Santa Barbara is changing, but not for the better.
Over the last few years, the beachside town’s cultural hub, Downtown State Street, has lost its quirky charm to turn into an elitist shop walk with big, overpriced chain stores.
Independent, small businesses are disappearing left and right, with rent being the main suspect.
This is not the Santa Barbara I grew up in.
A year ago, the family-owned Italian Greek Market, on the corner of Ortega and State, closed its doors after more than 35 years of service. The Santa Barbara favorite was where many–including my own family–went to enjoy good, classic sandwiches and gyros.
Last we heard, a Verizon Mega store would soon take its place. Apparently, Santa Barbara doesn’t have an adequate amount of cell phone vendors.
Others have also fallen victim to exorbitant rents that only big name corporations can afford.
Two long-standing thrift stores–Alpha Thrift and RADD–have been forced to vacate within the last two years because of the rent. Alpha, which had been on State Street since 1967, happily relocated to Goleta. But the RADD thrift store on lower State is no more.
These small businesses are just causalities of a mounting problem. Countless others have lost their home and their place in Santa Barbara culture. More locally owned shops will have to leave State Street for more affordable pastures–if not for good–only to be replaced by uber-trendy stores. The Apple Store and Polo Ralph Lauren are the latest to reportedly claim a spot on State.
But corporate domination on State Street is not just bad for the businesses; it’s bad for Santa Barbarans as well. The demographic shift that panders to the Ritchie Riches of S.B excludes those poor souls who cannot afford a $200 pair of jeans. That constitutes the majority of Santa Barbara’s population.
A similar phenomenon is happening across town. Within the last year, La Cumbre Plaza denied several lease renewals for some long-serving businesses–albeit chain stores–such as Red Robin and Bath & Body Works. The reason? To make room for pricey businesses such as Tiffany’s.
Where is the typical Santa Barbaran supposed to shop? Ventura?
The City Council has yet to fully address the issue of the diminishing local businesses replaced with corporation chains. In fact, most of the mom and pops shops are vanishing without much notice, especially on State Street.
That’s because the council is more interested in maintaining State Street as a major tourist attraction rather than an important center for the local community. While tourism is one of the major driving forces of Santa Barbara’s economy, local businesses are also a major component of Santa Barbara’s character. Every time a locally owned business closes its doors, a little bit of Santa Barbara goes with it.
It is in the city’s best interest to protect local businesses because they add to Santa Barbara’s charm that attracts out-of-towners just as much as our beaches do. Something has to be done or there will be no mom and pops on State Street.
Sorry, but MAC makeup stores and Rip Curl surf shops are never going to have some of that S.B charisma.