Radius Group Commercial Real Estate has announced the lease of 126 E. Canon Perdido St. to Three Pickles Deli.
Michael Chenoweth represented all parties.
The historic building, known as “Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens” for nearly 60 years, was sold to the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation in 2007 after the retirement of longtime owner and operator Tommy Chung.
The SBTHP purchased Jimmy’s with the intention of eventually using it as a museum space interpreting Asian American history in Santa Barbara. While initial planning and research for the museum has begun, the dining room portion of the property will continue to be rented to help cover the purchase cost of the building.
The SBTHP will retain the bar portion for a preliminary exhibit of Santa Barbara’s Asian American history in the Presidio neighborhood. Although the interior dining space has been remodeled, the exterior will remain the same, reflecting the history of the building as the last Chinese-run business in what was once Chinatown.
“We are excited to add Three Pickles to the list of tenants in the El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park neighborhood,” SBTHP Executive Director Jarrell Jackman said. “These diverse businesses help make this historic neighborhood one of a kind.”
Three Pickles is currently operating out of a smaller neighboring space at 128 E. Canon Perdido St. and also has a location at 420 S. Fairview in Goleta. Having outgrown its current space, Bob Lovejoy, owner of Three Pickles, jumped at the chance to move to the new space.
“I love the building, and we are thrilled that this special place will allow us to remain on the block and work with the SBTHP to help with the future museum that will be housed in the bar portion of the building,” he said.