Tag archives: local business

Husband and wife duo Lou Fontana and Louise Ulrich-Fontana have officially opened their third Oat Bakery location in the Montecito Country Mart. The opening party was on Wednesday, April 18, featuring free loaves of bread and cookies, and a T.W. Hollister vermouth spritzer bar.  On hand besides the plethora of news reporters were the Oat […]

In the heart of every thriving community lies a network of local businesses that can serve not only as its economic backbone but also as its social one. Yet, in the face of challenges such as economic downturns and natural disasters, these businesses often bear the brunt of adversity.  This was clearly evidenced in Montecito […]

Montecito winemaker Gretchen Lieff was awarded Woman Business Owner of the Year at the 10th annual BRAVO Awards lunch at Goleta’s Hilton Garden Inn. Gretchen, owner of the La Lieff winery in the Funk Zone and an avid animal activist, exclaimed: “A great surprise! But a nice honor.” The event, with the theme Rising Together, […]

We all want a thriving, vibrant State Street, but we don’t have one. I first wrote about the decline of State Street in 2017. As I look back to those articles not much has changed.  State Street isn’t actually dead, but it has been dying for years. I know that some folks deny this, but […]

“Gluten-free is really just a by-line for us – it’s important to what we do, and we do it well,” Gillian Muralles, owner of Montecito’s newest eatery, Lilac Montecito, recently told the Journal. “But if someone doesn’t care about that, I’d love to get them through the door just as much!” Mrs. Muralles and her […]

James Margolles is a tall guy. When he stands next to his company’s groundbreaking “water cooler” and companionably places his hand atop it, there is a sudden but fleeting C3PO/R2-D2 vibe. But Margolles is not a droid (to say the least); he is an entrepreneur. Like many a brilliant and initially understated startup in the […]

The newest spot in town for a sexy sipper is, actually, a perennial favorite. The Plow & Angel, the famed watering hole at the San Ysidro Ranch that, for decades, has been a classy yet approachable place to sip, unwind and be seen, reopened last month as a Prohibition Era-inspired watering hole. No secret password […]

The Prestige Hand Car Wash located at 524 N. Milpas Street in Santa Barbara has closed down unexpectedly, leaving employees and customers surprised. The car wash, opened in 1999 under previous ownership as Zipp Car Wash, was shut down just before Christmas on December 23rd. The 26 employees, including popular detailer “Woody,” were apparently not […]

Here at the MJ we’ve taken great pains (not literally – this is a self-congratulating figure of speech) to throw light on your seasonal gift-giving panic; to add a spark to this season of beneficence. Gifting anything to a loved one – be it an original Van Gogh or a silken beach stone made lovely […]

After nearly 30 years, the mudslide of 2018 put an end to her elegant Trattoria Mollie on Coast Village Road. She opened a new Mollie’s next to the Granada on State Street, but COVID-19 crushed that endeavor too. Armed conflict broke out in the Tigray region of Ethiopia in 2020 and the country is now […]

It’s that time of year again. We have communally checked the Large Flightless Bird box and stumbled right over the line into “The Holidays.” Yes, your bone-dry and otherworldly delightfully moist and aromatic Thanksgiving turkey was an absolute hit. Your Aunt Marge’s startling “Pea Mush” was likewise well-received, producing the usual bug-eyed attempts to swallow […]

by Kelly Mahan Herrick and Jeff Wing The first in a four-part series on shopping locally in Montecito, we’re throwing some light (and a lot of love) on our shade-dappled Lower Village: Montecito’s Coast Village Road and beyond, which has long been a shopping and dining destination for locals, visitors, and lucky accidental tourists. We […]

This Saturday, November 18, over a dozen businesses on Coast Village Road will take part in the last day – aka the finale – of the first annual Coast Village Week.  Here is a list of the offerings taking place: Marcus will host a Catherine Gee Trunk Show with local designer Catherine Gee, who presents […]

Sunday, November 12, through Saturday, November 18, marks the Coast Village Association’s inaugural “Coast Village Week” – an unprecedented weeklong celebration showcasing the very best of what Coast Village has to offer.  Residents and visitors alike are invited to experience the vibrant array of boutiques, restaurants, fine art galleries, specialty markets, and salons – all […]

Last week it was quietly announced that a new restaurant called Jemma Montecito is in the works for the Las Aves complex near the Bird Refuge; the complex traded hands last year for $19M, selling to a Los Angeles-based investment group, the Runyon Group, which has big plans to revitalize the complex and bring in […]

Montecito Country Mart is preparing to welcome two new businesses: the Mart’s anchor grocery store, Vons, has been under construction the last 1.5 years to be rebranded as Pavilions, which officially takes place this week with a ribbon cutting and grand re-opening. The store boasts expanded produce and bakery departments, a new floral department, expanded […]

A new functional medicine clinic has opened in the Upper Village: Montecito Wellness Clinic, owned by Montecito mom and integrative doctor Dr. Talina Hermann, launched publicly last week with a grand opening this past Friday. “It’s always been my dream to open a clinic here,” Hermann told us last week as she geared up for […]

Our Eden by the Beach’s latest hotel, The Steward, is a charming and historical gem on nearly five acres with 87 one-bedroom suites. The Tribute Portfolio by Marriott, described as “a modern hideaway rooted in horticulture,” dates back to the 1860s when the charming Goleta estate was the Victorian home of pioneer horticulturist Joseph Sexton, […]