Tag archives: business

The Prestige Hand Car Wash located at 524 N. Milpas Street in Santa Barbara has closed down unexpectedly, leaving employees and customers surprised. The car wash, opened in 1999 under previous ownership as Zipp Car Wash, was shut down just before Christmas on December 23rd. The 26 employees, including popular detailer “Woody,” were apparently not […]

Here at the MJ we’ve taken great pains (not literally – this is a self-congratulating figure of speech) to throw light on your seasonal gift-giving panic; to add a spark to this season of beneficence. Gifting anything to a loved one – be it an original Van Gogh or a silken beach stone made lovely […]

It’s that time of year again. We have communally checked the Large Flightless Bird box and stumbled right over the line into “The Holidays.” Yes, your bone-dry and otherworldly delightfully moist and aromatic Thanksgiving turkey was an absolute hit. Your Aunt Marge’s startling “Pea Mush” was likewise well-received, producing the usual bug-eyed attempts to swallow […]

by Kelly Mahan Herrick and Jeff Wing The first in a four-part series on shopping locally in Montecito, we’re throwing some light (and a lot of love) on our shade-dappled Lower Village: Montecito’s Coast Village Road and beyond, which has long been a shopping and dining destination for locals, visitors, and lucky accidental tourists. We […]

Last week it was quietly announced that a new restaurant called Jemma Montecito is in the works for the Las Aves complex near the Bird Refuge; the complex traded hands last year for $19M, selling to a Los Angeles-based investment group, the Runyon Group, which has big plans to revitalize the complex and bring in […]

Roughly two years after opening their doors to the Montecito community during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lemondrop, Montecito’s only shop catering to pre-teens or “tweens” has closed. The shop was owned by Montecito mom of four, Ana Rudnicki, who opened the shop in 2021 to give parents a place to take their pre-teens to try on […]

Earlier this month, the Rosewood Miramar Beach hosted the Coast Village Association for another Meet & Greet; an opportunity for merchants in the Lower Village to gather and discuss ideas and concerns.  Over 40 merchants from retail stores, art galleries, restaurants, markets, and services joined together to meet the Rosewood’s guest services’ department as well […]

Local entrepreneur Robb Ferer and Santa Barbara Chiropractor, Hunter Ford D.C., along with mechanical engineer Grant Draper, have invented a new product, called a Dorso Mount, that connects percussive massage devices to massage canes. The device has had positive traction online, selling to patients as well as to sports teams, gyms, and physical therapists across […]

There have been a handful of storefront and office space changes on Coast Village Road as of late, including the impending relocation of one of the street’s most prominent clothing boutiques.  Angel, which has been in its coveted 1221 Coast Village Road space for 25 years, is moving to the Villa Fontana complex, next to […]

I just read Jeff Harding’s piece on the addition of Restoration Hardware in the Vol. 29 Issue 30 edition of the MJ. While I generally agree with a lot of what Jeff had to say, I feel like the piece requires some clarification. The reason these formulaic retailers he mentions are on Coast Village is […]

The 38 businesses on Lillie Avenue in Summerland joined together for a block party and to invite the local adjoining towns to get to know them. The event took place Saturday, July 29, from 11 am to 5 pm, all along the avenue. Walking the approximated 7/10th of a mile route, you’ll find a variety […]

As a follow-up to a story we’ve been following since April, Montecito Natural Foods, which was located in Montecito Country Mart for nearly 60 years and closed its doors in June, has reopened a small storefront in the Upper Village, next to Josephine’s Antiques. The store, now dubbed Montecito Natural Health, opened in mid-July, and […]

The Montecito Association is considering recommending to the County a ban on “big box,” “formula” retailers in Montecito. I oppose such a ban. My wife and I have lived in Montecito since 1978. We are members of the Montecito Association. We have been active in the community over the years. Recently I was a promoter […]

Handily sandwiched between this world and the next, we have the picturesque village of Summerland, California. This quaint California idyll derives its name from ‘The Summerland’ – a term Theosophists apply to the heavenly sphere that surrounds our yearning planet Earth. Summerland was indeed founded by Spiritualist H.L. Williams in 1883 as a colony for […]

Homer Montecito owner Terry Pillow popped up with a one-day store at the Santa Barbara Polo Club using his vintage ‘60s Land Rover as part of the impressive props. Terry, former head of Tommy Bahama and Ralph Lauren, displayed his English bridle leather wares next to the club’s boutique. “It couldn’t have been a better […]

A tranquil space located upstairs at the Las Aves complex across from the bird refuge is expanding its offerings next month; Montecito Meditation will now add yoga classes to the schedule, in addition to guided meditation sessions. The business, owned by Tina Lyn, opened shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and is now making […]

On nearly the same day that she opened her beloved shop 30 years ago on State Street, Rooms & Gardens owner Jami Voulgaris is starting a new chapter in Montecito. Rooms & Gardens made its official debut over the weekend with a friends and family event, opening the doors for business on May 8. “When […]

Also happening at the Coral Casino, owner Ty Warner has announced the onboarding of General Manager, David Conforti, CCM, PGA, who will oversee operations at the historic club. As one of a few dozen club professionals in the world who has both a Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation from the Club Management Association of America […]