Linden Square Opens

Thursday, May 22 saw the grand opening of Linden SquareinCarpinteria, drawing in a wave of celebratory visitors from Montecito to Malibu! Linden Square owners-project managers-developers Terry Huggins and Matt LaBrie’s full block complex will soon become the iconic blueprint for revitalizing small towns and districts of larger cities. Using their prior project experience – the Funk Zone SB and the SB Bowl, they have found their sweet spot formula, and permitting from the City of Carpinteria was instrumental to ensuring the project, although modern, kept the local warmth of the city.

Overseeing the overall project was DMHA Architecture + Interior Design, with DMHA Principal Architects Ed DeVicente AIA and Mike Stroh involved from day one, both of whom carried the project from concept to built reality. Project Architect Izzy Savage managed the project, coordinating all of the exterior site planning, building design, exterior common areas, as well as the interior design of common area amenities.

Additionally, other interior designers were brought in by various tenants to handle the interior design of individual lease spaces, including Kevin Moore and AB Design Studio. Jodi G. Design was involved in selecting and specifying the outdoor seating, furnishings, and art sections for the overall project, such as artist Ben Anderson’s exterior wall mural, Forest Moon Art works, and Piper Crabtree’s sculpture.

The square is everyone’s new home to chill, do business, eat, mingle, and shop. The project team received the city’s thumbs up for live music, which has its own carved out space. 

Your Society Invites gal was invited and attended the VIP opening from 10-11 am, with briefs from Huggins and LaBrie, each of the square’s eight business owners, and ribbon cutting. The public grand opening started at 11 am and continued through the early evening with live music. DART coffee dispensed the caffeine and French pastries; Tina’s served pizza and wine, and Third Window Brewing served up the beer, smoked beef, and chicken. 

The opening proved to be a Who’s Who of investors, luxury realtors, hospitality industry influencers, contractors, vendors, news wire reps, and of course local politicians. Noted at the event were First District Supervisor Roy Lee, SBC Sheriff’s Dept. Lt. Rich Brittingham, Carpinteria Mayor Natalia Alarcon, Carp District 4 Rep Wade Nomura with wife Debbie, Taylor Toner from the Montecito Luxury Group, Easter Team Realtors SB; Angela of Enjoy the Bite 805; Hana-Lee Sedgwick of Wander and Wine; Eater LA Restaurant Reviews, Carpinteria Radio’s Dennis Mitchell and Bryan Mootz; Curtis Lee Lopez from Carpinteria Chamber of Commerce and Carpinteria Lion’s Club; C-side Ink Studios; SB Life & Style Magazine; KEYT’s John Palminteri, Siteline’s Erik Torkells; Gary Dobbins owner of Coastal View News with his team; Edhat, SB Indy, and Noozhawk. 

Huggins and LaBrie are the first new owners of the 700 Linden Avenue property in 128 years, taking ownership from the Hickey Banks Family Trust. Huggins predicts the project will add $600,000/year plus to the City of Carp in sales tax revenues. 

At the opening program, LaBrie said, “It was an honor to work with the Hickey Family, and create an adaptive reuse project, to take a structure that needed to be reborn and give it new life. Thank you to the City of Carpinteria and elected officials and staff for your support. Developers can’t always say that. It was important for us to be additive to the community, we did not want to compete with what was here. You know a rising tide lifts all boats. This project gives locals a reason to come back downtown, try something new and visit your old favorites. When we were searching for tenants, we looked for regional locals that weren’t already here that brought something unique and quality to add to the downtown.” 

Speaking on behalf of her family and prior owners, Terry Hickey Banks, President of Hickey Bros Land Co. Carpinteria, arrived with a framed painting of the Austin Home Center, late 1800s, by artist John Wullbrandt, who did the painting 50 years ago from a photograph. She waxed nostalgic about the architecture of the original building and its memories for her but concluded with praise for the new business center.

City Manager Michael Ramirez introduced the new business owners to say a few words:

Corazón Cocina Sur, owner, executive chef and a 2024 California Michelin Bib Gourmand winner, Ramon Velazquez gave birth to this third location nine months after opening Alma Fonda Fina in Montecito. Velazquez, “When I first came to this country, I moved to Carp. I was 16. The other tenants here are friends. There’s a lot of great restaurants that have been here for a long time and we want to bring more energy and more people here so this town can be a great little beach town. Our focus at this restaurant is seafood and vegetables.”

Channel Islands Surfboards owners Britt Merrick and Kate Merrick scored the right front corner location at Linden Ave and Seventh Street. Merrick shared, “It’s such a joy for us to be here; I was born on Seventh Street 53 years ago. My parents started Channel Island Surfboards in 1969 from Seventh Street. Our manufacturing is here in the industrial area. Thank you for the project and support of our business.” Pro-surfers who use Channel Island boards include Lakey Peterson, who grew up in Montecito.

DART Coffee owners David Dart and Erika Carter will have their own kitchen with goodies on site. They have the left facing corner and are still under construction.

MĀCHER owners Lex and Josh Gruetzmacher’s shop is opening in July.

Olada Life from owner Casey Glassman is opening mid-to-late June. She said, “We are honored to bring a community wellness space to this project. We will have heated and unheated Vinyasa yoga and Reformer Pilates. Membership and drop-ins welcome.”

The Shopkeepers retail store owners Patti Pagliei and John Simpson plan to open within a week, carrying men and women’s wear, Waxing Poetic jewelry and DreamWeaver brands and art.

Third Window Brewing owners Kristopher “Kris” and Michellene Parker have the front right spot with open patio seating, an outdoor smoker with oak sustainably sourced from his Santa Ynez property for cooking wagyu brisket and chicken, and 37 taps at the bar. Kris is the grandson of Santa Barbara County wine legend Fess Parker. Kris adds, “Wow, I’ve been coming to Carp to see my best friend and play music with him for decades. His son is on our team now. My son goes to school here. I’m really humbled and honored to be working with the people who’ve done this project, and the people for the hospitality in the courtyard. I’m excited to get started.”

Tina’s Pizzeria’s owners are Rachel Greenspan and Brendan Smith of Bettina Pizzeria Montecito. Tina’s is the little sister of Bettina’s, with a different menu and is take-out based. Rachel, “We’re very excited to be opening after two-and-a-half years and have another space to get our food and gather and have fun.” Tina’s also has a provision shop where one can find homemade condiments and sauces, salads and sandwiches, Italian specialty items, wines, spices, herbs, pasta and more.  

To say there is an excitement in the air is an understatement. Totally packed every day since opening, Linden Square has just leveled up the game.

411: www.linden-square.com