Hobie Surf joining merchant lineup at River Street Marketplace – Orange County Register

River Street Marketplace, a retail and dining center opening in in San Juan Capistrano, is a 60,000-square-foot outdoor center featuring a farmhouse style with native plants and water features. (Rendering courtesy of Bickel Group Architecture)

Hobie Surf is opening next month at the highly anticipated River Street Marketplace in San Juan Capistrano.

The store at 31896 Paseo Adelanto, Suite 106 will span 5,000 square feet, offering what the retailer calls “an immersive experience in one of California’s oldest neighborhoods, with the Mission established in 1776.”

The Hobie store, in addition to its retail, will host events that celebrate surf culture, environmental sustainability and outdoor adventure. Customers can expect workshops and demos with Hobie and its partners Patagonia, Vissla and Florence.

The outdoor retail space has been in the works for several years and is expected to open this summer. Other merchants and eateries include Finca, La Vaquera, Mendocino Farms, Toes on the Nose, Ubuntu Café, Salt, Capo, Fermentation Farm, Free People, McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams, Seager Grit Co., and Common Thread.

The River Street Marketplace will be an outdoor community gathering space, a project that has been in the works for several years, that will feature rustic and native Californian-inspired architecture, with six buildings around a central green area for pedestrians to congregate.

The 60,000-square-foot shopping center will include at least 35 restaurants and retail shops, according to the developer Almquist Developers. Also in the mix are a butcher, a cheese shop and a full bar and brewery.

Dan Almquist, founder and CEO of Almquist, told the Register late last year that the vision for the project was to create a gathering place for the community to come together.

For more information on the surf shop, go to hobiesurfshop.com.

Optical shop opens in San Clemente

Alexander Daas Opticians, an eyewear shop and family business, opened its fourth location May 8 at 162 Avenida Del Mar in San Clemente.

The company also has shops in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Daas is a second-generation optician. For more information, go to AlexanderDaas.com

Collaborative center opens for veterans, organizations

Goodwill of Orange County in late April opened The Great Room at the Tierney Center for Veteran Services.

At 11,000 square feet, the collaborative space is meant for veterans, organizations and local community groups to come together.

“We hope the opening of The Great Room is the spark for more collaboration and more impact here in Orange County,” said Nicole Suydam, president and CEO of Goodwill of Orange County.

The facility also includes technology for virtual meetings and presentations; three office spaces for closed or confidential meetings and a kitchen and eating area.

Since 2016, the center for veteran services has served more than 11,500 veterans, according to the Goodwill OC.

Investors plow $175M into Restaurant365

Irvine-based Restaurant365 said it closed a $175 million funding round last week led by ICONIQ Growth and investors KKR and L Catterton.

The startup, which makes restaurant management software for payroll, accounting and inventory, said the investment comes after 12 consecutive quarters “exceeding sales targets.”

The money raised will go toward expanding Restaurant365’s workforce and payroll product suite, which are used by small restaurants and larger chains.

Operation Employment is May 22

Working Wardrobes is hosting a virtual fundraiser called Operation Employment on Wednesday, May 22 with a goal of raising $100,000 for its veterans services.

The Irvine-based nonprofit provides services for veteran and military clients, helping them with resources to obtain jobs. Part of the needs among the veterans in need are housing, food and transportation.

To participate in the day of giving, go to workingwardrobes.org.

Walk for Kids fundraiser is June 1

Ronald McDonald House Orange County is hosting its 15th annual Walk for Kids on June 1 at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine.

The event raises money for the families who rely on RMHOC services, support and programs.

To register and attend, or to make a donation, go to walkforkids.org/orangecounty.

On the move

Christine Sanchez Dittmer has been appointed chief philanthropy officer at Orange County United Way. She most recently was chief development officer at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in La Jolla.

1st Century Bank in Costa Mesa has added four team members to lead the bank’s business development efforts in Orange County. Joanne Stockdale and Chris Croswell are co-leading the new team. Stockdale joins the bank as vice president and senior managing director. She most recently was group director and VP at Flagstar Private Bank. Croswell, also hired as vice president and senior managing director, was previously a senior managing director at First Republic Bank. Also joining the team is Paul Cortez as VP and senior preferred banker, and Scott Eldridge, assistant VP and senior preferred banker.

On board

Orange County resident Gianna Drake-Kerrison recently was appointed to the board of directors at The Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts in Los Angeles. She is a wealth management adviser with 25 years of experience in financial matters. She works at UBS Financial Services Inc. Drake-Kerrison also serves as a member of the Multicultural Investor Financial Advisory Board at UBS.

Tony Church, Ruth Cossio-Muñiz and Susan Willig all were recently added to Meals on Wheels Orange County’s board of directors. Church is chief operating officer for BNB Builders in Irvine. Cossio-Muñiz is the interim regional director for workforce and employer engagement at the Orange County Regional Consortium. Willig is a longtime marketing executive.

Good works

The OC Food Bank, part of Community Action Partnership of Orange County, recently received 173,455 pounds of food from the Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. The drive takes place annually on the second Saturday in May. Carriers pick up food donations along their route and then USPS donates it to local food banks.

Status Update is compiled and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to [email protected]. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.