There’s no better time to celebrate the entrepreneurs who make our neighborhoods thrive than Small Business Month.
In this special spotlight, we’re highlighting three inspiring local business owners — Jeanette Newell of The California Cuts, Rajeev Thapa of Tiffins India Café and Venezuelan partners Gerardo Abreu and Edwin Cubillán of Sabe a Zulia.
Each entrepreneur embodies the passion and perseverance that make small businesses the backbone of our community.
Through their stories, we see how dedication, family roots and community connection fuel their success — and how NewMark Merrill has supported them along the way.
The California Cuts | Jeanette Newell
Jeanette Newell has been running The California Cuts — a family-owned salon started by her parents — for more than four decades. Today, the salon operates three locations across SoCal (Carlsbad, Carmel Valley and Fallbrook) and still feels like a neighborhood fixture.
Jeanette loves being a small business owner because it gives her the freedom to adapt and serve her clients’ needs. For example, when customers eventually asked for appointments rather than drop-in service, California Cuts pivoted immediately — a flexibility a corporate chain could never match. This ability to dictate how her business is run has kept the salon current with new trends and services year after year.
Jeanette’s passion is evident in the salon’s family-friendly atmosphere. Multiple generations of the same families now come through her doors. She laughs that she’s seen toddlers grow up, graduate college and even get married — returning to their favorite stylist at California Cuts. Most of her stylists have been on staff for decades, so there’s little turnover.
Jeanette explains that her philosophy is caring for clients over chasing profit. California Cuts even offers shampoo sets and perms that most salons shy away from because they’re time-consuming. This community-oriented focus — from affordable pricing to patient, old-fashioned service — has built an enduring customer base.
Crucially, Jeanette credits NewMark Merrill with helping the business survive its challenges. During the pandemic lockdowns, she says NewMark Merrill stayed in close touch — keeping tenants informed, offering guidance about relief funding and even letting her salon set up chairs outside so they could serve customers safely.
Thanks to this support, Jeanette kept nearly all of her staff and was able to reopen smoothly. California Cuts remains a community mainstay thanks to Jeanette’s passion, hard work and dedication. And in her words, NewMark Merrill “really gave us the tools” to stay healthy.
Tiffins India Café | Rajeev Thapa & Rabi Gurung
Tiffins India Café brings authentic Indian cuisine to Colorado. Rajeev Thapa and his partner Rabi Gurung started the restaurant with one simple goal — independence. Growing up in a military family in India, Rajeev knew what living paycheck-to-paycheck meant, so when he settled in Colorado, he saw an opportunity to build something of his own.
Drawing on family recipes and cooking techniques learned from his parents and grandparents, he opened the first Tiffins India Café in Boulder in 2012. Today, Tiffins serves two Colorado communities (Boulder and Longmont) across three locations.
For Rajeev, being a small business owner allows him to focus on what he wants to do for himself as well as the communities he serves. He takes satisfaction in building a brand that brings the flavors of India to neighborhood tables, and he’s always thinking of how to improve the customer experience.
Tiffins India Café also appreciates NewMark Merrill’s role in its journey. In particular, our emphasis on community inclusion has made a real impact. Local events like our holiday festivals, bingo nights and summer concert series consistently draw people to our shopping centers, which Rabi says boost his overall business by introducing new customers and helping Tiffins become part of the neighborhood fabric.
Sabe a Zulia | Gerardo Abreu & Edwin Cubillán
Sabe a Zulia is a Venezuelan comfort food restaurant co-owned by Gerardo Abreu and Edwin Cubillán. The partners share a simple inspiration — they didn’t want to spend their lives working for someone else, so they joined forces to start their own business.
Starting with homemade arepas and empanadas, they transformed a small, home-kitchen operation into a thriving restaurant brand with three locations across Chicagoland — all driven by their deep passion for Venezuelan culture.
Gerardo and Edwin chose their latest location — NewMark Merrill’s Winston Plaza in Melrose Park, IL — for its strong community ties. Many of their Venezuelan friends and neighbors live nearby, and they knew the plaza’s Latino community would be welcoming. That support has been clear. Customers come in for a taste of home and often return with their families, building a loyal base.
Gerardo and Edwin emphasize that NewMark Merrill has been by their side throughout the journey. Property managers from the company regularly stop by Sabe a Zulia to entertain guests, sample the food and spread the word. The owners note “they’re always here to help us with whatever we need.”
Building Community, One Small Business at a Time
From Jeanette Newell’s decades-long commitment to family hair care, to the bold culinary vision behind Tiffins India Café, to the cultural pride fueling Sabe a Zulia’s rise, NewMark Merrill is proud to support these incredible entrepreneurs.
Each of their stories is a testament to the grit, heart and identity that small businesses bring to their communities.