Business

Anyone new to Gilroy must be mystified when they pass the intersection of Monterey Street and Leavesley Road and get a whiff of the heavenly smell of bread baking in a building that says Premier Auto Body.

Saccullo’s glass and surplus store, which has been here for 56 years, is leaving town because owner Mary Saccullo has decided to retire and sold the Monterey Street building.

Juan Diaz, 34, started selling tacos four years ago from a truck in a parking lot at Farrell Avenue and Monterey Road, when he found the secret to growing his business was giving people what they would get in Mexico.

After 11 years of lattes and au laits, mochas and macchiatos, Konni Thomas is giving up the grind at her First Street Coffee House clutch and selling the popular java joint.

No matter how determined you might be to support businesses downtown, you’re bound to find yourself shopping and eating on First Street, which is a big hub of Gilroy commerce.

Walk into Lufo’s Auto Detailing shop in Gilroy and you can see a $2.3 million 1915 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Phantom--one of three in the world--parked next to a more proletarian Hyundai Genesis. They have two things in common: both gleam like new and their owners love them madly.

So, you have saved for retirement with a 401 (k) or an IRA and have been putting money into Social Security at the maximum rate. You are fortunate enough not to have to work after retirement age and are pleased that you’ve been able to accumulate enough wealth so you can retire comfortably. But, the truth behind a successful retirement is not necessarily about how much wealth you have accumulated, but turning that wealth into generating income.

Do you file your taxes yourself or do you use a tax advisor? Either way, you are responsible for gathering all necessary information to make sure you receive full credit for your deductions and tax credits.  For many of us, collecting these documents and statements can cause major stress. A major key to avoiding this is organization. Through organization, doing your taxes becomes less complicated and reduces the anxiety levels known to skyrocket during tax season.  

They sell antiques, piñatas and medical supplies, organize princess parties and major home repairs; they pour coffee, give facials and lead pottery classes, they are the women of downtown Gilroy, part of the fastest-growing segment of small business owners in the country.

Everyone who owns a car knows that in order to keep it in good, running condition you have to do routine maintenance and wash it periodically. So what about your finances? Do you actively do annual maintenance on them?