Watsonville Staff of Life to open March 30
This will be the Santa Cruz based natural food store’s second location
WATSONVILLE >> South Santa Cruz County residents will soon be able to shop at one of the region’s original natural food stores as the Watsonville Staff of Life will begin welcoming customers on Tuesday. The new market’s address is 906 E. Lake Blvd. and will open its doors to shoppers at 8 a.m.
Prize drawings and other celebratory activities will also be a part of the grand opening.
“The store came out really beautiful and we’re really proud of it,” Staff of Life owner and founder Gary Bascou said. “Watsonville doesn’t really have a health food store and we’ve had an amazing response from community here.”
The Watsonville Staff of Life features a prominent produce aisle, that shoppers will be directed to upon stepping into the store. Bascou, who designed the store layout himself said this is intentional and pays homage to South County’s agricultural heritage.
“This is the agriculture bowl of our county, and most of the organic produce that comes to Santa Cruz comes from the Watsonville area,” Bascou said. “They’re an agriculture community, we should highlight the produce,” the founder recalled saying to himself.
This second Staff of Life location has been in the works for two years, but its opening was delayed for more than half a year as a result of the pandemic. The Watsonville storefront will be headed and owned by Bascou’s stepson, Jason Bazarnick.
“We’re believers in what we do, we’re not only local people but we also are believers in eating healthy,” Bascou said. “We practice what we preach.”
Watsonville’s Staff will feature a full organic produce section, a salad and hot foods bar, a full-service deli, as well as juice and gelato bars. Local muralist Art Thomae painted scenes near the store entryway and inside the market that depict pillars of South County life.
Inside the market, artifacts of earlier agricultural life will be displayed such as strawberry carts, knife sharpening wheels and cider presses. Those antiques, of the 1800s era, are on loan to Staff from the Pajaro Valley Historical Association.
“People are excited,” Watsonville Mayor Jimmy Dutra said. “The community
has asked for healthy options when it comes to grocery shopping and we’re delivering, and it’s exciting because it’s now giving our community the opportunity to have a store that’s based on organics and healthy options.”
The new store will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily according to Staff of Life, and will feature daily senior discounts. For information on the store, visit facebook.com/Staffoflife or staffoflifemarket.com.