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Downtown Santa Barbara
updated: Aug 17, 2009, 1:15 PM

Downtown Defined

On recent walks downtown to gather coffee prices and take Fiesta pictures, the dedicated staff of edhat.com has noticed that we didn't see anyone we knew. Is downtown Santa Barbara just for tourists and drinkers, now?

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Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 34391	2009-08-17 01:23 PM
Many folks leave town for Fiesta.
EDONE	2009-08-17 01:45 PM
Coffee prices were after Fiesta. Maybe we don't have as many friends as we used to. :-)
COMMENT 34395	2009-08-17 01:47 PM
All of the above.
COMMENT 34397	2009-08-17 01:48 PM
Wealthy locals. Who else can afford to shop at those boutiques or pay $20 for lunch?
COMMENT 34399	2009-08-17 01:53 PM
I like downtown on a dark rainy day.
COMMENT 34401	2009-08-17 02:33 PM
College kids, tourists and the homeless.
COMMENT 34403	2009-08-17 03:07 PM
What EL_SMURFO said.
COMMENT 34408	2009-08-17 03:45 PM
I think downtown SB is for locals, college kids, and the tourists. I enjoy going downtown every once in a while, but I don't shop at any of those expensive boutiques and I don't hang out at the nightclubs.
COMMENT 34409	2009-08-17 03:50 PM
Yes, they and a very few others. Almost enough to be viable.
COMMENT 34411	2009-08-17 04:10 PM
It seems to be for college kids and tourists - few of whom seem to understand the meaning of a red light or other traffic laws.
COMMENT 34412	2009-08-17 04:18 PM
its fun observing all the non-natives walk around aimlessly almost getting hit by cars because the J-walk
COMMENT 34414	2009-08-17 04:46 PM
State Street is not UTOPIA, but it has something for everyone and is amazing. World Class. Sings Like Hell concert followed by a late supper at Roy. Meeting friends with kids at Shell Cafe and letting them tear through La Arcada with a special stop at the turtle pond. Pack up some amazing sandwiches (and pickles) from Nortons and picnic at the courthouse. The view from the top is awesome. Shoe shop with the kids at Nordstrom's where they actually measure their feet and hand them ballons. Then yell "watch out" as they run around with the ice cream from B&J's and stick their arms in the fountains and jump through the famous "O" Ride the blue bus around Xmas time at night with the kids and enjoy the lights. We go all the way to the pier and back. Find great gifts at the Museum Store, Chicken Little and Lewis & Clark then celebrate with a latte at Pete's. Ride your bike down to the Book Den then let the kids climb the wall at SB Outfitters. Arigato with gal pals followed by dessert and coffee at Andersen's Bakery. etc, etc, etc.
COMMENT 34415	2009-08-17 05:33 PM
Thank you, TreeLady, for your upbeat view of our downtown. I know it's considered much cooler to be snide about tourists and college kids, but how much better to let them do their thing while we do ours! For what it's worth, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art is, hands down, the best bang for your buck I know north of the Getty. My children LOVE it & so do I.
GOWEST	2009-08-17 05:37 PM
TreeLady - You must be from the tourism board. Have you ever eaten at Anderson Bakery? That's the biggest tourist trap in town. And a late night supper at Roy's costs well over $100! State Street today is only inhabited by tourists or people who have just moved to town.
COMMENT 34417	2009-08-17 05:38 PM
Thank you TreeLady for saying what I was thinking (but better than I could have). There are so many good things to do downtown. Whenever I go to Andersen's, any of my favorite stores, etc., I realize that I don't get there enough.
COMMENT 34419	2009-08-17 05:57 PM
My office is 300ft. from State St., but I haven't walked down State in months. Not much there for me, as I don't eat lunch. Most of my purchases are from Amazon.com, but I do walk the street on either Christmas eve or day.
SHAGGY	2009-08-17 06:24 PM
State Street is for all. the problem is that Many SB residents just cant be bothered to mix it up with thes rest of us. They are part of the Fiesta Bashing crowd,many of whom are on this board. I spent many a year being pushed down state street by my parents in the kids parade, and this year I pushed my God Daugther down the street.As a 2nd Gen Local there is so much great stuff in the State Street Corridor some is pricey yes bet there is also some great cheap eats and things to do. Good for you Tree Lady !!
