A new Italian gelato store is set to officially open in downtown Santa Barbara on Saturday.

Sweetaly will celebrate the opening of its first gelato store in California at 401 Paseo Nuevo with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon.

Owner Francesco Amendola is originally from southern Italy. He later moved to Salt Lake City with his wife.

He founded Sweetaly in 2014 and has two more Sweetaly stores in Salt Lake City.

“Opening Sweetaly in Santa Barbara is a dream many years in the making. Since opening our first shop in Utah over a decade ago, our goal has always been simple: Serve authentic Italian gelato made with the finest ingredients, and make every guest feel at home,” Amendola said.

“This location is especially meaningful because it marks the beginning of the next chapter for our family, and we can’t wait to become part of this wonderful community.”

Sweetaly offers a range of flavors that will rotate every month, including chocolate peanut butter, Oreo mint, wild cherry, stracciatella, Thai rice, and almond and salted caramel.

The shop will replace Tondi Gelato, which was open in that spot from 2021 to 2025.

Last Call for Breakfast at Goleta’s Crushcakes

Coffee shop Crushcakes & Café will no longer serve breakfast or lunch at its Goleta location.

The café announced last week that its 5392 Hollister Ave. location will serve only drinks, pastries and cupcakes as of Monday. It still will serve some to-go items, including breakfast burritos, wraps, granola parfaits and more.

Crushcakes has two locations, with the other at 1315 Anacapa St. in Santa Barbara, which will continue to offer a full menu.

Reicker, Pfau, Pyle & McRoy Expands

Attorney Hillary Leffue has joined Reicker, Pfau, Pyle & McRoy LLP in Santa Barbara.

Leffue brings extensive experience in litigation, internal investigations and alternative dispute resolution to the firm, according to a press release sent out by the firm.

“I am excited to join Reicker, Pfau, Pyle & McRoy and become part of a firm known for its commitment to clients and the community,” Leffue said. “I look forward to helping clients navigate complex legal challenges with thoughtful, practical counsel so they can stay focused on running their businesses and pursuing their goals.”

Leffue previously worked at Foley & Lardner LLP, where she dealt with international arbitration disputes in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

She also advised clients and companies in enforcement cases brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and other federal and state agencies.

Leffue earned her juris doctorate, cum laude, from the Boston University School of Law and received her bachelor of arts degree from UC Santa Barbara. She can practice in California, Massachusetts and New York.

The Santa Barbara firm is located at 1421 State St., Suite B.

Tourism Continues to Grow in Santa Barbara

The City of Santa Barbara brought in $38.8 million in revenue from the transient occupancy tax during the past fiscal year.

The fiscal year begins on the first day of July and ends on the last day of June the next year. The TOT is a tax for guests staying in hotels, short-term rentals and other commercial lodging establishments.

Santa Barbara brought in $4 million in June, which saw the highest occupancy rate in the past decade.

“June reflected a combination of healthy seasonal demand and visitation associated with the FIFA World Cup,” said Kathy Janega-Dykes, president and CEO of Visit Santa Barbara.

Janega-Dykes said Visit Santa Barbara “worked alongside local hospitality partners for more than two years to secure official team base camps for Austria and Qatar, and we were proud to welcome both teams to the South Coast in June.”

“Their stays generated more than 5,000 room nights across four local hotel properties, while tournament-related visitation helped support a standout June,” she said.

Hotel occupancy increased 9% compared with June 2025, while the average daily cost per room rose 6% to $394, according to Visit Santa Barbara. Revenue per room increased by 15% to $324. 

During the 2025-26 fiscal year, the average hotel occupancy across the South Coast rose to 73%, up 3.2% compared with the 2024-25 fiscal year.

New Cardiology Practice to Open Downtown

Former Cottage Cardiology medical director Vishal Goyal plans to open an independent cardiology practice in downtown Santa Barbara next month.

Riviera Cardiology Concierge is set to open at 8 W. Victoria St. on Saturday and is accepting new patients and doctor referrals.

Goyal previously worked for Cottage Health for 10 years. The new practice will focus on longer appointments with doctors, direct communication and more comprehensive testing and reviews.

American Riviera Bank Starts 2026 Strong

American Riviera Bank brought in $7.3 million in net income in the first half of 2026, an increase of 46.2% compared with the same period in 2025.

Total deposits grew by 8.4% to $1.23 billion.

The bank’s total loans increased 13.1% to $1.15 billion. The bank also saw $72 million in loan growth during the first half of 2026.

The bank has a location at 1033 Anacapa St. in Santa Barbara.