier,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Susan Wiggins.

Schlosser said the 12-month construction time frame seems reasonable, especially considering the impacts that winter weather may have on the project.

Schlosser and Garrett both said the city has a partnership with the construction company to help see the project through, and that more shopping opportunities should be coming down the road.

You can watch for dirt and construction equipment to soon begin moving around the lot on Tucker Road and Tehachapi Boulevard.

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/city-of-tehachapi-approves-permits-for-walmart-construction/article_dbeabb5e-8f96-11e8-a937-8b822f3767d2.html

By Jennifer Commercial • Economy • Health/Medical • Manufacturing 0 Comments

Cannabis operation holds groundbreaking in Mendota

By 
MENDOTA, Calif. (KFSN) —

Inside an old packing shed on the outskirts of Mendota, a new cannabis operation is moving in, hoping to revitalize the space and the town’s economy.

“While so many have doubted us, I knew we could pull this off,” said Tim McGraw, the CEO of Canna-Hub.

Allowing this massive commercial marijuana business to move in wasn’t easy. It took months of city council meetings and convincing skeptical families.

On Thursday, Canna-Hub finally broke ground on the 16-acre property.

“You got to take some chances in this world, and that’s what the city of Mendota did,” said Mendota city councilmember Robert Silva.

The company itself won’t be growing marijuana. It’s leasing out nine spaces for operators to manufacture or distribute. Tenants can do anything, except for selling marijuana and operating outdoor grows.

“We are about a third already committed, leased out. Pretty good pipeline of very good operators to take the rest of the space,” said Jonathan Charak with Canna-Hub.

The company has promised to generate about 100 jobs. The operation will also bring in about $800,000 to Mendota per year.

“Our general fund is a little above $6 million right now, so $800,000 is a great 17 percent, 18 percent increase, which is a big deal. When it comes to public safety you can never have too much,” said Matt Flood, the Economic Development manager of Mendota.

The money is expected to roll in right away. Canna-Hub expects operators to move into the facility in the next 90 days.

By Jennifer Economy • Hi-Tech • Manufacturing • Top Stories 0 Comments

Faraday Future occupies Hanford factory

  • JULISSA ZAVALA Staff Reporter
  • Updated 
Faraday Future Vidak
Senator Andy Vidak shakes hands with YT Jia, founder and global CEO of Faraday Future, at the company’s Hanford facility.

HANFORD — In another milestone for Faraday Future, the electric car company announced July 16 it was awarded a temporary certificate of occupancy for its Hanford factory.

The temporary certificate of occupancy is the first step in final approval required from building and safety inspectors before a new occupant can fully take over a site or structure, move in and start its intended activities full-time as a running business.

This latest development intends to keep the company holding on to its ambitious schedule to start production on its first product by the end of 2018, an electric luxury car called the FF 91.

The lease for the old Pirelli tire plant, a 1-million square foot site in Hanford’s Industrial Park, was signed in August 2017, with major cleanup and infrastructural preparation continuing through this summer. A building permit from the city was given in early June and contractor Bernards signed to lead the construction project.

At the Hanford City Council meeting on July 17, Community Development Director Darlene Mata said parts for over 80 cars to be made have been shipped into the factory.

Mata thanked her staff for all their hard work, especially chief building inspector Tom Webb, who she said walked Faraday Future through the entire process and made sure the inspections were performed.

“It was a team effort,” Mata said. “It was a huge achievement to get them that [certificate] in such a short amount of time and we look forward to continuing that relationship.”

Mata also commended the Faraday Future officials, saying they were collaborative, easy to work with and were always gracious and willing to work with the city toward finding solutions if something wasn’t working out.

Dag Reckhorn, Faraday Future’s senior vice president of manufacturing, said the temporary certificate of occupancy is a step forward and will allow for the ramp-up of assembly for the FF 91 prototypes in the most finished part of the Hanford site.

“The team effort here from all participants to get to this point is indicative of the spirit of this entire project and company,” Reckhorn said in a released statement.

Ayers said the city is appreciative that Faraday Future chose Hanford to produce the advanced automobile.

“The commitment Faraday Future has made to Hanford is matched only by Hanford’s commitment to the company,” Ayers said. “We anticipate a long and mutually-beneficial relationship.”

In turn, Jia said he was impressed by the city’s partnership and commitment with the shared goal of building the FF 91.

“This is a positive step toward delivering our first production vehicle on time,” Jia said in a released statement. “We are grateful for Hanford officials’ partnership in making the [Faraday Future] Hanford factory a top priority.”

