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Just when you thought Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone was losing a little bit of its buzz to State Street’s ample outdoor dining options, here comes the Bier Garten.
The Bier Garten, founded by the owner of the Copenhagen Sausage Garden in Solvang, officially opens on Friday, although they were pouring a few drinks Thursday night.
The menu includes artisan sausage, grass-fed burgers, woodfired oven pizzas and 20 beers on tap.
“We decided to come to the Funk Zone,” owner Aaron Running said. “There’s kind of a lack of comfort food here. We’re a nice, casual, relaxed atmosphere.”
The Bier Garten sits next to Loveworn at 11 Anacapa St., near the site of the proposed warehouse renovation in the works. The area fits with pandemic conditions, including ample outdoor dining, an open air bar and fire pits.
The beer includes a mix of German and European imports, including Austria and Belgium. It also offers California craft beer.
Running said he began construction on the site last April. On Thursday, crews were making final adjustments to the seating and the venue, in anticipation of the opening.
He opened the Copenhagen Sausage Garden four years ago, and it’s the No. 1 lunch spot in the city of 5,000.
“Paula’s Pancake House takes breakfast and everyone comes to us for lunch,” Running said.
Before the pandemic, the Funk Zone had erupted into destination travels for beer, wine and food. The government shutdown, and city leaders’ decision to close parts of State Street to cars, delivered a boost of vitality to downtown. Restaurants expanded their outdoor dining options, and now State Street, particularly the 500 block, has transformed into an outdoor hub of millennial energy.
But Running’s Funk Zone outdoor beer garden appears to have hit the Funk Zone at just the right time.
“We’re excited to offer something in the community that may be a little bit different than what they get in other places,” Running said. “I think they will enjoy their experience here.”
Buckhorn Undergoes Transformation
The Cuyama Buckhorn, northeast of Santa Barbara, is transforming into a destination resort hotel.
The “iconic roadside motel,” built in 1952, now features new outdoor spaces, a “glistening” heated pool, a jacuzzi, a barrel sauna with sunset views, outdoor fire pits and games, an outdoor cooking class area and outdoor dining spaces, according to a news release.
The Buckhorn also has a deck with mountain views and a garden featuring a greenhouse for “intimate” dining experiences.
“With these additions, Cuyama Buckhorn is poised to be one of the best new getaways in California and one of the most authentically true to the region,” according to a news release.
Ferial Sadeghian and Jeff Vance, Los Angeles-based designers and owners of iDGroup, purchased the roadside motel three years ago.
“From the beginning, we have wanted to breathe new life into this space, while staying true to the property and area’s history,” Sadeghian said. “We could see this both as an oasis for locals who have always known the property, and for new guests discovering the ‘Hidden Valley of Enchantment’ for the first time.”
More changes include 24 modern-meets-rustic lounge chairs and umbrellas to complete the new pool deck area; a professional-level bocce ball court; an outdoor pool table; an open-air cocktail bar; an outdoor theater and a screening area with a large lawn and an outdoor projector screen and The Caliente Deck, which overlooks the Caliente Mountain range
New Cuyama has a population of a little more than 500 and is located two hours northeast of Santa Barbara.
Cuyama Buckhorn, at 4923 Primero St. in New Cuyama, is open seven days a week. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Web Firm Expands
Robert Fry has joined Santa Barbara-based New Directions in Computing.
Fry will serve as the client development manager and focus on enhancing relationships with new and existing customers.
NDIC, a digital services company founded in 1994, recently completed the acquisition of hosting services Impulse Communications.
“I couldn’t be more excited having someone of Rob’s caliber joining the team,” Masen Yaffee, NDIC’s founder, said in a news release. “Since our founding in 1994, NDIC’s mission has been to deliver the highest level of customer service while providing effective, professional web-based solutions for every customer. Given our current scale and continued growth rate, the time was right to expand our team in order to maintain our high standards.”
Fry said he’s excited to be collaborating with business customers again and helping them expand their effectiveness in the digital marketplace.
“As businesses adapt to today’s unique challenges, it has become mission critical for their digital presence to operate seamlessly,” Fry said. “At NDIC, our mission is to deliver innovative web-based solutions that allow our partners to compete effectively in this rapidly evolving digital world, allowing them the freedom to focus on business rather than on their technology.”
The company specializes in WordPress development, e-commerce and mobile optimization.
— 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.
