The City of Santa Cruz has one of four Downtown Kiosks available for lease.

The space is an approximately 60 square foot food service or retail space on Pacific Avenue in Downtown Santa Cruz. Bring your distinctive, high-quality concept to Pacific Avenue and help us diversify the Downtown landscape.

Program Description:

Downtown Santa Cruz has a diverse array of retail and entertainment businesses serving a broad and diverse customer mix. Businesses near the available Kiosk include restaurants, books and apparel, and the food hall at Abbott Square Market. Downtown attracts a strong lunch time volume of potential customers as well as busy nights and weekends, especially during warmer months.

The City is not necessarily looking to duplicate, replicate or expand on existing food or retail themes in the Downtown area. Respondents should propose concepts that appeal broadly to diverse customer bases, compliment rather than compete with nearby businesses, and provide a memorable experience to potential customers and window shoppers.

How does the lease structure work?

Selected business tenants in the program would pay to the City a base rent of the greater of $300/month or 6% of sales. Security deposit, assessment fees and utility costs are the responsibility of the tenant.

Who Should Apply?

While we welcome all interested applicants, the program seeks to diversify, rather than replicate existing food or retail themes in the Downtown area. The program seeks creative operations with wide appeal to diverse market segments and envisions the following:

• Concepts that appeal broadly to diverse customer bases, compliment rather than compete with nearby businesses, and provide a memorable experience to potential customers and window shoppers.
• Concepts with a strong brand presence.
• For food operators:
  • A food menu comprised of reheated or refrigerated foods, including steam tables, microwaves or toaster ovens. Food requiring a fryer are not allowed per building code restrictions.
  • An establishment with fast service or ‘grab and go’ fare

Minimum Eligibility:

• Experience in the operation and management of a high quality retail or food service operation.
• Demonstrated managerial and staffing resources to maintain a high quality, successful operation.
• Demonstrated financial capacity to finance proposed improvements and operating costs.