Jia said Hanford’s location between Southern California and the Bay Area has several benefits, including being ideal for deliveries. He said city officials have been very collaborative and he’s pleased to be able to bring jobs and add revenue to the area.

“It is exciting for me as an entrepreneur to begin with this small step in building my dream of creating the next-generation mobility products that will change the way people view transportation,” Jia said.

Following the temporary certificate of occupancy, and as aspects of construction move ahead while building the initial prototype cars at the factory, Faraday Future is set to apply for the conditional certificate of occupancy and then the final certificate of occupancy for the first FF 91s.

Faraday Future hopes to create over 1,000 new jobs in the area when it reaches full operating capacity.

https://hanfordsentinel.com/news/local/faraday-future-occupies-hanford-factory/article_03346e86-6c5f-5d30-a2ae-1e57f31182df.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

By Jennifer Economy • Food Processing • Quality of Life • Tourism 0 Comments

Fresno Food Expo opens with plenty of fancy food, drink and new name

BY ROBERT RODRIGUEZ

July 26, 2018 11:00 AM

The Fresno Food Expo, the state’s largest regional food show, got underway Thursday with more than 140 of the state’s premier food makers showcasing everything from spicy barbecue flavored tortilla chips to horchata flavored milk.

Held at the Fresno Convention Center Exhibit Hall, the expo is in its eighth season and continues to grow. This year, organizers expanded the expo’s San Joaquin Valley refocus to include food makers from throughout the state. It has also changed its name to the California Food Expo to better reflect its new mission.

Karen Ross, California Secretary of Food and Agriculture, praised the event and its role in promoting California’s food producers.

“You have created a signature event that showcases this place, what you grow, how you grow it and the who people who grow it,” she said.

Amy Fuentes, the expo manager, said that while the event began as a way to showcase Fresno’s established and start-up food makers, it has been approached many times by vendors from outside the area.

During Thursday morning’s welcome breakfast, the winners of the show’s major awards were announced. Winning the New Product Award was Enzo’s Table Peach Jam. The Consumer Choice Award went to La Tapatilla Tortilleria’s Spice BBQ Tortilla Chips. And the Fred Ruiz Entrepreneurial Award was given to Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co.

More than 700 local and national buyers met with the shows vendors during the business-to-business portion of the expo.

On Thursday night, the public gets its chance to sample the food and drink from the expo’s vendors. The evening portion, known as Expolicious, runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. For tickets vist the expo’s website at www.fresnofoodexpo.com

By Jennifer Economy • Food Processing 0 Comments

Biggest cold storage in the Valley planning to get even bigger

By 
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) —

It’s not your typical summer weather inside Fresno’s US Cold Storage. Temperatures can reach freezing or even as cold as -60 degrees.

US Cold Storage General Manager Kris Sali said, “Normally you can see your breath and glasses fog up, that’s part of the business.”

The Fresno business takes products mostly grown, or made in the Valley, and stores them in cold or freezing temperatures until they’re shipped out to stores.

Workers have to be dressed from head to toe for the cold work.

“It gets pretty cold. The guys do a good job of keeping the work going while in this kind of environment, but we have these heated suits, but its definitely a harsher environment than what people are used to, but in the summer its actually pretty nice,” said Sali.

About 120 million pounds of food is stored on shelves, from Wawona peaches to Challenge butter to McDonald’s hamburgers patties. The cold temperatures are vital to keeping the quality as it travels from the Valley across the nation and even across the world.

“We try to do the best we can to make sure the food is safe because people are going to eat this,” said Sali.

Besides holding the product, they also do flash freezing to -60 degrees.

More than 100 employees help run what is already the biggest cold storage in the Valley, and more will be hired for their new facility.

Because of the demand, US Cold Storage will be expanding. Their second facility in Fresno, just down the road, opens in August.

By Jennifer Economy • New Developments • New Location 0 Comments

City Council says yes to program to spur downtown

July 25, 2018

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
A view of buildings in downtown Madera. Hoping to spur redevelopment and revitalization of parts of downtown Madera, the Madera City Council has voted to waive 75 to 100 percent of city plan review and building permit fees for a period of at least the next one to possibly two years.

Hoping to spur redevelopment and revitalization of parts of downtown Madera, the Madera City Council has voted to waive 75 to 100 percent of city plan review and building permit fees for a period of at least the next one to possibly two years.The affected area is bordered by North Gateway Drive and East Yosemite Avenue business corridors, and by East Central Avenue and North Lake Street.

