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Those scrumpdillyumptious doughnuts are getting new digs.
Hook & Press Donuts in Santa Barbara is moving from the Mosaic Locale co-op retail space on State Street to 15 E. Figueroa St., the site of the former Jeannine’s Restaurant.
“We’re beyond thrilled for our shop’s new home in the impossibly charming La Arcada Plaza and look forward to creating a warm, welcoming environment for our community in the iconic former home of Jeannine’s Bakery, a longtime favorite spot of ours,” said Denisse Salinas, who along with husband John Burnett owns the eatery.
The shop is expected to open in late summer or early fall of this year.
Hook & Press Donuts opened in 2018 at Mosaic Locale, 1131 State St. It shared the space with Draughtsmen Aleworks, Buena Onda Empanadas and Juice Ranch.
From day one, Hook & Press was a hit, selling hundreds of designer doughnuts in the morning hours. The shared space allowed small businesses an opportunity to get a start, sharing lease costs, while still having a strong presence downtown.
Now, Hook & Press is ready to move out on its own.
“Moving into a full-access kitchen in our own space will allow us to expand our hours of operation, increase production and evolve our menu, providing the opportunity to become the doughnut shop we have always envisioned,” Burnett said.
In addition to the scratch-made, yeast-raised doughnuts, apple fritters and full espresso bar serving Santa Barbara’s own Coastal Coffee Collective, new menu offerings will include cake-style, gluten-friendly and vegan donuts, as well as a selection of savory breakfast and brunch items.
Best Western Gets Better Name
(Contributed photo)
The Best Western Plus Encina Inn & Suites has changed its name to the Best Western Plus Santa Barbara.
The new name is a “natural evolution” for the locally owned, independently operated inn with deep roots in the community’s hospitality industry, according to a news release. The company also updated its guestrooms with a Pacific motif.
“It has been my family’s honor to provide our guests with a home away from home in downtown Santa Barbara for more than 50 years, and our team has worked hard to continually raise the bar to exceed the Best Western Plus standard,” said Jeanette Webber, managing partner of the Santa Barbara Hotel Group. “Along with unveiling the new, simplified name, we are thrilled to introduce updated guestrooms with a contemporary coastal look.”
The hotel, at 2220 Bath St., includes 122 guestrooms, including 30 one- and two-bedroom suites and four townhouses with fully stocked kitchens for families and extended stays. All room types are stocked with plush robes and coffee makers and have private exterior entrances. Complimentary guest perks include airport and Amtrak shuttle service, parking and high-speed WiFi, according to a news release.
Best Western Plus Santa Barbara is part of the Santa Barbara Hotel Group’s collection of four independent inns, which also includes Brisas del Mar, the Lavender Inn and Inn by the Harbor.
City Tax Revenues Shooting Up
Santa Barbara’s sales tax revenues are bouncing back.
The city received $5.5 million in sales tax revenue during the quarter ended March 31, which is up 41% from the same quarter last year. The quarter is 2.2% higher than the March 2019 quarter two years ago.
The projected sales tax revenue for this fiscal year is $21.2 million, only about 2% less than it originally projected when it created the budget.
The City of Santa Barbara collected $1.78 million in transient occupancy taxes for April 2021 — up about 1.7 million from a year ago prior, when hotel bed taxes came to a screeching halt because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, bed tax revenue was $1.65 million.
“The local travel industry is beginning to see increases in demand for rooms relative to recent months that is likely to continue throughout the spring into the summer months as the state has lifted travel advisories and as access to vaccinations has become more available,” according to a news release.
The city has collected $11.4 million through the first 10 months of the city’s fiscal year, which runs from July 1 through June 30. The city’s adopted TOT budget is $17.2 million. TOT is projected to end the fiscal year at $14.7 million, which is 15% below budget.
Summer Movie Season Starts
Metropolitan Theatres is kicking off the summer season with the films “A Quiet Place Part II” and “Cruella,” both opening Friday for Memorial Day weekend.
Tickets are on sale at MetroTheatres.com or on the Metropolitan Theatres mobile app.
The theater company also provides private rentals of new theatrical releases, for up to 20 guests. They can be booked online.
Among the big movies to be released later this summer include “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway” on June 18; “Hotel Transylvania: Transformania” on July 23 and “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins” on July 23.
Metropolitan Theatres on the South Coast include the Arlington Theatre at 1317 State St., Fiesta 5 Theatres at 916 State St. and Metro 4 Theatres at 618 State St., all in Santa Barbara, and in Goleta, Camino Real Cinemas at 7040 Marketplace Drive and Fairview Theatre at 225 N. Fairview Ave.
— 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.