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Forget the frappuccino.
The Starbucks at the corner of State and De la Guerra streets in Santa Barbara plans to close its doors by the end of March.
The Seattle-based company announced last June that it would close 400 stores around the nation in favor of mobile options.
“Over the next 18 months, Starbucks will increase convenience-led formats in company-operated locations with drive-thru and curbside pickup options,” the company said in a news release. “As we navigate through the COVID-19 crisis, we are accelerating our store transformation plans to address the realities of the current situation, while still providing a safe, familiar and convenient experience for our customers.”
It is unclear what specifically undid the Starbucks at 800 State St. The downtown strip is already rich with coffeehouses, including two other locations within a few blocks. Other competition exists in the area to grab a cup of java, including Good Cup, Hustle & Grind and Dune Coffee Roasters.
On Friday morning, Starbucks issued a statement to Noozhawk:
“As part of Starbucks standard course of business, we continually evaluate our business to ensure a healthy store portfolio,” the corporate statement said. “After careful consideration, we’ve determined it is best to close the store at 800 State Street in Santa Barbara, CA. Our last day at this location will be March 16, 2021. As difficult as this is, we must make the right business decisions for the sake of Starbucks long-term growth. All Starbucks partners (employees) working at that store will have the opportunity to transfer to one of our nearby locations. We are proud to have been part of the Santa Barbara, CA community and look forward to serving our customers at our nearby locations.”
Santa Barbara officials recently closed State Street to cars, but the additional foot traffic did not seem to help with Starbucks’ bottom line.
Hayes Commercial Group is marketing the high-profile spot, which totals 2,600 square feet.
“One of the premier properties and locations in all of Santa Barbara, this iconic corner retail space in the heart of downtown faces Paseo Nuevo and De La Guerra Plaza, situated among major retailers and renowned attractions,” according to Hayes. “The renovated offering features a ground floor space and upstairs loft area, with private restroom, outdoor seating and prominent signage.”
The space will be available beginning April 1, according to Hayes. Those interested can reach broker Francois DeJohn at fran@hayescommercial.com or 805.898.4365.
Wingstop Signs 10-Year Lease
Retail continued its downward slide in the final quarter of 2020.
According to Radius Commercial Real Estate, many would-be tenants were skeptical of committing to long-term leases during the quarter, and a majority that signed were for one- to three-year terms.
There was one exception.
The newly opened Wingstop in La Cumbre Plaza signed a 10-year term on a 1,438-square-foot space. It’s the first Wingstop in Santa Barbara.
Radius also said that the old Sears building in La Cumbre Plaza came onto the market. Including the 149,000-square-foot building, retail vacancy in Santa Barbara reached a half-million square feet and a 5% vacancy rate; it was 3.8% at the end of 2019.
Along State Street in Santa Barbara, 249 retail storefronts exist; about 48 were available for lease and 39 were vacant at the end of quarter in 2020.
Compared with the end of 2019, about 42 retail storefronts were available for lease and 36 were vacant, according to Radius.
New Chef, Menu at El Encanto
El Encanto, a Belmond Hotel, has a new executive chef, Bruno Lopez.
The hotel’s new food and beverage program “injects fresh energy into the location’s existing mountain-and-sea provenance,” according to a news release.
The menu focuses on local, artisanal ingredients, drawing inspiration from various California cultures to offer plant-based options and fresh seafood caught daily, the news release stated.
The menu features seared diver scallops and king salmon, risotto with a choice of sea urchin or black truffle, a “refreshing” grains and greens bowl, glass noodles with fresh, globally inspired ingredients sourced locally and “paired with El Encanto’s wide selection of local wine, beer and signature cocktails.”
“Our farmers, watermen, winemakers and community are the true inspiration for this new direction,” Lopez said. “We wanted to honor the Central Coast’s extraordinary seafood and produce by crafting a menu that showcases their exceptional flavors.”
Sear Steakhouse in Solvang
Solvang is getting a new steakhouse.
Sear Steakhouse is set to open in March at 478 Fourth Place.
The menu, according to the restaurant’s Facebook page will feature “classic premium steakhouse cuts from local ranches, while highlighting produce from our farm, and sourcing seafood from our local waters.”
The team includes owner Demetrios “Jimmy” Loizides, owner and mixologist Alberto Battaglini, and executive chef Erik Dandee.
— 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.
