Community Corporation of Santa Monica (Community Corp.) has announced their partnership with Streetlet as part of the development of Brunson Terrace, located at 1819 Pico Blvd., an affordable housing property that will include commercial space for local Pico-based businesses, pop ups, workshops, and more. The marketplace was created in response to Pico community stakeholders expressing the need for an affordable, small business space. Streetlet will be working directly with Community Corp. and a committee of neighborhood stakeholders to collect community feedback for 1819 Pico. Jus’ Family Cafe and Coffee Bar, a woman- and black-owned coffee shop, will be located next door to the marketplace as part of Community Corp. and Streetlet’s joint initiative.
Tara Barauskas, Executive Director of Community Corporation of Santa Monica said, “Community Corp. is creating this marketplace in response to conversations with Pico community stakeholders, who shared the need for small business space that is affordable. We look forward to partnering with Streetlet to bring this vision to life at 1819 Pico and to offer a space for small businesses to learn, grow, and thrive.”
Streetlet Chief Community Officer, Negin Singh, said, “the majority of the businesses applying to our site are women- and minority-owned with incredible stories and amazing products looking for opportunities to grow locally. We’ve seen how critical it is for small businesses to gain traction early on in their journey, and the positive impact it has on their families and communities at large when they succeed. We are committed to finding and helping nurture small businesses with strong connections to the Pico neighborhood.”
Streetlet CEO, Laura Barnehama, said, “we’re thrilled to be working with Community Corp, alongside the Pico community, to bring this vision to life. We want to set up the businesses for success; this is why we’re looking holistically at how this space can operate as an incubator and community resource that also offers products and services that reflect the stories of the people who live in and love Pico.”
Robbie Jones, Jus’ Family Café and Coffee owner, said “as a woman of color, I consider it a blessing to open the first cafe and coffee bar in Pico, a historically diverse neighborhood of color. To have the marketplace next door with its diverse businesses owned by people of color is extremely exciting. Jus Family Cafe and Coffee bar is excited to work side by side with the marketplace vendors to serve our community to our best ability and re-create neighborhood connection at this location.”
The yet-to-be-named 1819 Pico marketplace space is slated to open in early 2023, with ongoing construction, curation, and operational plans solidified throughout 2022.
Ahead of releasing an RFP in Spring 2022, Streetlet and Community Corp will be hosting an online community workshop on Wednesday, Feb. 9 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. to provide more information to local businesses about the space, plans, the community survey results, and how to apply. To sign up, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1819-pico-community-workshop-tickets-250351878207.
Emily Kopsick, Miller-Ink