DSF presents 2014 Calling All Dreamers Winner with $10,000 cash prize
The dream of opening a business in Downtown Sacramento will soon become a reality for one local entrepreneur thanks to the Downtown Sacramento Foundation’s (DSF) Calling All Dreamers competition.
Prize check presentation to Ana Manzano, owner of Ana Apple. From left to right: Michael Ault, Joshua Stark, Lloyd Harvego, Ana Manzano, Valerie Mamone-Werder
At a press conference yesterday, the Downtown Sacramento Foundation (DSF) awarded a $10,000 cash prize to the 2014 Calling All Dreamers business competition winner, Ana Apple. In addition, One Capitol Mall Investments and the Angelo K. Tsakopolous Family personally contributed an additional $10,000 to match the DSF prize.
“The Calling All Dreamers competition is an invaluable tool for cultivating entrepreneurs like Ana in our community,” said 2014 competition sponsor Joshua Stark, asset manager for One Capitol Mall Investments and the Tsakopoulos Family. “We would have loved to have Ana as one of our tenants. We believe in her business and the importance of this competition. And so to get her started, we’re personally contributing $10,000 to match the cash prize the DSF awarded her. ”
Since the inaugural Calling All Dreamers competition launched in 2013, the DSF has worked with 82 aspiring entrepreneurs and helped 8 businesses get their start in the urban core including Andy’s Candy Apothecary, The Dailey Method, Ana Apple, Sun & Soil, South, Off the Chain Bike Bus Tours, Metro Juice, and Benjamin’s Shoes.
The Ana Apple experience
About Ana Apple
2014 Calling all Dreamers Grand Prize winner, Ana Apple, will open its first retail store in 114 K Street in Old Sacramento in early March. The quirky, eco-friendly apparel brand originally selected a space on 2nd Street, however, due to the complexities of that retail space’s configuration, it opted for a different location in Old Sacramento.
Mazano is excited to put roots down in Old Sacramento to deliver a full guest experience, showcase her growing product line and execute the ideas that will enhance her brand’s impact. The boutique will consist of three parts:
Retail Store: The 700 square foot boutique will be set up as a clean, modern General Store with high shelving behind the sales counter, a produce cart, and apple crates/bushels. The full Ana Apple collection will be on display, as well as several other California-made product lines.
The Greenhouse: In the center of the floor plan, 400-square foot Greenhouse will be an active multi-purpose space to host family-friendly creative workshops such as painting, knitting, yoga and balloon animal twisting. 10% of tuition will be pledged to special workshop programming with youth-focused non-profits in our region.
Production Studio: The 500 square foot back room will be dedicated to production of Ana Apple products onsite.
The 2014 Calling All Dreamers competition is made possible by the generous support of the following sponsors who continue to be champions for the economic growth of the Downtown core and the Sacramento region: AKT Investments, MarketOne Builders, Inc., Sactown Magazine, Inside Publications, Sacramento Magazine, Vision Launchers, MeringCarson, Consolidated Communications, LJ2 Interiors, Brown Fink Boyce & Astle LLP, Big Hairy Dog for a POS system Law Office of Kristina M. Reed, T. Dogg Studios, The City of Sacramento Economic Development Department, SMUD, Sacramento State, SCORE and Wells Fargo.
The final day to apply for the 2015 Calling All Dreamers competition is March 23 at 5 pm. Click here for contest information and application.