Tag archives: local business
Years from now we may look back on the Santa Barbara City Council meeting of April 21 as a time capsule of how prepared or not we were during the economic collapse of the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic. In that meeting, City Administrator Paul Casey introduced his new hire Economic Development Manager Jason Harris to the […]
It’s the perfect blend of fashion and fabulousness. French society crimper Xavier Scordo, who owns an eponymous salon on Coast Village Road, has become a passionate collector of face masks that match his extensive wardrobe during the COVID-19 pandemic. And Mexican tailor Patty Moo, who owns Perfect Fit just a tiara’s toss away, has been […]
Back in the day, if you needed your car worked on for whatever reason, you took it to the one place in town that could do the repair job: your full-service neighborhood gas station. And for several decades in the past century, J&S East Valley Garage on East Valley Road was exactly such a spot. […]
Last Friday morning, around 100 people joined a Zoom conference call hosted by Montecito Journal Editor-in-Chief Gwyn Lurie and Publisher Tim Buckley. The goal of the call was to generate ideas that could help businesses bounce back from the loss of revenue stemming from social-distancing restrictions that were set in place by California a month […]
Driving the seven hours from Nevada City to Santa Barbara, Sherry Villanueva was talking about shifting gears. Back in February, Acme Hospitality, the boutique restaurant and development group she manages, moved into the hotel business. At that time the company was in the midst of renovating two of the most iconic hotels in Nevada County, […]
Powers that Be Just read Jim Buckley’s letter “Uglification of Montecito” and I definitely agree with his comment on the ruination of our beautiful community other than his placing some concern with the Montecito Association. The County and City ‘powers that be’ have control, I understand. Jean Von Wittenburg Restarting Santa Barbara Today I went […]
The world is going LOCAL. Or at least it should be. Every day we have more proof that food, information, energy infrastructure, and leadership have the most integrity and most power to do good when they have the least distance to travel. When it’s locally sourced. Distance dissipates. It is a fact of life. How […]
Thank you to Montecito realtor, Cristal Clarke, for sponsoring this week’s MJ home delivery. Bringing the MJ to your doorstep (or at least your driveway) is one way we are working to meet the challenges of this moment. Thanks to Cristal Clarke’s support, we are once again able to deliver. I’d also like to give […]
Don’t even try to tell Mary Sheldon about how COVID-19 is hurting local businesses. After all, the owner of Tecolote Book Shop in Montecito’s Upper Village has been a bookseller for 30 years, the last 20 of which had the misfortune of taking place after the unprecedented rise of online shopping spearheaded by Amazon. Technically, […]
The Luna-tics were out in force when prolific restaurateur Carlos Luna opened his latest Mexican eatery, Flor de Maiz, on Cabrillo Boulevard, just across from Stearns Wharf. The 140-seat eatery, wedged nicely between the Bluewater Grill and the FisHouse, is named after the flower xochimoyahuatl, when the tribes of pre-Hispanic Mexico venerated corn as the […]
Two new shops have opened at Montecito Country Mart, just in time for the final push of the holiday shopping season. Matt Albiani and Ron Brand, owners of Mate Gallery, have expanded their offerings into the adjacent space – formerly occupied by Kendall Conrad – opening Mate Men on Thursday, December 12. Mate Men carries […]
Leadership Vacuum Q. Why are there so many stores downtown that are empty? There are other towns like San Luis Obispo and Palm Springs that have made successful efforts. Why isn’t Santa Barbara doing more? – Mathew in Montecito Clearly, there are problems with downtown retail struggling all over the country as online purchasing grows […]
The main goal of the James Perse concept store is for customers to feel comfortable enough to hang out with a complimentary coffee or water and just chill. This laid-back attitude is what created the cult following of James Perse anyway. The classy California surfer vibe of clean lines and simplistic looks found in the […]
The first thing you may notice about Edward Anthony is his style. Inspired by movies of the ‘twenties, ‘thirties, and ‘forties, his love of fashion means you’ll usually find him in a suit or coordinating ensemble. A “born artist,” Anthony has dabbled in painting, ceramics, and other mediums before finding a passion in styling hair. […]
An Upper Village dress shop for over half a century, Giuliana Montecito has a new creative director that is focusing on its past as much as the present. Mandana Mir is a millennial with an old soul, carrying herself with mannerisms reminiscent of English high society. Maybe her background has something to do with it […]
Nearly two years after the closure of Cantwell’s in Summerland, a new furniture and décor shop, as well as a café, has opened in the prominent building on the eastern end of Lillie Avenue. Field + Fort is the brainchild of Santa Barbara designer Kyle Irwin and his business partner and friend, Susie Bechtel, who […]
Last week marked the first anniversary in business in Montecito for husband and wife team Brendan Smith and Rachel Greenspan, owners of Bettina in Montecito Country Mart. “It’s been a lot of work, but an overwhelmingly positive experience,” Greenspan told us earlier this week. Riding on the coattails of the success of their mobile pizza […]
The owners of the Montecito Inn on Coast Village Road announced last week that a new restaurant concept will be coming to the historic hotel, expected to open in Spring 2020. The announcement comes after the closure of The Monarch and Silver Bough, two restaurant concepts by Scratch Restaurants, a Los Angeles-based restaurant group, which […]
Santa Barbara based business Oniracom’s Jacob Tell, John Lucchetti, Sean Campos, and Mike Wald gave a huge thank you party for their clients and extended a warm open invitation to our town. The event, appropriately named “Onifest 2019,” featured top recording musicians and multi-mediums of art curated by one of Montecito’s favorite artists, Matthew McAvene. […]
There is something about a caftan in the summertime that makes everything seem more relaxed and carefree. Perhaps it’s the fact that it’s a dress, making the “what am I going to wear?” question really straightforward. And, if you’re Olivia Joffrey, you want to help other women easily figure out their summer uniform, while also […]
