It’s time to stop “runnin’ to Bunnin” in Santa Barbara.

The venerable and long-lasting Chevrolet car dealership at 301 S. Hope Ave. has been sold.

The new store, now called Coastal Chevy, is in the hands of new owner Frank Figueredo, a Cuban American with 40 years of experience in the auto industry.

“We’re excited to be part of the Santa Barbara community,” Figueredo said. “It’s a good market. There’s a big Hispanic market in this area. It’s a growing market for Chevrolet.”

The sale from Leo Bunnin to Figueredo and his business partner went into effect a couple of weeks ago. Figueredo bought only the Santa Barbara location, so the Bunnin name will continue at dealerships in Fillmore and Santa Paula.

The ownership change comes at a challenging time in the industry with a recent rise in prime interest rates and coming off a shortage of computer chips during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Figueredo said he and his team have the experience to propel Chevy to new levels.

“It’s a very cyclical industry,” Figueredo said. “There are good times, and there are challenging times. If you have a good team, you have a good brand, those challenging moments you can overcome.”

Figueredo’s general manager, Benny Madrigal, has been in the car business for 30 years and has sold more than 5,000 cars.

He formerly was the general manager of Toyota for 30 years.

“We are going to concentrate on customer service and taking care of the people of Santa Barbara,” Madrigal said. “We want to take care of Santa Barbara so people don’t have to go out of town to buy cars.”

Madrigal said the dealership maintained about 90% of the crew.

“The 10% who didn’t stay were commuting from Santa Paula and Fillmore,” he said, and are now working at those dealerships.

Figueredo, who also owns a Nissan dealership in Orange County, said his father was the first Cuban American to have a Chevy dealership in the country.

Azul Opens Downtown

Azul Cocina y Cantina is now open at 7 E. Anapamu St. in Santa Barbara.

The restaurant opened last Friday. Manny Diaz, the co-owner and executive chef, will showcase Mexican cuisine “with a modern contemporary twist,” according to an Instagram post.

The restaurant first opened in January, but then closed for more renovations until the recent opening. The location has faced turnover in recent years, housing places such as Somerset and La Cocina after a long run as the Arts & Letter Cafe.

The owners are optimistic.

“A fusion of tradition and modernity at Azul Cocina and Cantina, a new concept in Downtown Santa Barbara, showcasing Mexican cuisine with a modern contemporary twist. NOW OPEN!” they posted on Instagram.

Another Restaurant Opening

Mexican restaurant Cafe La Fonda is holding a soft opening Friday before officially opening its doors on Dec. 15.

The restaurant is at 129 E. Anapamu St., the former site of the Courthouse Tavern.

“Our family has been working day and night and the day is finally here!” the company wrote on Instagram.

Xfinity Opens in Lompoc

The Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce is holding an event to celebrate the opening of the Xfinity cable store.

The event is scheduled from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday.

It also will include food from Floriano’s Restaurant, a churro stand, a DJ and a chance to win great giveaways and prizes, according to a news release.

The event will be held at 730 North H St. in Lompoc.