Viva Oliva Unveils New Look

Nearly a year after moving to Montecito from New Zealand and taking ownership of Coast Village Road’s olive oil shop, Viva Oliva, Amanda and Sven Dybdahl are unveiling the store’s new look and offerings. “We really feel like we are part of this great community,” Amanda said during a visit to the store last week. 

Originally founded by Andi Newville, the shop was located in Paseo Nuevo for four years before opening on Coast Village Road in 2015. Newville started the store after becoming fascinated by the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil, and began sourcing high-quality olive oils from both California and around the world. The oils are houses in fustis: stainless-steel tanks that house and dispense the oil while protecting it from heat and light. Newville eventually decided to move on and wanted to find the right buyers to take over the business. 

The Dybdahls tell us they’d visited Montecito for many years – it’s roughly the midway point to break up long flights between their respective home countries, New Zealand and Norway – and they realized they wanted to build a life here after many stays at Montecito Inn and many strolls along Coast Village. Searching for a business to take over to make the international transition successful, they were instantly intrigued that Newville had listed her business for sale, as they had stopped in several times to buy local goods to bring back to New Zealand. 

They purchased the shop last year, and since then have been revamping the interior, the branding, and the offerings. “We wanted to expand the product lines so people will think of us for both olive oil and complementary items,” Sven said. 

In addition to a vast selection of specialty olive oils and vinegars, the couple has chosen a handful of artisan goods from small-batch purveyors. Items include Ojai jellies, Jilli Vanilli vanilla products, Marshall’s Haute Sauce, specialty popcorn from Santa Barbara Popcorn Company, olives from Santa Barbara Olive Company, pickled goods from Pacific Pickle Works, and truffles from Chocolates du CaliBressan, which are infused with Viva Oliva’s own balsamic vinegar, plus many others. The store also offers a selection of cheeses and salamis, as well as home goods including olive wood products, hand towels, cookbooks, candles, and more. They also offer custom gift baskets. 

The Dybdahls, like other retail business owners in Montecito, had a tough holiday season due to extended closures from the Thomas Fire and mudslide, and say they look forward to a fresh start with new branding, signage, a new website, and interior look. 

For more information, visit www.vivaoliva.com. The shop is located at 1275 Coast Village Road and is open 10 am to 6 pm Monday-Saturday, and 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday.