The Funk Zone has gained a Santa Barbara South Coast sandwich staple.

South Coast Deli, a sandwich and salad spot founded in 1991, is now serving at 205 Santa Barbara St., Suite 1B. It’s its fourth location in Santa Barbara County.

“We’re so happy to be here! The Funk Zone brings a whole new level of fresh energy, and we’ve felt it the last few days from our customers and our staff,” owner Jim St. John said.

The sandwich shop took over the Funk Zone spot after Rincon Brewery closed in early March. 

Santa Barbara Airport Brings Back Flights to San Diego

Fasten your seatbelts. 

Flights to San Diego International Airport from the Santa Barbara Airport officially returned on Wednesday. Travelers have two daily Alaska Airlines flights from which to choose. 

“Our community has been eager for the convenience of this quick, direct flight—eliminating the long drive and making travel across Southern California easier than ever,” SBA Director Chris Hastert said.

The route was last offered at SBA in 2022.

Airport leaders and community members celebrated the first flight to San Diego with a welcome booth and complimentary ice cream for the route’s first passengers.

Interiors Store Coming to Downtown Santa Barbara

Pippin, a new antique and contemporary items store, will expected to open in Santa Barbara’s La Arcada Plaza in May. 

The shop at 1114 State St., Suite 24 is locally owned by Santa Barbara resident Carly Pippin. It will sell French European antique items and contemporary household items.

Pippin said antiques give her “a better understanding of what it means to be human.”

“I love thinking about why an object was made or how it was used, and appreciating its attention to detail, … Antiques magnify the present moment by inviting us into a broader dialogue with the past, plus they’re a sustainable furniture and decorating resource, and quite often the most beautiful things in a room,” she said.

Pippin has worked at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles’ Getty Center.

A public grand opening is set for 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. May 5, alongside Santa Barbara’s First Thursday Art Walk.

Luxury Clothing Store Coming to Montecito Country Mart

La Ligne, a luxury clothing store chain, is moving into Montecito Country Mart at 1026D Coast Village Road.

The clothing brand — from co-founders Meredith Melling, Valerie Macaulay and Molly Howard — has eight locations across the country.

The opening date and details have yet to be announced. 

Radisson Hotel Santa Maria Pivots to Delta by Marriott Brand

The Radisson Hotel Santa Maria will be Delta Hotels by Marriott Santa Maria starting in the fall.

The hotel, at 3455 Skyway Drive, is undergoing a significant transformation both structurally and aesthetically, according to Michelle Ball, hotel interim marketing and communications manager.

The renovations will make the hotel the “city’s first premium-category hotel,” with nearly 200 redesigned rooms, updated common areas and modernized spaces, according to Ball. 

The hotel remains open during renovations.