Local Leaders Get a Peek at Watsonville Biz

Starting at the city's oldest juice maker and ending at it's youngest, a group of city staff and elected officials visited four Watsonville businesses Thursday morning to gauge what's going well and where the companies could use some help.

The tour included Martinelli's, CRG, Easy Racers and Mica Cellars—a diverse group of companies that call Watsonville home.

Martinelli's is the city's oldest company. Established in a shed amid apple orchards on Martinelli Street in 1859, Martinelli's now boasts 250 local employees in three facilities.

CRG——is a mom-and-pop shop that makes carbon fiber motorcycle parts and specialty pieces, like the occasional car racing steering wheel.

Easy Racers makes recumbent bikes, a high-end item, on Hangar Way. The shop is diversifying with an electric-assist bike that can go 45 mph and there are plans to start a line of energy foods as well.

Next door to the bike manufacturer, Mica Cellars is a wine cooperative where four up-and-coming vintners make small batches of local wines and offers wine tasting on Satruday afternoons at the co-op, 18 Hanger Wy.

Alejo said the tour was aimed at better understanding what's going on with Watsonville business. During the trip, the group pointed out several other companies to check out, and Alejo said he hopes to make more visits in the coming months.

Watsonville Patch will have upcoming stories about the four businesses involved in Thursday's tour. It's part of the ongoing series Work in Watsonville, which explores unique and successful businesses in the city.