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The pop-up shop craze has made its way to Goleta.
The Good Land, at least through Christmas, is now the sweet land.
See’s Candy has opened a pop-up store at 5738 Calle Real, in the Calle Real Shopping Center.
The store opened a week ago and features packaged, ready-to-go chocolate boxes and other seasonal treats.
Unfortunately, the free samples, synonymous with approaching the counter at other See’s shops, are also packaged, and not the fresh mochas, buttercream or milk chocolate candies at the La Cumbre Plaza and Paseo Nuevo stores.
In 1921, Canadian chocolate salesman Charles See moved to Los Angeles with his family and widowed mother, Mary See. He opened the first See’s shop at 135 Western Avenue North, selling his mother’s chocolates, made from her own recipes.
The iconic “I Love Lucy” episode where characters Lucy and Ethel get jobs — and fail miserably — at a chocolate factory, was filmed at a See’s shop in Los Angeles.
See’s now has more than 200 stores across the country.
That area of Goleta is in need of a specialized chocolate shop after the closure earlier this year of The Chocolate Gallery across the street.
Paseo Nuevo Shops
Santa Barbara has turned to pop-up shops to help infuse some creative energy into its downtown.
The Mosaic on State Street features four businesses that share a space at 1131State Street, and on Nov. 23, Black Friday, the Paseo Nuevo mall will come alive with seasonal pop ups and a variety of other holiday displays called Santa Barbara Night Market.
Near Nordstrom, The Yes Store has returned for the season, after a break last year.
The Yes Store offers a collection of artisanal gifts, including wood pieces, pottery, jewelry and photographs, said Mary Lynn Harm-Romo, the mall’s marketing and specialty leasing manager.
Trinidad3 pop-up shop, “a one-of-a-kind Airstream trailer,” featuring premium denim made in the USA, will also be open from Thursday through Sunday, from 4 to 10 p.m. after Black Friday.
The mall will also feature nightly snowfall shows at 6 and 7 p.m. from Nov. 23 through Dec. 31. Paseo Nuevo’s Center Court will feature snow falling down on a Christmas tree, along with carolers.
Santa Claus will also make daily appearances at the mall.
Donahue Termite Control
The holidays are coming — and so are the termites.
But don’t fear the dreaded, destructive bugs. Chris Donahue has started a new company, Donahue Termite Control, to protect your home or business.
“Termites are a plague of epic proportions in California,” Donahue said. “Newer houses are more prone to termits because of the softer wood.”
Donahue specializes in extinguishing dry wood and subterranean termites. He previously worked for Terminex and other pest control companies, but decided to start his own business in September.
He lives on the Mesa with his 11-year-old daughter, Ciena, and serves all of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.
Chumash Tribe Opens Wine Tasting Room
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has launched its first wine tasting room.
The tribe is holding a four-day grand opening weekend that began on Thursday and runs through Sunday. The Kitá Wines tasting room is at 300 N. 12th St., Suite 1H, in Lompoc.
“We’ve had a lot of interest in our wine from the local community, but until now our tastings have been by appointment only,” said Kitá Wines Winemaker Tara Gomez. “We’re excited to have this opportunity to have our own storefront and become part of the thriving wine-tasting experience in Lompoc.”
Kitá Wines was founded in 2010. “Kitá” means “our valley oak” in the Santa Ynez Chumash native language of Samala, according to a news release.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians purchased nearly 1,400 acres of land in the Santa Ynez Valley known as Camp 4 from the late actor-turned-vintner Fess Parker.
The tasting room is open from 2 to 6 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
Five Below Opens in Santa Maria
Discount store Five Below opened a week ago at 2214 S. Bradley Road in Santa Maria.
Everything in the store is under $5. The store caters to teens, pre-teens and their parents.
It also carries accessories and items such as cell phone cases and chargers, remote control cars, yoga pants, graphic tees, nail polish, footballs, soccer balls and candy.
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