The City Council voted unanimously for the plan July 18.

City Council Member Will Oliver said the plan, called  the Downtown Development Incentive Program, came about after interaction with many residents, business owners and City Council members grappling with high vacancy rates, blight and a long, steady decline of Madera’s downtown business area.

Council Members Jose Rodriguez and Charles Rigby also served on the action subcommittee.

“In my day job as a director of business services, I have been able to see how communities put their best foot forward and become competitive to recruit, and support prospective businesses,” said Oliver. “I really wanted to make this a priority, and began that conversation last year to move forward with incentives, for businesses with aging buildings or in the downtown corridors to reinvest in those spaces,” Oliver said.

The program will allow the waiver of 100 percent of engineering fees and 75 percent of planning and building inspection fees, potentially a savings of $7,000 to $10,000 for a small- to medium-sized commercial business such as a restaurant or retail shop, Oliver said, possibly enough to make or break an improvement project. More in-depth information on the incentive program can be viewed at www.cityofmadera.ca.gov/incentives or contact the city of Madera development department at 661-5430.

The business enterprise zone project will also allow older buildings, 40 years or older, or with those long vacancies anywhere in the city to be remodeled or re purposed with a significant cost savings, designed to provide tax benefits and incentives to business investors.

The program covers the waiver of most city fees for commercial new construction, redevelopment, interior improvements, facade improvements, ADA improvements, or improvements to city streets, sidewalks, or utilities by owners or tenants.  Fees are also waived for buildings also used in conjunction with a tax exempt or non profit operation under the new and temporary program.

Oliver said the effort was a good step in the right direction. “We’d like to be a ‘yes, if’ city, not a ‘no because’ city.” he said. “The results of this should be greater occupancy in and more reinvestment in our downtown, leading to more job creation and more reinvestment in Madera. It should show as a City Council we are committed to business prosperity with this incentive. I think it’s going to work (well) for the community,” he said.

A recent report by a municipal consultant revealed that the city of Madera had failed to collect appropriate and high enough development impact fees (DIF’s) from most developers building in the city for the last three decades, likely to incentivize the entire area for growth, but that decision by city officials and councils had been costly and had severely underfunded the city’s ability to maintain or extend it’s essential infrastructure now.

Targeting just the existing, older downtown corridors for improvement should be cost effective, and help spur and revitalize the areas most in need, Oliver said, and should improve the entire atmosphere for area residents and businesses.

Oliver also said that as chair of the Madera Housing Authority he was taking the first steps and looking into multi-million-dollar state grant funding programs available for Madera downtown, mixed-use residential-commercial and affordable housing projects that prioritize walk-ability, ride sharing, transit projects, etc.

“It’s very preliminary, the menu of projects we’ve submitted to the state.  But we are right now identifying residential properties downtown that could fall within the mixed use, affordable (residential) housing under the California Cap and Trade Programs. This speaks to (significant funding for) our veterans, our seniors, perhaps even our millennials who are early in their careers for the second and maybe third floor, of our downtown spaces. Madera has a great shot (at these state dollars) as long as we put our name in the hat. And we are preparing, and putting in that effort right now.” Oliver said.

Director of Community Development David Merchen did not respond for comment on the project..

http://www.maderatribune.com/single-post/2018/07/25/City-Council-says-yes-to-program-to-spur-downtown?mc_cid=812a0a5fe9&mc_eid=a126ded657&utm_campaign=812a0a5fe9-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_07_26_02_53&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Morning%2BRoundup&utm_term=0_165ffe36b2-812a0a5fe9-78934377

By Jennifer Economy • Uncategorized 0 Comments

New Kern Venture Group Brings Angel Investing to Our Region

New Kern Venture Group Brings Angel Investing to Our Region
  • ANNA SMITH For The Californian
jp lake headshot

For the 1878 Paris Exhibition, a couple of highly prominent chaps named J.P. Morgan and Spencer Trask decided to back a crazy idea called “electricity” that was being pitched by none other than Thomas Edison. His brilliant concept was made possible by these early angel investors. Without their extra capital, we might all still be in the dark.

And it’s a powerful tool. Companies like Uber, Google, Twitter, eBay, Apple, Kinko’s, Starbucks and Amazon all got their start or grew with the help of angel investors.

Angel investing is a process whereby private investors inject capital for startups in exchange for ownership equity or convertible debt. It often works like the popular television show “Shark Tank,” but without all of the cameras and hoopla. It’s as simple as groups of real investors funding promising new businesses.

