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Sometimes one must leave their hometown to truly appreciate it, which precisely explains Santa Barbara native Donna Greene.
She moved away to Washington, D.C., and elsewhere to study art and graphic design, returning in the 1980s to start her own design business and a second venture this month — Santa Barbara Greeting Cards.
Greene, who also sings in a local blues and jazz band called Donna Greene & The Roadhouse Daddies, took some photography classes in graduate school and has been amassing a treasure trove of photos highlighting Santa Barbara’s most popular beaches and landscapes.
Her friends convinced her to sell them, and she finally agreed. Greene offers two sets of 12 — a greeting card set and a postcard set, each made from recycled paper and assembled (by Greene) into a custom tin with an engraved bamboo pen.
“It’s attractive to locals and visitors,” Greene told Noozhawk. “I think what sets me apart is my passion for living here. I’d like to keep growing the sets.”
The Santa Barbara County Courthouse, Santa Barbara Mission and a number of local beaches made the first cut of cards, which are available at Chaucer’s Bookstore and Santa Barbara Arts in La Arcada Plaza.
Santa Barbara Greeting Cards are also available online.
Saks Building Sold
An out-of-area investor has purchased the Saks Off 5th Avenue building at 1001 State St. for over $15 million, according to Lee & Associates Central Coast.
The 46,813-square-foot retail building in downtown Santa Barbara had been owned by State Street Properties LLC for 65-plus years before being sold off in an off-market investment deal, according to Stephen Leider, managing principal with Lee & Associates who represented the seller along with fellow principal Clarice Clarke.
Leider said an unnamed Los Angeles investor bought the property and plans to hold onto it long term.
The building had housed Saks Fifth Avenue, a high-end department store, until October, when the company reopened and re-branded as Saks Off 5th, a discounted version of its former self.
Timeless Toys Opens
A toy store called Timeless Toys has opened in Santa Barbara’s La Cumbre Plaza.
The entire inventory of the store at 121 S. Hope Ave. is Melissa & Doug Toys, a toy brand that’s been around over 25 years, boasting more than 2,000 innovative products for children of all ages.
Texas Cattle Company to Close
The Texas Cattle Company restaurant in Lompoc closed up for good this week.
Wednesday was the final day of operations for the Tex-Mex eatery at 936 N. H St.
“Due to the change in our local economy, we feel it is time to go a different direction,” owners Victor and Lupe Vega said in a message on their Facebook page.
“We want to thank each and every one of you for your loyalty.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.