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Santa Barbara Public Market is planning some changes in 2016, making way this week by closing its Foragers Pantry grocery store.
The multi-vendor market at 38 W. Victoria St. is planning to turn that main entrance-adjacent space into a beer garden by spring 2016 — just in time to coincide with the market procuring a license allowing customers 21 and older to enjoy alcoholic beverages anywhere throughout the building.
Marge Cafarelli, who spearheaded the market opening in April 2014 as part of the Alma del Pueblo project, said locals should stay tuned for Santa Barbara Public Market 2.0.
The market that opened with 14 vendors now hosts eight purveyors and The Kitchen, a commercial kitchen that can be rented and used for special events.
Cafarelli owns The Kitchen, along with Wine + Beer and Foragers Pantry, which was still selling its remaining items Thursday.
“Foragers Pantry served as a convenient one-stop-shop for the downtown Santa Barbara neighborhood, and we want to thank the community for their support,” she said in a statement.
“We are very excited about the beer garden joining our collective, and we look forward to what’s in store for the market in 2016!”
Plans are in the works to add more vendors to replace those that left the market in 2015, including the Pasta Shoppe, Juice Well, Crazy Good Bread, Belcampo Meat Co., Santa Monica Seafood and the Culture Counter Co.
The new beer garden will feature a tap system serving craft micro and macro brews from around the globe, along with big screen TVs for watching sporting events and a menu of small plate dishes.
Cafarelli said obtaining the proper market-wide license for customers to be able to roam while carrying and drinking alcohol purchased at one of the purveyors has always been part of the plan. She expects that change will go into effect in early 2016.
Menelli Trading Opens in Montecito
Menelli Trading Company has opened at 1080 Coast Village Rd. in Montecito.
The company sells specialty products for home interiors, exteriors and beyond.
High-end gifts are also sold at the business, which strives to market Earth-friendly, organic and fair trade products.
TOT Decreases in November
The city of Santa Barbara collected more than $1.1 million in Transient Occupancy Taxes in the month of November, a 4-percent decrease from the same month last year.
According to the city, that’s the largest decline since November 2010.
City staff said the closure of a Santa Barbara hotel (Sandman Inn) in March 2015 contributed to the decrease, along with a 1.4-percent decline in occupancy rates and November having one less weekend night than in 2014.
November 2015 TOT was also building upon two consecutive years of double-digit growth for the month of November.
Santa Barbara has collected approximately $9 million in TOT revenues for the first five months of this fiscal year.
Union Bank Makes New Hire
Union Bank has hired James Lin to join its residential lending team as a mortgage consultant in Santa Barbara and Port Hueneme.
Lin will be responsible for assisting clients with their home mortgage needs in the Santa Barbara, Port Hueneme and Mesa communities.
Prior to joining Union Bank, Lin served as a mortgage consultant with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.
— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.