Angel investment funds are located all over the world, and many can be found up and down the California coast. They pool money together and then allocate it to new businesses.

Just imagine you’re a local startup entrepreneur in Bakersfield. You have an exciting idea that you think the market will embrace, but you don’t have access to enough capital. You’ve tapped out your friends and family with small investments, but you need larger sums to get your idea off the ground. What do you do? Most people would either quit or look to a city with stronger startup culture and established funds — places like Palo Alto, Santa Monica, San Diego and San Francisco. The investors there would most likely require you move to their area where they could oversee your progress. This, of course, results in fewer talented entrepreneurs in Kern County and more in places that are already swarming with them. It’s a gain for their local economies and a loss for ours.

This setup also keeps Bakersfield off the investor circuit, removed from the map of places entrepreneurs dream of seeding and growing their ideas.

According to my own research, Kern County has never hosted an organized group of angel investors. But despite his busy schedule and long list of commitments, local business owner John-Paul (“J.P.”) Lake is working to change all that. He is chief operating officer of a hedge fund and manages real estate for his family’s large business, Rain for Rent. The company rents equipment for handling problems with liquids and has 70 global locations. He serves as a trustee for the Panama Buena-Vista Union School District, among other community involvements. His varied business background, deep understanding of our region and local relationships make him the perfect person to bring this platform to Kern County, which will open up access to capital for people with great ideas.

As Lake explains, Kern County has historically been a place where pioneers and risk-takers get their start. Our community has a rich history of innovation in industries like agriculture, oil, gas, renewables and aerospace technology. And now we have another exciting opportunity to pioneer new industries in our region, he notes.

He’s working with a group of local investors to create a fund, called Kern Venture Group, that will provide capital to qualifying startups and existing small businesses.

Lake founded the group with David Higdon, a local business owner with a lot of startup experience as the former president for Ellis Energy Investments.

“I believe that human talent, skill, creativity and passion are equally distributed around the globe,” he explains. “I know there are bright young people who have ideas and want to start a business, but some ingredients are not in place to do that as quickly here. They often leave our community for places where they have a better chance to get their business off the ground.”

I applaud Lake and Higdon for their efforts. The impacts of an angel investment fund will be farther reaching than one might even imagine. Kern Venture Group could help encourage open-mindedness about business opportunities in new industries, increase the local risk tolerance, support an ecosystem to nurture entrepreneurs and their ideas, change the dynamic and help diversify our economy, encourage innovation and push our business community to recognize the value of human capital, not just hard assets. As a result, an angel fund creates a stronger future for our region as a whole.

To seek funding through this group, an entrepreneur with an idea or existing business will reach out to them through the website, kernventuregroup.com. Proposals will be reviewed by a screening committee. Once approved, proponents will present their idea to the full investor group with a 15-minute pitch. Investors will have time to ask questions. The reviewers will take a vote. If successful, the pitch goes to the investment committee. This group will take a deep dive, complete their due diligence and negotiate terms. The committee will take one more vote. If a proposal passes, the managing partners will finalize the investment. The goal is for the fund to raise $2 million to $4 million locally. The plan is to make 15 to 20 investments in this first round.

Eager entrepreneurs are already primed to begin the pitch process. Potential candidates include the owner of a popular local snack food brand who is ready to take his business to the next level with more capital, and locals with ideas for businesses in the oil and gas industry.

Hunting for the elusive unicorn takes a volume of investments and a higher tolerance for risk; the Silicon Valley culture didn’t get that way by chance. One might argue that Silicon Valley’s success was aided by its proximity to San Francisco. But I would argue that the ecosystem created there could exist anyplace in the United States. This “magic” was created with concerted effort and many different components connecting together over time. The area is known for embracing a culture of openness and a free exchange of ideas, but it was not always so. This mentality is much less common in many parts of the country, but why couldn’t we bring a bit of that magic back to Bakersfield?

Angel investors in Silicon Valley know that for every 5,000 crazy ideas, there are some really good businesses waiting to be uncovered and perhaps a few golden opportunities, billion-dollar diamonds-in-the-rough. And for every successful business that is started or grown, many more jobs result. With a higher risk comes a higher reward, both for successful business owners, their investors and the community as a whole.

Angel investors are critical initiators of startups and job creation. Establishment of the Kern Venture Group is a crucial component to creating a local innovation ecosystem and could help usher in a new era of economic growth.

