July 29, 2025 – HOME proprietor/chef Brad Briske effused a mixture of competing emotions when I inquired about the status of his latest venture, the forthcoming Home Away in Soquel.
The fast-casual concept is slowly taking shape: emphasis on slowly. But the underpinnings are there. He’s got chairs, tables and décor, thus far consisting of a surfboard, fishing reels, skulls and goodness knows what else in the back of his truck. There’s a lot going on in that truck. It looks a lot like a storage unit.
We met by kismet outside the former VinoCruz property which is in the process of metamorphosis. Dreams so close, yet so far.
“We could open in a month, or it could be a year,” says Briske. “Honestly, it’s so frustrating. The City of Santa Cruz is making it so difficult. They communicate only thru emails and it is a matter of dotting the I’s and checking the right boxes on the forms. We thought we had our application complete, and then we hadn’t checked a certain box. So finally, we think it’s all complete and we sent in the check. They told us they’ll get back to us within 28 days.”
Basically, he says he’s now waiting for someone to show up and say, “Yes you have soap and paper towels, and the floor drains are working.”
What frustrates him most is that when he opened HOME, it literally took less than 28 days. But that was pre-pandemic. He totally understands the staffing challenges that everyone is facing, including all the city and county departments that deal with restaurants.
“I am sure they are overworked and understaffed,” says Briske. “We are waiting for inspections, and we have new people on staff there. It’s a big job and there are a lot of places in town to worry about.”
He points to other businesses that have experienced delays, including Katherine Stern when getting Midway open and Nick Sherman with Cavaletta. “That took six months for permits and paperwork to get signed off!” says Briske. “It also took Ben (Sims) two years to get Bantam open. I know it’s different with newer businesses, but I hope things will change for the better.”
Meanwhile he’s paying rent to his landlord. At least they have a good relationship. “I have the same landlord as HOME, so not your classical Santa Cruz slumlord!”
He expressed deep appreciation for all the loyal fans who continue to support them. “I was blown away by how many people came to the Check Please! watch party! We really are grateful to them. Here it is a Sunday, and we are fully booked for tonight!! Same for tomorrow. That’s pretty unusual for a Monday.”
He is definitely grateful to have another successful restaurant carrying him and his employees, many of whom are waiting on those additional hours that the new business will provide. “We are making it work, but hopefully not too much longer.”
As for the new concept, he envisions a different style of restaurant that is community-focused. “I’m excited to offer food grown here locally and at a lower price point. The counter service concept enables me to have fewer people (working).”
Briske says, “It will be expressive of so much of what the Santa Cruz community is at least for me: the food and the art and the other cool parts that are coming together. It will be true to itself and authentic, and not just an idea that I pitched to a Restaurant Group!”
He touched on the progressive restaurant movement that focuses on a better quality of life for hospitality workers. Their personal lives often get short shrift due to the demands of their occupations.
“They miss their mother’s funeral or their best friend’s wedding for work,” he notes, adding that it’s significantly more stressful when you are labeled as “fine dining,” even when you are not trying to be a part of that scene. HOME, admittedly, has morphed to meet the needs and wants of his patrons.
“My small comfort is that I can choose what I want to offer to the community,” says Briske, of the new venture. “If we have to wait, we have to wait, just as long as HOME doesn’t have to close as a result of this. What keeps me going is I have tremendous community support and love.”
Gratitude is always the right attitude.
About the author
Laura Ness is a longtime wine journalist, columnist and judge who contributes regularly to Edible Monterey Bay, Spirited, WineOh.Tv, Los Gatos Magazine and Wine Industry Network, and a variety of consumer publications. Her passion is telling stories about the intriguing characters who inhabit the fascinating world of wine and food.