COMMENT 34425	2009-08-17 06:41 PM
You'd find more interesting mix of affordable and eclectic stores along with definite crowd of "rest of us" by cruising downtown Goleta (and no aggressive panhandlers).
COMMENT 34427	2009-08-17 07:21 PM
I think Tree Lady has it right, there are a ton of things for locals and tourists to do along State Street, still. Gowest, we ate at Roy two weeks ago late night and and it wasn't $100, let alone over it. And that includes two glasses of wine. People are always going to complain about everything. Too much homlessness, here. Too much name brands there. It's ridiculous. I remember when people were complaining there were NO chain stores in town. It all goes in cycles and there's still a lot more choice out there than it seems. I'm glad Tree Lady gave us that reminder.
COMMENT 34434	2009-08-17 07:59 PM
I walk or bicycle up and down State Street all the time, and it seems a shame that residents don't take advantage of the great weather by taking a long stroll and then relaxing with a cup of coffee. I've seen some interesting things, heard languages I will never understand, and observed the haves and have nots on State Street. Santa Barbara would be a friendlier place if people got out of their precious, overpriced houses.
EDONE	2009-08-17 08:10 PM
It seems that there many people who enjoy State Street and the rest of the downtown area. The question remains, when you are downtown, how often do you run into people you know?
COMMENT 34439	2009-08-17 09:10 PM
I work downtown, mostly bring my lunch but sometimes eat out. I often take breaks or use lunchtime to walk around the block, walk up to the library or Peets, walk down to the pier for a little ocean view, occasionally run to the drugstore or bookstore. Had new holes put in my sandal straps for $3.50 at the cool little shoe repair shop in the mall. I often bike up or down State St. on my way home or to do an errand (though the lights drive me crazy) It seems like I run into someone I know frequently, though I don't keep track. I'm ready for the street to be turned into a pedestrian mall - cars just sit in traffic, and they can't park anyway. What's the point to keeping it open to cars?
COMMENT 34444	2009-08-17 09:51 PM
Maybe you just need to get out from behind your computer more often... or maybe you're not as popular as you thought you were. Or maybe people hide when they see you coming because they know you'll just start whining about how "SB has changed and I never seen anyone I know in town anymore." Maybe.
COMMENT 34445	2009-08-17 09:55 PM
Just kidding with the last comment, but to answer your question, I feel like I see someone I know every time I'm on State Street, and I'm not hardly as popular as the Edhat dog.
COMMENT 34446	2009-08-17 09:55 PM
Poor Ed. Everyone's jabbering about State Street and noone's answering the question. 10 years ago when I worked in the El Paseo building I'd often meet friends and neighbors on State Street during my lunch hour. Now that I'm retired I do State Street on my bicycle and friends and neighbors see me, but I'm past in a flash so no time to chat. Voila, times change.
COMMENT 34450	2009-08-18 01:16 AM
If I am in the bars, I see a lot of people I know. Otherwise, it is incredible how little I run into people I know elsewhere in downtown stores and restaurants.
COMMENT 34465	2009-08-18 08:42 AM
When I do go downtown, I really enjoy being there, but it just isn't on my beaten path. Without the tourists there, it wouldn't be as much fun. The problem with college kids occurs at night, at the clubs. Most of us older than 35 aren't into that scene and don't go downtown at night at all. I never shopped the boutiques, so I guess that explains why it is not on my beaten path anymore. Macy's has been a darn poor substitute for Robinsons, and Nordstrom does not serve my plebian needs. The stores change so much, I have no idea what is there any more. So, for me, downtown is for everyone. Just wish I went there more often! If I did, it would be in the day time.
COMMENT 34466	2009-08-18 08:43 AM
I work a block from State Street and am downtown all the time. I think the answer to this question is "it depends"... what day you're there, what time, what the weather is like, etc. I'd expect you see a lot of locals if you go this afternoon to Farmer's Market, whereas if you're walking around on Wednesday mid-morning who else are you going to see but college students, tourists and others who don't have "daily grind"-style work commitments?
COMMENT 34467	2009-08-18 08:43 AM
TOURISTS - it's beginning to look like anywhere USA - Santa Barbara used to be so quaint and cool.
JUSTICE3	2009-08-18 08:51 AM
As a result of the Tea Fire, we are now living downtown while trying to rebuild - it's great being able to walk everywhere from movies to restaurants to the beach but the growing number of closed stores on State Street itself is becoming depressing.
