Latest news with #AnaCastro
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cactus Club Cafe Announces Expansion to South Florida
Vancouver-Based Restaurant Group Brings Its Signature Energy to Miami, With Plans for Multiple Openings MIAMI, June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cactus Club Cafe, the acclaimed Vancouver-based restaurant group, has announced its upcoming Florida debut, opening its first location in Downtown Miami in late 2025. The highly anticipated Miami opening will mark the 35th location for the celebrated North American brand, promising a fresh and vibrant addition to the city's ever-evolving hospitality landscape. "Miami's energy and style align perfectly with the Cactus vision for elevated everyday dining," said Andrew Latchford, President of Cactus Club Cafe. "The city's energy and passion for exceptional hospitality make it the perfect home for our first Florida location. This marks an exciting chapter in our U.S. expansion, alongside our upcoming openings in Boston and Houston." Setting the new standard in modern dining, Cactus Club Cafe will open in the heart of Downtown Miami at Citigroup Center—an 810,000-square-foot, 34-story trophy tower located at the corner of Biscayne Boulevard and Southeast 2nd Street. With unobstructed views of Biscayne Bay and direct access to Bayfront Park, the building's dynamic location offers an unbelievable setting for the first South Florida opening. "We are delighted to welcome Cactus Club Cafe to Citigroup Center, further enhancing the diverse offerings within our premier downtown Miami office building," said Ana Castro, General Manager for Citigroup Center. "We are proud to host their first Florida location and look forward to Cactus injecting a fresh energy into the area, creating a sought-after dining destination for our tenants and the broader Miami community." Cactus Club Cafe will deliver a fresh take on elevated hospitality, creating a sense of occasion with an upbeat, stylish vibe fueled by energetic music, magnetic people, and spaces that feel as good as they look. Promising bold, refined dishes that are fresh yet familiar, the chef-driven menu at Cactus Club Cafe will be helmed by Executive Chef Greg McCallum and the Test Kitchen, a passionate collective of culinary experts that develop Cactus dishes. Cactus Club Cafe is currently building its Miami opening team and will be hosting hiring events throughout the summer, with the first being on Friday, June 27th. Driven individuals looking to join a dynamic and growing brand are encouraged to attend and learn more about available opportunities or explore careers online at "This is an incredible opportunity to join a leading restaurant brand as we launch our first Florida location," said Brendon Sequeira, Regional Manager of Cactus Club Cafe Miami. "We're building something special here, and it starts with our people. If you're passionate about creating exceptional experiences, driven to excel, and eager to be part of our opening team in Miami, where you'll have space to grow your career, we want to hear from you." Cactus Club Cafe will be located at Citigroup Center, 201 S. Biscayne Blvd., Unit 150, Miami, FL 33132. For more information visit About Cactus Club CafeFounded in 1988 in Vancouver, Canada, Cactus Club Cafe delivers elevated everyday dining across 33 locations, with the 34th opening in Boston later this year, and Miami Downtown being the 35th. For over 30 years, we've delivered standout experiences—where atmosphere, consistency, and attention to detail are second to none. Our vibe is upbeat and stylish—fueled by energetic music, magnetic people, and spaces that feel as good as they look. Our chef-driven menu delivers bold, refined dishes with something for every craving. Fresh yet familiar, it's easy to love and easy to come back to. Every visit to Cactus is an occasion that reminds guests why we're the forever first choice. For more information, visit or follow us on Instagram @CactusClubCafe & @CactusClubCafeMiami. Media Contact:Sami Perezsami@ View original content: SOURCE Cactus Club Cafe Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cactus Club Cafe Announces Expansion to South Florida
Vancouver-Based Restaurant Group Brings Its Signature Energy to Miami, With Plans for Multiple Openings MIAMI, June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cactus Club Cafe, the acclaimed Vancouver-based restaurant group, has announced its upcoming Florida debut, opening its first location in Downtown Miami in late 2025. The highly anticipated Miami opening will mark the 35th location for the celebrated North American brand, promising a fresh and vibrant addition to the city's ever-evolving hospitality landscape. "Miami's energy and style align perfectly with the Cactus vision for elevated everyday dining," said Andrew Latchford, President of Cactus Club Cafe. "The city's energy and passion for exceptional hospitality make it the perfect home for our first Florida location. This marks an exciting chapter in our U.S. expansion, alongside our upcoming openings in Boston and Houston." Setting the new standard in modern dining, Cactus Club Cafe will open in the heart of Downtown Miami at Citigroup Center—an 810,000-square-foot, 34-story trophy tower located at the corner of Biscayne Boulevard and Southeast 2nd Street. With unobstructed views of Biscayne Bay and direct access to Bayfront Park, the building's dynamic location offers an unbelievable setting for the first South Florida opening. "We are delighted to welcome Cactus Club Cafe to Citigroup Center, further enhancing the diverse offerings within our premier downtown Miami office building," said Ana Castro, General Manager for Citigroup Center. "We are proud to host their first Florida location and look forward to Cactus injecting a fresh energy into the area, creating a sought-after dining destination for our tenants and the broader Miami community." Cactus Club Cafe will deliver a fresh take on elevated hospitality, creating a sense of occasion with an upbeat, stylish vibe fueled by energetic music, magnetic people, and spaces that feel as good as they look. Promising bold, refined dishes that are fresh yet familiar, the chef-driven menu at Cactus Club Cafe will be helmed by Executive Chef Greg McCallum and the Test Kitchen, a passionate collective of culinary experts that develop Cactus dishes. Cactus Club Cafe is currently building its Miami opening team and will be hosting hiring events throughout the summer, with the first being on Friday, June 27th. Driven individuals looking to join a dynamic and growing brand are