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Mattress Firm is coming to the Five Points Shopping Center in Santa Barbara.
The Houston-based company has leased the spaces formerly occupied by Saigon Restaurant and La Salsa, according to Hayes Commercial Group.
The furniture showroom will occupy both buildings, and remodeling work is underway.
“It’s a notable pivot for Five Points, to convert two underutilized restaurant spaces into a furniture showroom space, simultaneously allowing Little Alex’s to be the only restaurant in the building when it opens in the former Fresco Café space a few doors down,” according to Hayes.
Fresco left the spot last year for a lower lease rate and near downtown.
The new mattress store follows Mattress Mike’s move into the former Sears building across the street in La Cumbre Plaza, in what was the largest lease of 2022 at 70,000 square feet.
The Mattress Firm’s move into the Five Points Shopping Center is the latest positive for the Upper State Street area.
According to the Hayes 2022 annual report released this week, the area experienced 11 transactions, including Llama Dog moving into the former Rumba Room space at 3435 State St.
Channel City Lumber signed a 6,000-square-foot lease at 3888 State St. for a hardware store, according to Hayes.
Coast Village Road also enjoyed commercial success in 2022.
In the fourth quarter of 2022, Coast Village Road saw four leases.
An unnamed restaurant tenant signed for the former Cava space, 1212 Coast Village Road. Another tenant signed for the former Angel space, 1221 Coast Village Road.
Montecito Fitness moved into 1250, and First American Title at 1165, according to Hayes Commercial Group.
“There are only two small spaces available on Coast Village Road, which has emerged as a South Coast retail hot-spot over the past few years,” Hayes stated.
The Hayes report also states that storefront vacancy between the 400 and 1300 blocks of State Street is 13.7 percent, and that the 900 block of State Street has at least seven vacancies.
Restoration Hardware plans to vacate 710 State St. and move to the Old Firehouse building at 1486 East Valley Road in Montecito, according to Hayes.
The 1200 block lost four restaurants including Bedda Mia in the past year.
“On paper, this is a strong block for restaurants, near dozens of professional office buildings by day and several historic theaters at night, so these spaces are unlikely to stay vacant for long.” Hayes states.
Mindblown Travel Launched
Mindblown Travel LLC is a new Santa Barbara-based global concierge travel service.
According to a press release, it “has been established to design curated, life-changing journeys for every taste and budget.”
The company is an affiliate of Santa Barbara Travel Bureau, a family-owned business that has over 75 years of expertise in the travel industry.
“At Mindblown Travel, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience the joys and rewards of ‘voluntourism,’” said CEO Rob Williams. “That’s why we offer a range of curated trips to suit every budget.”
Whether people are looking for a short-term trip or a longer immersion program, the company options to fit their needs and wallet, he said.
“Our trips range from basic and affordable to ultra-luxurious, with a variety of accommodations and experiences to choose from,” he said. “No matter your budget, you can be confident that you’ll be making a meaningful impact on the community you’re visiting and having an incredible travel experience.”
A portion of each trip booked with Mindblown Travel supports a known and vetted cause, according to a press release.
For more information click here.
Hotel Bed Taxes Continue Rise
Santa Barbara collected $1.38 million in Transient Occupancy Taxes for the month of January 2023 — 7.8% higher than expected.
The city has collected $18.95 million through January, the seventh month in the city’s fiscal year.
The city’s TOT tax rate is 12%, of which 10% goes to the city’s General Fund and the remaining 2% goes to the Creeks/Clean Water Fund, according to a news release.
— 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.