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Third time’s the charm.

Open Air Bicycles has found a new home, on the corner of Carrillo and Santa Barbara streets in Santa Barbara.

It’s the third location for the iconic local business, which originated near the Fig Tree and the Santa Barbara Amtrak station 51 years ago.

After losing its lease at the State Street location, Open Air Bicycles is now cruising with the wind at its back.

“We’re excited,” owner Ed Brown said. “I wasn’t planning to move, but sometimes you have to do it.”

Brown is the third owner and thought he’d stay longer at the most recent location, 1303 State St. He was there for about 14 years, but the building was sold and the new owner has plans for a toy train station.

So he found the new site, at 135 E. Carrillo St., the former spot of 805 Deli.

The showroom is larger and the ceiling is higher, and the business has much more visibility.

The industry has changed, Brown said, with e-bikes growing in popularity.

“E-bikes are here, and the technology is getting better and better,” Brown said. “Maybe bikes all become e-bikes at some point.”

E-bikes, he said, are keeping the industry afloat, and there’s been a lot of drop-off in popularity of mountain bikes and road bikes.

“Kids bikes are always going to be in because kids are kids,” Brown said, adding that leisure bikes and beach cruisers are also still big sellers. “We have everything.”

For every traditional bike, he said, there’s an e-bike equivalent.

People can also order their bikes online and have then delivered to the store.

Brown said he’s part of a dying breed of local owners. Hazard’s and Bob’s have been sold to corporations. Velo Pro Cyclery and him are the only local owners, he said.

“We’re one of the last independents left,” he said. “We’re just trying to hang in there with the big boys.”

Brown is also planning for the future. He is in talks to sell the business eventually to one of his longtime managers, Jesse Over.

“There’s going to be a transition coming,” he said. “But we have a long lease. We plan to be here awhile.”

Brown’s employees have worked at the store for more than 15 years, he said, and they are all locals. Every sale of a bike comes with a year of free service.

“We just want to keep giving to the community, and hopefully the community will give back and shop our store,” Brown said.

Rental Apartment Vacancy Rate Low

Radius Commercial Real Estate says Santa Barbara’s apartment rental vacancy rate is 2%, “the lowest sustained vacancy rate Santa Barbara has seen in recent years.”

Rents are “up significantly over a five-year period” but have come down from the high watermark in 2022.

In one notable transaction, a 17-unit property at 509 Fig Ave. sold for more than the asking price.

“Fourteen of the 17 units were delivered vacant and ready for a new owner to update the units to achieve market rents, a unique opportunity that we do not see very often in Santa Barbara,” according to Radius.

In addition, strong demand remains for multi-family properties in the South County.

“We’re still seeing very little inventory coming to the market currently,” according to Radius’ first-quarter report. “A total of six investment properties five-plus units in size sold in south Santa Barbara County in Q1 2023.”

Santa Maria Skechers

Skechers has opened a store at the Crossroads shopping center in Santa Maria.

The shoe brand is located on the southern side of the shopping center, with visibility along Bradley Road, and neighboring retailers include Best Buy, Tillys and Five Below, according to a news release.

The 8,000-square-foot store features lifestyle and athletic footwear and apparel for men, women and kids filled with “innovative comfort technologies,” according to a news release.

Corner Tap Temporarily Closed

The Corner Tap in Santa Barbara plans to relaunch in May with a new chef and manager, according to an Instagram post.

The restaurant, on the corner of Cliff Drive and Carrillo Street, is also closed for renovations.

“We are so excited to introduce them and share with you Corner Tap 2.0 soon!!” the Instagram post states.