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/new-kern-venture-group-brings-angel-investing-to-our-region/article_c7d804cc-8c86-11e8-bfba-aff42f46b35e.html

By Jennifer Economy • Workforce 0 Comments

Workers need more training to succeed in “gig” economy. In Stockton and Richmond, they’ll get it.

BY MICHAEL TUBBS AND TOM BUTT

July 12, 2018 01:00 PM

Updated July 12, 2018 01:00 PM

Throughout California and across the nation, the nature of work is changing. Long gone are the days of gold watch retirements after decades at the same company. Instead, the average worker stays in a job for 4.6 years, and just 3.2 years for millennials.

More and more people are forgoing conventional jobs altogether for freelance work in the “gig” economy. But not all “gigs” are created equal.

While ridesharing or delivery may provide good short-term opportunity, skilled independent work is more sustainable and fulfilling. These workers might be graphic designers, copywriters, web developers, digital marketers, wedding musicians, or animators. There are more than 10 million of these independent contractors, but growth in this sector has been concentrated in major metropolitan areas and among those with early access to digital tools.

As the mayors of Stockton and Richmond – cities that may be a stone’s throw from the innovation and wealth of Silicon Valley but often feel worlds away – we believe that all local economies can benefit from growth in the independent economy with the right tools necessary for people to succeed.

That’s why our two cities have partnered to launch the Digital Workforce Development Initiative on Friday in Richmond and July 28 in Stockton to grow our independent economies with training and support, particularly among the underemployed and underserved.

Program participants will have the chance to develop important building blocks to success in the new economy, including the basics of freelancing (everything from writing job proposals and contracts to managing project timelines). They will have access to courses to constantly gain broader skills and to a wide array of digital and live tools, including a mentorship program.

This is forward-thinking workforce development, which is increasingly important as the economy becomes more segmented, specialized and automated. The benefits extend far beyond freelancers themselves to bolstering the creative class and keeping entrepreneurs local.

And by plugging local independent workers into the global marketplace, freelancers can stay in their own communities, near their families. This means more time for civic participation and more time to care for a child or an aging loved one.

Richmond and Stockton are both great places to live, offering many conveniences and advantages to business, both large and small; we’re the California Dream without the congestion or expense. And when you have the tools you need to grow your own business and access the rest of the world, then why ever leave?

https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article214693130.html

By Jennifer E-Commerce • Economy • Logistics • Manufacturing • New Location • Top Stories 0 Comments

1,000-plus new jobs coming to Stockton, Tracy

Record Staff Writer

Posted Jul 12, 2018 at 6:47 PM
  

Two new employers are coming to San Joaquin County, each promising 500 or more well-paying jobs to a region with an unemployment rate that is 1 percentage higher than the state average.

The city of Tracy on Thursday announced that Katerra, a Menlo Park-based firm, will open a 577,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in the first half of 2019. The building is under construction.

Katerra plans to open a high-tech factory that will produce building components including wall panels, floor systems, windows and cabinets.

Downtown Stockton, meanwhile, is the intended home for ConSol USA, a new firm that founder Robert Tibbs said will focus on developing artificial-intelligence technology to be used in the medical and financial sectors.

Of special note concerning ConSol USA is its planned workforce. Tibbs, 63, said he intends to provide jobs to young people from Stockton, giving them opportunities to begin in entry-level positions that will lead to living-wage careers with the company.

“We really have to demonstrate we’re committed to the (geographic) areas that really have the most needs,” said Tibbs, who added that he escaped an impoverished childhood to become a lifelong entrepreneur.

“It’s about zeroing in on communities like Stockton and putting our money where our mouth is. There are thousands of people in the Stockton area that have as much talent, intellect and energy as do I. It’s about giving them an opportunity.”

The ConSol USA plan was announced Thursday at a news conference featuring Mayor Michael Tubbs, the University of the Pacific and Valley Vision, a Sacramento-based nonprofit organization.

The main purpose of the news conference was to publicly release a “workforce development action plan” for Stockton produced with private funds. The 30-page plan offers a road map intended to bring better-paying jobs to Stockton while developing a better-prepared workforce to fill those positions.

“We want to build a future here in Stockton,” Tubbs said. “If we continue the status quo, we will continue to grow low-wage jobs. This report outlines our challenges but it also shows that with the right focus, we can set Stockton on a path toward economic prosperity.”

According to government data, Stockton’s 6.3 percent unemployment rate at the end of May was 2.1 percentage points higher than the state’s jobless rate of 4.2 percent. San Joaquin County’s unemployment rate in the same government report was 5.3 percent. Tracy’s was 3.4 percent.

