ARTICLE
Kathy and Marshall Miller (right) T.J. and Marcella Moran (left) Prosperous communities are founded upon locally owned business, the kind that are able to reinvest in their community and are committed to its long term success. Sun Shops has grown from one store in 1971 to one of Santa Cruz’s largest retailers and most recently has joined the coveted position of a multi-generational local business. This story is interwoven in the history of Santa Cruz. Marshall met Kathy during high school while she was working for Whiting’s Foods on the Boardwalk. Kathy is the daughter of Andy and Audrey Mekis, founder of Andy’s Auto Supply in downtown Santa Cruz, now owned and operated by her brother. Marshall had returned to California as a teenager after being raised in Japan and France. Kathy and Marshall both worked on the Boardwalk during summers in high school and college. They married in 1970 while still students at UC Berkeley. In 1971 their proposal to sell handcrafted merchandise on the Boardwalk was accepted by Laurence Canfield and the Board of Directors. They opened, Candlelight, their first store in 1971 on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Over the next thirty years they expanded from a single shop to four retail locations on the Boardwalk, two on the Municipal Wharf, as well as the photo imaging system on the Giant Dipper. Their family also grew; their two children, Damian and Marcella, were raised with the business. Along with running and growing their business, Marshall and Kathy worked in the community in support of the Marine Sanctuary Center, on Downtown reconstruction and the revitalization of the beach area. Marshall and Kathy constantly entertained the idea of new projects and business ventures, but it was not until T.J. Moran, their son-in-law joined the business in 2002 that such projects became possible. T.J. joined Sun Shops to lead their expansion efforts. He was born in San Jose, California and earned a degree in Architectural Design at the University of California at Davis while playing football for the Aggies. T.J. and Marcella met at UC Davis. They married shortly after graduation. Before coming to work at Sun Shops, T.J. worked as a project manager for WL Butler Construction while Marcella completed her law degree at Santa Clara University. They have three young children. Since the time T.J. joined Sun Shops the corporation has grown to include nine retail locations, three thrill ride locations, an eleven thousand square foot warehouse, an inventory management and point of sale system that allows for daily deliveries to individual locations. In 2004 Marcella Moran came on board to also assist with the expansion and to solidify the future of the Corporation. Marcella focused on the reorganization of the internal structure and efficiencies of the business. The streamlined practices allow Marcella and Kathy to design hundreds of specialty items exclusive to Santa Cruz. Sun Shops is one of the county's biggest locally owned retailers. T.J. oversees a seasonal work force of over one hundred high school and college students with the support of eight full time employees. Sun Shops is usually an employee's first job. They often stay throughout high school and into college acquiring new responsibilities with each passing year. As Sun Shops is poised for growth under a new generation of leadership it is their continuing commitment to their employees as well as their drive to improve Santa Cruz as a community that grounds their future. BACK
Kathy and Marshall Miller (right)
T.J. and Marcella Moran (left)
Marshall met Kathy during high school while she was working for Whiting’s Foods on the Boardwalk. Kathy is the daughter of Andy and Audrey Mekis, founder of Andy’s Auto Supply in downtown Santa Cruz, now owned and operated by her brother. Marshall had returned to California as a teenager after being raised in Japan and France. Kathy and Marshall both worked on the Boardwalk during summers in high school and college. They married in 1970 while still students at UC Berkeley.
In 1971 their proposal to sell handcrafted merchandise on the Boardwalk was accepted by Laurence Canfield and the Board of Directors. They opened, Candlelight, their first store in 1971 on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
Over the next thirty years they expanded from a single shop to four retail locations on the Boardwalk, two on the Municipal Wharf, as well as the photo imaging system on the Giant Dipper. Their family also grew; their two children, Damian and Marcella, were raised with the business.
Along with running and growing their business, Marshall and Kathy worked in the community in support of the Marine Sanctuary Center, on Downtown reconstruction and the revitalization of the beach area.
Marshall and Kathy constantly entertained the idea of new projects and business ventures, but it was not until T.J. Moran, their son-in-law joined the business in 2002 that such projects became possible. T.J. joined Sun Shops to lead their expansion efforts. He was born in San Jose, California and earned a degree in Architectural Design at the University of California at Davis while playing football for the Aggies. T.J. and Marcella met at UC Davis. They married shortly after graduation. Before coming to work at Sun Shops, T.J. worked as a project manager for WL Butler Construction while Marcella completed her law degree at Santa Clara University. They have three young children.
Since the time T.J. joined Sun Shops the corporation has grown to include nine retail locations, three thrill ride locations, an eleven thousand square foot warehouse, an inventory management and point of sale system that allows for daily deliveries to individual locations. In 2004 Marcella Moran came on board to also assist with the expansion and to solidify the future of the Corporation. Marcella focused on the reorganization of the internal structure and efficiencies of the business. The streamlined practices allow Marcella and Kathy to design hundreds of specialty items exclusive to Santa Cruz.
Sun Shops is one of the county's biggest locally owned retailers. T.J. oversees a seasonal work force of over one hundred high school and college students with the support of eight full time employees. Sun Shops is usually an employee's first job. They often stay throughout high school and into college acquiring new responsibilities with each passing year.
As Sun Shops is poised for growth under a new generation of leadership it is their continuing commitment to their employees as well as their drive to improve Santa Cruz as a community that grounds their future.
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