A line flowed around the corner of Santa Ana’s East 4th Street as curious shoppers patiently waited for their turn to explore Stanicky’s Vintage & Co.
The family-run business opened on the first Saturday of April, which, thanks to the surrounding ArtWalk, is the busiest day of the month in downtown Santa Ana.
Stanicky’s owner Arianna Morales has always dreamed of following her family’s footsteps in opening a business. Ambitiously, she planned to bring as many people as she could along for the ride.
“My grandpa opened his business when he came from Guatemala,” Morales said. “He actually came with a dollar and told my grandma, ‘I’m going to make this into a million-dollar company,’ and he did.”
Morales isn’t the only person who inherited her grandfather’s entrepreneurial spirit. Her cousin Ricky Flores is the creator and owner of Patches & Pins Expo, the Donnies OC collectibles shop and organizer of the Santa Ana Flea Market.
“It just runs in my blood, to be honest,” Morales said.
The main concept of Stanicky’s is that any person with a vintage collection can rent a display space for $250 a month to sell their wares.
Unlike flea markets or other second-hand stores, Stanicky’s allows sellers to exhibit their offerings for a longer period and keep their profits. It is the largest of its kind in Santa Ana.
The shop offers 34 display areas, such as counters and racks. All available spots had been rented before the grand opening, leaving interested vendors to be placed on a waitlist for the upcoming month.
The goal is to cater to a variety of styles and bring life back to the wounded downtown Santa Ana community that has lost its lively spirit in recent years.
Morales said that they chose Santa Ana not only because it is their home, but because of the welcoming community.
“There’s a lot of support in the community. I see it almost every day… and every store you go to here, you’re always going to see a smile,” Morales said.
Santa Ana is the county seat of Orange County, with 4th Street being considered the heart of the city at some point.
In 2018, the construction of streetcars in the downtown area completely froze businesses. Many protesters named the vehicles a “train to hell.”
According to Voice of OC, at the time, Santa Ana leaders threatened to take away money from businesses that sued the Orange County Transportation Association due to the construction.
Not long after, businesses that were already struggling because of the streetcars faced another challenge as foot traffic came to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As soon as they started recovering, the settlement of federal agents in 2025 and tariffs brought another major economic challenge to the area. At this time, there is no apparent end in sight.
According to a study published in January by the UC Irvine School of Social Ecology on the economic impacts of federal immigration and tariff policy, Orange County businesses lost around $59 million in profits in only two months. This has been linked to a significant decrease in foot traffic following the ICE raids.
“The study opened our eyes to what’s happening. We do not see a relief from that unless we have some wholesale policy changes, get people back to work,” said Robert Villegas, the communications advisor for the office of Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento.
The study gathered data from zip codes around Orange County, specifically those that have been more impacted by immigration enforcement raids. It utilized phone and credit card data to establish the decrease in foot traffic and spending.
“Our downtown is extremely slow, and fewer people visit because they are afraid,” said one respondent from the hospitality/service industry in Santa Ana. Meanwhile another reported 80% less foot traffic in the area.
Though the economic outlook of Orange County is dim, businesses like Stanicky’s still see a promising future in downtown Santa Ana.
“I know that we are struggling now, but diamonds are built under pressure,” Morales said. “We all got this as long as we don’t give up… It’s comforting knowing that my neighbors around me are like family. They give that energy.”