At roughly the same time as the Stockton announcement, Tracy Mayor Robert Rickman spoke optimistically about the new jobs Katerra will bring to the region beginning next year.

“Tracy’s proximity to workforce talent, affordable land and state-of-the-art building opportunities provide a business-supportive environment for advanced manufacturing companies such as Katerra to thrive,” Rickman said.

Tibbs said he hopes to have a more detailed announcement of ConSol USA’s plan within two months.

http://www.recordnet.com/news/20180712/1000-plus-new-jobs-coming-to-stockton-tracy

By Jennifer Commercial • Economy • Quality of Life • Tourism 0 Comments

Downtown Hanford fills up

Finer Thingz
Jeanette Tackett, owner of Finer Thingz, shows examples of custom gifts available at her shop.

Julissa Zavala, The Sentinel

HANFORD — After years of seeing empty buildings and storefronts, downtown Hanford seems to be going through a transformation.

“We’ve kind of had a surge of businesses interested in opening in downtown Hanford,” Michelle Brown, executive director of Main Street Hanford, said.

Brown said it’s a great time for downtowns everywhere, not just in Hanford. She said she believes people are really starting to see the uniqueness of downtowns and the benefits of shopping small businesses.

Several changes can be seen in downtown Hanford, including these new businesses:

  • The Ivy Boutique & Home Décor, 201 N. Douty St. – specializes in women’s apparel and also carries gifts for any occasion.
  • Habitat for Humanity of Kings/Tulare Counties ReStore, 415 W. Lacey Blvd. – sells donated items like cabinets, doors, windows, plumbing, electrical supplies and more. Proceeds go toward the organization’s home ownership programs.
  • Board & Brush Creative Studio, 207 N. Irwin St. – this business will celebrate its grand opening on July 26 during Thursday Night Market Place. Board & Brush Creative Studio is a place for creating unique wood decor projects from scratch in an instructor led atmosphere.
  • Hop Forged Brewing Co., 106 W. Seventh St. – this will open in the fall and be the first brewery located in downtown Hanford. Hop Forged is a family-run business and each batch of beer is hand crafted in small batches right here in Hanford. The taproom will serve its own in-house-brewed beers, starting out with up to 10 options, with hopes to expand that selection to 20 within a couple of years.

Another business that has opened is Finer Thingz, located at 331 W. Seventh St. Owner Jeanette Tackett said the shop has been open since June 1 and things are going well so far.

Finer Thingz shares a space with Tackett’s other business, a print shop called J.H. Tackett Marketing. Tackett uses her printing skills to personalize and customize gifts, like mousepads, frames, cups, cutting boards and pretty much any other thing you can think of.

“The idea is to be able to create and customize and give a unique gift,” Tackett said, adding her products can work for any person or organization.

Tackett, who owns the building her businesses are in, said she loves being a part of bringing downtown Hanford to life.

“I think it’s a great place to be and grow,” Tackett said. “We just love being able to serve and putting smiles on people’s faces when they get that custom gift is priceless.”

Speaking of the Vendome building, three new businesses will open there soon:

  • Lab Artistry, 215 N. Irwin St. – offers services including lash extensions, lash lifts, body waxing, brow shaping, micro blading and make-up for special occasions.
  • Employee Benefits, 221 N. Irwin St. – this business specializes in health and life insurance, has been around for 34 years and is relocating to downtown Hanford.
  • Beautifully Damaged, 219 N. Irwin St. – specializes in hand-painted furniture and vintage home décor. Instructor-led paint classes for all ages will also be offered in the store.

When all three businesses open in early August, Brown said the Vendome building will be completely filled up.

Brown said she has spoken with lots of interested business owners and the only issue is finding the right location for that particular business.

“We’re running out of spaces for people,” Brown said, adding she hopes new restaurants will start to pop up as well.

As far as vacancies are concerned, Brown said 100 W. Seventh St., 118 W. Seventh St. and 210 W. Seventh St. are still open.

Brown would love to see businesses locate in these vacancies and said when they do, Seventh Street will be completely filled up, which has not been the case for many years.

Brown said she hopes this new surge of businesses will bring even more positivity to downtown Hanford and convince people to make their way to the area to shop.

“These business owners are part of the community,” Brown said. “We need to spread the word and show our support by shopping small.”

https://hanfordsentinel.com/news/local/downtown-hanford-fills-up/article_f9edf024-00d6-53b4-9071-6316f0ff160c.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1