Day in Downtown event introduces new students to downtown Davis

Business owners share about community, collaboration and their love for Davis 

By MADELYN SEVIGNY — city@theaggie.org

On Sept. 27, part of E street was closed for Day in Downtown, a free community event with Davis businesses, local artists and vintage clothing vendors. 

Day in Downtown is organized by UC Davis alumna Donbi Kim, who co-owns Yesterday Vintage, a vintage clothing and accessories store located in the E Street Plaza in downtown Davis.

Kim’s first Day in Downtown event occurred in 2025, with the event starting as a collaboration between Yesterday Vintage and the Growing Groves, a Davis plant shop that closed in December 2025. 

“Originally it was a collaboration between Yesterday Vintage and the Growing Groves, who [have] sadly left town, [and we were] sponsored by the Davis Downtown Business Association,” Kim said.

Kim said that she has been the sole organizer for the event until the most recent Day in Downtown this year. She is now collaborating with the Campgrounds Artist Collective, a new local artist collective.

“Until this upcoming event, after Lawrence [Co-owner of the Growing Groves] left, it was just myself,” Kim said. “For this upcoming event, we're collaborating with the campgrounds collective, which is a local art collective. They're currently fundraising to get a brick and mortar location, [and] they've been helping out specifically with the artists and maker outreach [...] so we can have a more
diverse event in terms of the different categories of vendors.”

A new feature of the most recent event was a stamp rally, where shoppers would have a chance to win a gift basket if they spent money in each vendor category, such as vintage clothing or artist goods.

Kim shared that the purpose of Day in Downtown is to promote downtown businesses.

“I want to promote more activity downtown,” Kim said. “
I mean [...] my business is here, and I've created a lot of close relationships with other brick and mortars and eateries.”

The Day in Downtown this September was the sixth time the event ran, with the last one on May 17 being interrupted by rain and a wind advisory.

Jacqueline Villanueva is the owner of Amorcito Corazón, a business selling apparel, stickers, totebags and other accessories inspired by her Mexican culture. Being based in Davis, she enjoys taking part in events like Day in Downtown because of the community and opportunities to get to know residents, students and families in Davis.

“It's very community based,” Villanueva said. “I've been here for several years, 
so [...] I'll see the same faces pretty much here or whatever event I'm in. I basically get to see their journey, like the students. So it's nice to catch up and see them.”

Yelena Ivashchenko, owner of Bohème Clothing & Gifts, a boutique thrift store located in Downtown Davis, explained that events like Day in Downtown offer brick-and-mortar stores a chance to have more personal connections with locals.

“There's definitely more connection with people,” Ivashchenko said. “Some people [...] sometimes hesitate in the store to ask questions, and this [is an] opportunity for us to talk about what we have, because we are not just a retail store. We actually do a lot of different things [like] special events.”

Ivashchenko talked about how Davis businesses are where many new students and families learn about the city and the broader Davis community.

“They're coming not just to check and buy things,” Ivashchenko said. “[For] those [new student’s] moms [we are like] guides. They're like, ‘Where do I buy this? I have no idea where to buy that,’ And [we will] be like, ‘Okay this is what you do, you go to this store.’”

Ivashchenko stated the importance of collaboration between the different sections of town.

“I think [what] this town needs the most is to bring people together,” Ivashchenko said. “Because I’ve always found in this town, that's the biggest disconnect. You see, UC Davis does its own thing, the [Davis] Downtown Business Association does its own thing, City of Davis does their own thing,
the Chamber of Commerce does other things, and they just don't sync. [...] So like bringing people together and collaborating with certain things, I just think that's the best way to sustain businesses.”

The next Day in Downtown will occur on Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Those interested in future events and supporting brick and mortar businesses in Davis can find more information at the Davis Downtown Business Association website.

Written By: Madelyn Sevigny — city@theaggie.org