encouraged to attend and learn more about available opportunities or explore careers online at "This is an incredible opportunity to join a leading restaurant brand as we launch our first Florida location," said Brendon Sequeira, Regional Manager of Cactus Club Cafe Miami. "We're building something special here, and it starts with our people. If you're passionate about creating exceptional experiences, driven to excel, and eager to be part of our opening team in Miami, where you'll have space to grow your career, we want to hear from you." Cactus Club Cafe will be located at Citigroup Center, 201 S. Biscayne Blvd., Unit 150, Miami, FL 33132. For more information visit About Cactus Club CafeFounded in 1988 in Vancouver, Canada, Cactus Club Cafe delivers elevated everyday dining across 33 locations, with the 34th opening in Boston later this year, and Miami Downtown being the 35th. For over 30 years, we've delivered standout experiences—where atmosphere, consistency, and attention to detail are second to none. Our vibe is upbeat and stylish—fueled by energetic music, magnetic people, and spaces that feel as good as they look. Our chef-driven menu delivers bold, refined dishes with something for every craving. Fresh yet familiar, it's easy to love and easy to come back to. Every visit to Cactus is an occasion that reminds guests why we're the forever first choice. For more information, visit or follow us on Instagram @CactusClubCafe & @CactusClubCafeMiami. Media Contact:Sami Perezsami@ View original content: SOURCE Cactus Club Cafe
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'We're not trying to become millionaires': New Mexico early childhood centers push for better wages
ALBUQUERQUE — Fernando Noriega says first and foremost, being an early childhood educator requires patience and love for the work. But Noriega, a teacher at Caterpillar Clubhouse Daycare in Albuquerque, says he sees what amounts to a revolving door in educators, who despite loving what they do simply cannot sustain their families on $15 per hour or lower wages. Instead, many opt for easier — yet better-paying — jobs. 'We're not trying to become millionaires,' he said, speaking in Spanish. 'We just want to cover the necessities of our families, and to keep doing what we want, what we love, which is to care for children. That's it.' At least 18 early childhood centers throughout the state temporarily closed their doors Monday as part of a national annual 'Day Without Child Care.' In New Mexico, providers and educators demanded state lawmakers and officials institute $3 per hour pay bumps, to about $18 per hour, and a more clear path for compensation for workers. Ana Castro speaks during the news conference Ana Castro calls on lawmakers and state officials to implement pay increases for early childhood workers during a news conference Monday in Albuquerque. The conference, at the Love and Care Child Development Center, was part of a national day of action calling for improvements to states' early childhood systems. 'I ask: What would our community do without our service, without our training, without our calling?' asked Ana Castro in Spanish during a Monday morning news conference outside one of the temporarily closed centers in Albuquerque. '... We deserve more.' The call comes after advocates and the Early Childhood Education and Care Department during this year's legislative session asked lawmakers for more than $150 million to implement pay raises and a wage and career ladder for workers. State and federal dollars provide significant assistance to child care providers, which are often small businesses, including setting aside $77 million for grants to fund $3 per hour pay bumps in 2022. The request for a wage and career ladder came with a $10 million price tag. The pay raises proposal was bundled into a larger $104.6 million request for a pilot program to broadly improve child care outcomes across New Mexico. Neither ask, however, made it into the state budget for fiscal year 2026. Regardless, the early childhood department Monday said it will keep working toward increasing pay for workers. 'Governor [Michelle] Lujan Grisham's administration remains deeply committed to increasing compensation and wages for early childhood professionals,' early childhood department spokesperson Julia Sclafani said in a statement. 'As we move forward, we will actively engage providers and early educators to ensure their voices are heard and reflected in the decision-making process.' Fernando pushes Eva in a toy car Fernando Noriega pushes his 3-year-old daughter, Eva, in a toy car at the Love and Care Child Development Center in Albuquerque on Monday. The two were attending a news conference as part of a national "Day Without Child Care" meant to demand better pay and supports for early childhood workers. Last year, the Legislature appropriated $5 million for each of the following three fiscal years for the early childhood department to pilot a wage and career ladder for educators working in infant and toddler classrooms with children whose families are enrolled in child care assistance. While that pilot is in place, it is 'not sufficient to roll out a full wage scale and career lattice across all early childhood program areas,' Sclafani said. Sclafani and Camille Ward, spokesperson for House Democrats, each noted the state has implemented compensation programs and other financial incentives aimed at workers who make less than $18 per hour. That includes a supplemental wage program, which can net workers as much as $2,548 over a six-month period if they have a bachelor's or master's degree in early childhood education and work 32 hours or more per week. 'State lawmakers are committed to making sure our transformational investments in early childhood education are directly serving New Mexico's kids, families, and the educators who care for them across our state,' Ward said in a statement. Advocates say they're sitting down with the early childhood department in hopes the agency can push the pay raises through administratively using money from its significant budget increase during the coming fiscal year. Between fiscal year 2025, which ends June 30, and fiscal year 2026, the early childhood department's budget grew from $784 million to $995 million, Sclafani wrote in an email. The budget increase could help the state enact wage increases for workers, Ward said. 'With this substantial funding increase, we fully expect the department to prioritize improving access to quality early childhood education and care for New Mexico's children and increasing wages for educators,' she said.
