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Ashley Hayes has opened her heart and her doors in downtown Santa Barbara.
She has opened Asher Market at 535 State St., next to Hotel Santa Barbara.
She designs alpaca textiles, including blankets, ponchos and scarves, and has launched her own line of children and baby clothing and accessories, called Asher Baby.
The boutique store has been open for less than two weeks, and also serves as the hotel’s gift shop.
“The size of the space is just right,” Hayes told Noozhawk. “It feels very meant to be.”
Hayes said her husband, Christian, noticed the vacant spot while they were shopping at the nearby Vans store. At 460 square feet, it was a good find, smaller than most of the much larger vacant spaces on State Street.
She had previously rented space from other retail stores, such as Plum Goods on State Street, or spots in Carpinteria and the Funk Zone. The space by the hotel seemed to be perfect.
“It’s really fun to have a space of my own,” Hayes said. “The goal here is to store everything I love.”
Like a true Santa Barbara mom, she often has her 5-month-old son, Hudson, on her arm when she works. It’s a family run business, along with her husband and their other child, Cora.
“Everything about the space feels very meant to be,” she said. “It’s beautiful in here. It’s such a happy place.”
Book Den 40th Anniversary
Eric Kelley is celebrating 40 years as the owner of the Book Den, one of the last independently owned bookstores in the Santa Barbara area.
Kelley and Michael Isador bought the Book Den on April 1, 1979.
Kelley bought his partner’s share of the business in 1983. The store has moved around a few times, but is currently at 15 E. Anapamu St.
The Book Den is the oldest retail business in downtown Santa Barbara, and the only remaining full-service bookstore, Kelley said.
The store will celebrate its anniversary on April 4, with sparkling wine and cupcakes.
Gymboree Departing La Cumbre Plaza
The Gymboree children’s clothing store in La Cumbre Plaza will close its doors at the end of April.
Gymboree Group Inc. announced in January that it was closing its 800 stores in California and filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
New Veterinarian in Carpinteria
Dr. Adrienne Oliver has joined the staff at the Animal Medical Clinic in Carpinteria, 1037 Casitas Pass Road.
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Oliver on our team,” said clinic owner Dr. Scott Smith. “Her positive energy, compassion and technical skills have made her a good fit here at Animal Medical Clinic. I believe our clients and, of course, our patients will benefit from this new addition to our clinic.”
Oliver earned a doctorate in veterinary medicine from UC Davis in 2010, after completing a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science from Texas A&M, and a master’s degree in physiology from Cal State-East Bay.
Oliver has experience treating all types of pets with various ailments. Her areas of expertise are soft tissue surgery, dentistry and internal medicine.
Animal Medical Clinic also features Pet Desk, a software program that allows clients to make appointments and manage their pets’ health through a smartphone application. The software allows the clinic to expand efficiency and communication with clients through improved technology.
The clinic is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Kirker Wright Adds Mediation Services
Kirker Wright Law Group is adding mediation and settlement services to firm offerings.
The Santa Barbara practice specializes in divorce mediation, voluntary settlement conferences, appeals, neutral case evaluation, evaluation and settlement of high-conflict custody matters, and minors’ counsel services.
Vanessa Kirker Wright, a California native and Santa Barbara resident for more than 40 years, leads the firm. She is a state certified family law specialist.
Kirker Wright is a member of the Santa Barbara County Bar Association and Santa Barbara Women Lawyers. She is a past chair of the Santa Barbara County Bar Association Family Law Section, according to a news release.
For the past 19 years, Kirker Wright has volunteered as settlement master with the Santa Barbara Superior Court, and she has often been recognized for her outstanding services.
Kirker Wright also is associated with several sections of the California State Bar including the Family Law Section Executive Committee, where she served as Chair, and the State Bar Council of Sections. She has further contributed to her local community by working with the Santa Barbara County Legal Aid Foundation and teaching Community Property at the Santa Barbara College of Law.
The Kirker Wright Law Group is located at 817 Garden St., #200.
— 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.