San Jose entrepreneurs showcase their work through pop-up program

A group of businesses celebrated their grand opening at Moment Paseo in Downtown San Jose, marking a significant milestone in the revitalization of the neighborhood and the support of small businesses. The project, which offers temporary and smaller retail spaces to new entrepreneurs, aims to provide them with their first opportunity to establish a brick-and-mortar store.

Theresa Gepila, the owner of Bad Witch Crystals, expressed her excitement about finally having a storefront after years of hard work. She shared her journey from starting her business on her mom’s kitchen counter to now having a physical store where people in the Bay Area can purchase crystals.

Moment Paseo, a partnership between the San Jose Downtown Association and funding from the City of San Jose, is part of an initiative to fill empty retail spaces and provide small businesses with the experience of running a physical location. Audrey Yeung, the project coordinator for Moment, highlighted the energy and enthusiasm that small business owners bring to the local community.

Gepila’s passion for crystals stemmed from a time of uncertainty in her life, and she believes that anyone who appreciates nature and the beauty of the earth can find value in them. With the success of her pop-up opportunities in San Jose, she felt that Moment Paseo was the perfect fit for her first store.

Bad Witch Crystals, along with Plant Slut and Sueños, are now open at Moment Paseo, located at 112 and 115 Paseo de San Antonio in San Jose. The pedestrian-only walkway near San Jose State University is now bustling with new businesses, adding to the vibrancy of the neighborhood.