Hello Spring! Hello Wine Walk!   April might just be our favorite month of the year. The flowers are blooming, the sun is shining and there is excitement in the air. Come and celebrate this excitement with us on Saturday, April 21.  Most would agree that the Los Gatos Wine Walk is the best in the Silicon Valley. With 40 wineries participating, you are bound to find a few new favorites. Thanks to the merchants, restaurants, and the wineries for always making the day so special. Thanks also to our sponsor, Keller Williams. Mark Von Kaenel and company, we so appreciate your generosity and for helping us put on this wine walk.   Take it easy, sip and stroll the day away, enjoy the music and Love Los Gatos!

 

Did you know:   

I am so appreciative that so many of you came to the first two "Community Vitality" meetings. Property owners, real estate brokers business owners, residents and Town staff - you showed up, engaged, asked questions and shared your opinions. Thank you!

We all can agree that Los Gatos is a pretty special little Northern California town, but I worry that we take that for granted.   We need to put a little love into our streets, into our planter boxes and into our buildings. We sure could use some bright colorful banners lining the streets, a downtown trolley and a parking plan. Let's get creative with ways to fill our vacant storefronts. Though retail has changed in the last few years, there is no reason that Los Gatos cannot try something new and be on the cutting edge.

Anything is possible, but we have to work together, listen to each other and maybe compromise here and there. We also might need to change or evolve and try some new ways of doing things. Here at the Chamber we have a group of Community Impact Partners and an engaged Board who are trying to come up with a few new ideas for the Town. If you would like to help, please get in touch with me. We have research to do, proposals to write and plans to devise!

I know many of you worry about what the North 40 might do to our downtown. Being in this job for the last two years and working with all of you, I am not worried.  I welcome the new and different and the bright and shininess that new development will bring. I welcome the possible sales tax revenue that area will generate. I love the idea of another nice hotel in Town and having room for creative and innovative retail concepts. I love those things because they make our downtown even more special and unique. The North 40 creates a nice bookend for the Town. It will complete us and ensure that we really are a full service community. Don't be afraid of it. Embrace it. I am confident that our Town Council has all best interests at heart. They want to develop that area so that it meets all needs.

We have one more "Community Vitality" meeting. At that meeting, we will present three ideas to you all and then we will discuss and vote on which one we like best. I have the email addresses for everyone who attended the meetings and plan to send three ideas so you can review them and bring your questions and opinions to the meeting. 

Thanks for reading. Join the action. Become a Chamber member and call me if you have any amazing ideas or any questions!

Sincerely,

Catherine Somers