BY ANTHONY HA AND ALICE JOY
Hollister
– It’s no coincidence that Pat’s Monograms opened in Hollister
just a few months after the closure of downtown clothing retailer
Dick Bruhn.
Hollister – It’s no coincidence that Pat’s Monograms opened in Hollister just a few months after the closure of downtown clothing retailer Dick Bruhn.
“It wasn’t anything in a master plan,” said Dennis Ostrander, who owns Pat’s Monograms with wife Zoe.
When Ostrander heard Dick Bruhn had closed, it seemed like opportunity was knocking. Pat’s Monograms already had customers in the Hollister area – namely Sacred Heart Parish School, which buys its uniforms from Ostrander – and Dick Bruhn’s departure meant there were Hollister residents in need of Ostrander’s staples such as public uniforms and embroidery.
Ostrander said Dick Bruhn’s closure also meant the store’s manager, Janie Nieto, was available. So he snatched her up to run his new Hollister branch.
“She understands the community,” Ostrander said. “This is a great little town.”
Pat’s Monograms’ downtown Hollister location at 601 B San Benito St. opened July 9. Ostrander said he started with a “soft opening” and hopes to have a grand opening by the end of July.
“We’re already open for business,” Ostrander said. “After all, we sell school uniforms, and that customer can’t wait until the first of August for me to open.”
Hollister Businessman Recognized By MagaZine
A business owned and operated by a Hollister resident was recognized nationally this month by Wealth Manager Magazine.
Willow Ridge Capital Advisors of Monterey was named one of the top 500 wealth advisory firms in the country by the magazine. The business is run by Hollister resident Steve Merrell and was originally operated in San Benito County.
“We were included in a pretty prestigious list, so to be recognized was a pretty big deal for us,” Merrell said.
Merrell opened the firm in 2001 in Hollister, later expanding to Monterey and Pleasanton. While his business is now headquartered in Monterey, he still runs some business out of his home in Hollister, he said.
The firms are chosen based on total investment assets under the business’ management and average portfolio size.
Merrell, who got his start working for American Express and J.P. Morgan, said he’s happy to be living and running his own business in the Central Coast region.
“It’s been a good place to open a business,” he said.
Business Notebook appears every other Tuesday. If you have business news to share, contact Free Lance reporter Anthony Ha at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
