01-23-26 - Lito's Community Cafe and Market

01-23-26 - Lito's Community Cafe and Market

In this episode of Think Local First, Tam and Susan sit down with Merry Alanis who has been with Lito's Community Cafe and Market [https://www.litoscafe.com/]since it opened in 2022. What they say about themselves: "Located on the border of Corralitos and Watsonville, Lito’s is shaped by the unique energy of Santa Cruz County—where the mountains meet farmland and the coast’s laid-back vibes blend with agricultural roots. We love the feeling of being part of a small, tight-knit community where the pace is slower, and the connections are deeper."

01-09-26 - Santa Cruz Boardroom

Hosts Tam and Susan enjoy a spirited and wide ranging interview with Terry (TC) Campion, co-founder of both Santa Cruz Boardroom [https://www.santacruzboardroom.com/] and Santa Cruz Apparel. Terry and his wife are not only central figures in the Santa Cruz skate culture and the Boardroom is one of the largest skateboard retailers in California with over 2000 skateboards in stock.

12-05-25 - Soulcare

In this episode, Tam and Susan talk to Cindy Hill Ford Dr. Michelle Bean, two of the three founders of Soulcare Studios [https://soulcarestudios.com/] in Aptos. SoulCare Studios is a premier holistic wellness center offering an integrative approach to mind-body healing.

11-28-25 - Home by Zinnias and Zinnia's Gift Boutique

In this episode, hosts Tam and Susan O'Connor Fraser talk to Dedra Bennett in her Home by Zinnia's [https://homebyzinnias.com/] store in Scotts Valley. Dedra talks about what makes that store unique and gives Tam and Susan some background on how the store came about. She also talks about the other store in Scotts Valley founded by she and her husband, Tim, Zinnia's Gift Boutique [https://zinniasgiftboutique.com/].

11-21-25 - The 831

In this episode, Tam and Susan talk to Jeanette Bent of "The 831 [https://the831.substack.com/]". The 831 is independent journalism for California’s Central Coast. Jeanette talks about how they got started and about their plans for the future