As a kid, John Leenhouwers loved to build things. Forts. Tents. Little hideaways.

“I always wanted a treehouse,” he said. “It just feels cozy to have a little space around you.”

Now, he’s living his dream.

“To me, it’s like art,” he said. “A painter creates on a canvas. I create a space.”

Those spaces are on full display as part of an outdoor showroom at 210 E. Haley St. in Santa Barbara.

Leenhouwers this month opened The Cazita Merchant, where he designs, his team creates, and then he sells handmade offices, bars, and getaway areas for backyards or big spaces.

“It’s a little bit close to a tiny home, or a she-shed, a home office,” he said.

They are popular for glamorous camping, or “glamping,” he said.

“We have some wineries talking about glamping resorts,” Leenhouwers said. “You can have it as an extra room behind your house.”

The structures can be shipped anywhere in the world and take a few hours to assemble, he said.

Born in New Zealand, Leenhouwers loves to experience different cultures. He has lived in Holland, did missionary work in western Africa, studied in England, and visited Gaza, Syria and Turkey.

“I’ve traveled the world,” he said. “I enjoyed all these cultures. For me, it’s like bringing that feeling of culture and allow the masses to experience the world.”

He also owns The Tent Merchant, 436 E. Gutierrez St. in Santa Barbara, which focuses on rentals for events. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, events shut down, so he decided to listen to that inner child who desired to build things.

“Owning a business, you are just super busy and you never have time to do anything outside your business,” he said. “COVID allowed me to have the time to go to my book of dreams.”

The showroom is open Monday through Saturday. The space is so large that he said he is also open to hosting events at the site.

“I love what I do,” he said.

The Sonos Slide

There’s more bad news for audio company Sonos as the company announced another round of layoffs Wednesday.

“We made the difficult decision to say goodbye to approximately 100 team members, representing 6% of the company,” CEO Patrick Spence said in a news release. “This action was a difficult, but necessary, measure to ensure continued, meaningful investment in Sonos’ product roadmap while setting Sonos up for long-term success.”

The one-time wireless speaker giant got its start in Santa Barbara but last year moved its offices to Goleta, 301 Coromar Drive.

Over the years, Sonos has occupied multiple spaces and office buildings downtown.

Tech media have reported furiously on the company’s relaunch of its app in May as well as a plethora of problems related to its functionality.

“Our continued commitment to the app recovery and delighting our customers remains our priority, and we are confident that today’s actions will not impact our ability to deliver on that promise,” Spence said. “Today, we are focused on our departing employees and ensuring they have the support they need.”

More Real Estate Nuggets From Hayes and Radius

Sonos’ relocation to Santa Barbara was part of a wave of downsizing for tech companies that no longer have enough employees to occupy the large spaces they leased a decade ago. Many employees are also now working remotely.

Santa Barbara’s available office inventory jumped by about 5% during the first half of the
year to 10.5%, according to Hayes Commercial Group and its second-quarter report.

The South Coast’s biggest office lease to date was nonprofit CommUnify, which leased
the 11,500-square-foot third floor of Anacota Plaza, 602 Anacapa St. in Santa Barbara, for 10 years.

The building previously had been occupied by Antioch University. The rest of the building, about 13,300 square feet, went on the market in July.

“Creative office space, favored by tech businesses, was profoundly affected by the shift to remote work, and many of these spaces continue to be underutilized in Santa Barbara,” according to Hayes.

Sonos’s move to Goleta has opened up 80,700 square feet available at 25 E. Mason St. in the Funk Zone and 600-614 Chapala St. in the downtown core. These spaces, according to Hayes, can easily be converted to retail showroom, fitness, winery/brewery or
other industrial uses.

Some recent leases:

Michael Wyrsta leased 9,600 square feet at 819 Reddick St. in Santa Barbara for research and development.

Jackpocket leased 1,210 square feet of flex space at 126 E. Haley St. in Santa Barbara, after moving into 4,280 square feet at 104 E. Haley St.

Impact Tech renewed 11,500 square feet at 223 E. De la Guerra St. in Santa Barbara.

Hayes also reports a bit of a change in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone.

Funk Zone Slowdown

Seven retail spaces are available for lease, totaling 23,000 square feet in the Funk Zone.

The area also has five commercial properties, about 35,000 square feet, for sale.

“By all appearances, the area is still a thriving retail destination, but tenants and buyers are not flocking to current inventory, possibly due to some fairly aggressive pricing,” according to Hayes.

Radius Says Commercial Sales Slowing

Radius Commercial Real Estate says commercial sales have diminished, with only 17 commercial sale transactions in the South Coast during the second quarter.

It was the lowest second-quarter total in the past three years, and a drop from the 22 sales recorded during the first quarter.

The biggest deal, however, was the Hampton Inn, 5665 Hollister Ave., a 101-key hotel that was purchased for $19.9 million by Gemini Hotel Group, a private equity fund that invests in institutional-quality hotels, according to Radius.

Radius, in its second-quarter report, said Santa Barbara had 14 new retail leases, totaling
approximately 22,613 square feet, a sign of “robust” activity.

“While challenges remain, particularly with larger vacant storefronts and the uncertainties surrounding the State Street Master Plan, interest from national brands and the absorption of key spaces indicate a resilient and evolving market,” according to Radius. “As Santa Barbara navigates economic pressures and urban development, the next few years will be crucial in determining whether this positive momentum can shift the narrative surrounding downtown State Street.

“With increased focus on downtown, the city will need to its resources to support small businesses and ensure that trade areas do not suffer as a result.”

Mission Pool Tables & Games for Sale

Owner John Kuhn says Mission Pool Tables & Games, at 26 W. Mission St. in Santa Barbara, is for sale.

“The only complete pool table and game store on Mission Street since 1981 is on the market for sale,” Kuhn said. “Specializing in quality games both indoor and outdoor. Well-established with both retail and commercial accounts. It is an excellent opportunity for someone wanting to step in and operate. Serious inquiries only phone John at 805.569.1444.”