Four Finalists Progress In Downtown Sacramento’s “Calling All Dreamers” Business Incubator
Four business concepts progress towards opening downtown storefronts
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. (November 17, 2025) – Downtown Sacramento Foundation announced the four business concepts selected to continue to the final phase of the 2025/26 Calling All Dreamers Competition: BYTES, Pizza Knights, EcoPress Sacramento, and Wonderson’s Company. These finalists are now eligible to receive a cash prize of $5,000 each if they open a storefront downtown. One finalist will be chosen to win $20,000 cash and the second-place awardee will receive $10,000 in cash once they sign a lease within downtown Sacramento.
Finalists will continue refining their business plans and prepare for the final pitch to the selection committee composed of commercial brokers, sponsors, and Downtown Sacramento Foundation board members. The committee will review each concept for viability, resources, operating practices, investment, public votes and more, with the winner announced in February 2026. Two of the previous season’s finalists – Pittador Brews Speciality Teas & Coffees and Haus of Comedy – have signed leases and/or opened storefronts downtown since completing the program earlier this year.
About the 2024/26 Calling All Dreamers Finalists:
BYTES – Bytes is an outdoor community-driven culinary space in the heart of Sacramento, designed to spotlight local food vendors, emerging chefs, and vibrant cultural events. With a rotating lineup of food trucks, special guest pop-ups, seasonal festivals, and live entertainment, Bytes offers a dynamic, immersive dining experience.
Pizza Knights – Pizza Knights is a husband-and-wife–run business rooted in creating great pizza, community, and good times in downtown Sacramento. They make naturally fermented, East Coast–inspired pizzas using locally sourced ingredients. Guided by the belief that good food brings people together, their goal is to serve the best pizza and create a space where everyone can share a seat at the table and make memorable moments together.
EcoPress Sacramento – EcoPress is an environmentally minded art studio that transforms plastic waste into functional art. They use HDPE #2 and PLA plastics by melting down discarded bottles and products and turning it into jewelry, keychains, home décor, furniture, and other items. They hope to have a workshop/retail space to bring the community together to educate and create.
Wonderson’s Company – Wonderson’s Candy & Coloring Co., Polly Pie’s, and Sweetpea & Snookums Whistle Stop Play Shop make up a family run, family fun, three-shops-in-one company consisting of an imaginative handmade candy and coloring book store, a cat-themed cafe and a toy shop. They aspire to open in the Old Sacramento community where play, fun and sweetness come to together for visiting families, tourists and the young at heart.
The cohort will also make special appearances this holiday season, including a pop-up showcase at the Downtown Sacramento Ice Rink on December 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., inviting visitors to skate, shop, and support local businesses. They will also join the festivities at Holidays on K in Old Sacramento Waterfront throughout December.
The Calling All Dreamers program is produced by Downtown Sacramento Partnership and presented by Kaiser Permanente, with the generous support of SMUD, California Bank of Commerce, Carslen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Bizhaven, Indie Capital, Women’s Business Center, CoStar Group, and more. T-Rock Communications provides media support.
For more about Calling All Dreamers, please visit CallingAllDreamers.org.
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