This artcle was written by BenitoLink intern Jessica Parga. Lea este artículo en español aquí.
The San Benito Stage Company (SBSC) is hosting a series of rummage sales, selling off merchandise from children’s shoes to mannequin heads and torsos for just a few dollars. The wide variety of merchandise was left behind by the former tenant of the Stage Company’s new home, and the money raised will help SBSC remodel its new location in the heart of downtown Hollister, at 549 San Benito St.
The sales will be held on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. until Feb. 23.
“We’re really excited about being downtown,” said Anne Hall, SBSC’s treasurer. “Hopefully we can work with restaurants and bars to make downtown a place to come on the weekend.”
After years of being on the move, using spaces including Hollister High School’s auditorium, Southside Elementary School and Paine’s Restaurant, SBSC has finally found a permanent space. According to Hall, the company secured a five year lease with an opportunity to purchase the building.
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A plethora of shoes were left behind by the former tenant of the building. Women’s shoes are being sold for just $3. Photo by Jessica Parga ![]()
Mannequin heads and busts are also being sold at the rummage sale. Photo by Jessica Parga ![]()
Little snowmen and Christmas tree decorations sit out on one of the front tables. Photo by Jessica Parga ![]()
Children’s shoes are only $2, and all proceeds go to benefit San Benito Stage Company. Photo by Jessica Parga
Darla Hernandez, an SBSC board member, said she is pleased that the theater has found the place. “It’s just a huge relief to be like ‘We have a home—we have a space. Come see it, come be a part of it,’ she said. “I feel like there’s this new energy.”
In 2024, during BenitoLink’s listening sessions, many residents explicitly expressed disappointment about the community’s lack of a center for the theater. The theater company was still recovering from the back-to-back blows of losing their space at Granada Theatre in 2019 and losing audiences during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The conversations from the listening sessions resulted in the stage company connecting with property owner Shawn Herrera, who is a BenitoLink shareholder.
Herrera gave the non-profit group a deal on the building, saying he’s been wanting to see Hollister’s downtown restored to its once vibrant self, and this felt like a way to do his part. He hopes the center will not only bring commerce to the area, but become an iconic part of downtown.
The space is an exciting new beginning for the theater company, which will continue pushing to find funds. In the coming months, temporary seating and a stage will be put up for their children’s show in May. Long term, they will need building permits for future construction such as creating bathrooms for the audience. The non-profit intends on holding more fundraisers to build their space and become the community performing arts hub they’ve been working towards for years.
The BenitoLink Internship Program is a paid, skill-building program that prepares local youth for a professional career. This program is supported by Monterey Peninsula Foundation AT&T Golf Tour, United Way, Taylor Farms and the Emma Bowen Foundation.
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