COMMENT 34471	2009-08-18 08:56 AM
I think this was the first Fiesta parade that I didn't run into anyone I knew. I did meet some nice kids from the Czech Republic on one side of me and Germany on the other. Ah, I did see the guy who used to work at Super Cucas on the Mesa.
COMMENT 34472	2009-08-18 09:02 AM
I always run into people I know on State Street. I think it's for everyone and that there are many things to enjoy. I go with the attitude of finding something to enjoy.
COMMENT 34473	2009-08-18 09:07 AM
State Street was much more fun before the mall and before all the greedy people started charging the shops such exorbitant rent that they had to move somewhere else. State street is just one big Mall now, inhabited by chain stores. That's why you don't see your friends anymore. Very sad.
RLMCDON	2009-08-18 09:14 AM
I see someone I know probably every third time I go downtown. Usually someone my husband knows through the local theater scene, but occasionally someone I know, and then it's likely to be someone I haven't seen in years, like an ex-boyfriend from 15 years ago, or someone I grew up ballet dancing with. I love to walk around downtown, and sometimes miss when we lived 4 blocks from State and walked nightly after dinner, but it's not the best area to raise a kid, so we moved to Goleta.
COMMENT 34485	2009-08-18 10:11 AM
I love to shop on state street, browse in Borders, people watch at a coffee shop, etc. When I first moved to town and was single, I lived a few blocks off State and it was wonderful to be able to walk to anything I needed and be right in the middle of the action. State Street has a great combination of locals and tourists. I lived in LA before moving here, so to me SB really has a smaller town feel (not small-town, but smaller). These days I usually only go down there during the day or to see movies. It is kind of a pain if I just need to pick up something specific - I get annoyed with the parking and all the people walking really slow down the street and taking up the whole walkway. But if I'm not on a specific shopping mission and can just enjoy the ambiance, I love State Street. I almost ALWAYS see someone I know, and that's part of the fun.
COMMENT 34486	2009-08-18 10:14 AM
I live minutes from downtown / State by foot and walk around often - it's not just for tourists or the wealthy. SB Museum of Art, Contemporary Arts Forum, Antique Alley, Just Play Music, Borders, Pete's Coffee, Saigon, Indian food, World Market store and the tuesday night market. There's some great music at Velvet Jones or Soho. I run into people I know constantly, almost can't go out without doing so.
COMMENT 34490	2009-08-18 10:38 AM
I live and work in downtown and it's definitely a mix for everyone. Everything you need is within walking distance, grocery, farmer's market... I almost always run into friends out at lunch or walking downtown. It's the best of city living in a small town. I just wish there were a few more green spaces/parks in the downtown neighborhoods.
COMMENT 34496	2009-08-18 11:37 AM
I'd say I see a nodding acquaintance or two every time I go downtown. There is ALWAYS someone I know at Arts & Letters Cafe. In fact, my husband and I joke about how careful we need to be about our conversations there, as you never know who is at the next table, listening! The people who own Flavor of India are as warm as friends, so they count, and I go there as often as I can, too.
COMMENT 34503	2009-08-18 01:05 PM
Yay Nancy! I'm with you on the pedestrian mall suggestion. A friend of mine proposed that idea a few years ago while we were seated at Bucatini's patio and gaging on auto exhaust. I think it would be a beautiful change for downtown.
COMMENT 34536	2009-08-18 06:47 PM
About a month ago hubby and I went to see a Sat matinee at the Paseo Nuevo movie theater, and wound up having lunch first at Blush (used to be Zelo's). It was a pricey afternoon but their patio is Gorgeous and he and I had a terrific time together and lamented that we don't do it enough and should do it more. I rarely visit State and I rarely bump into someone I know.
COMMENT 34563	2009-08-18 11:25 PM
What are all of these "bah, humbug" comments? What is wrong with all of you people? For that matter, what is wrong with tourist and college kids? For those of you that think our downtown is just for these touristas or college kids, well ... then you are missing a real treat. Santa Barbara has one of the greatest little downtowns in all of America! People move here for stuff like this ... great shops, good restaurants, nice people safely strolling about on beautiful SB days and evenings .... what is there not to like? They make postcards out of this stuff! Maybe what we're missing is more of our friends getting out of the house and making use of our enjoyable and beautiful historical downtown Santa Barbara.
COMMENT 34564	2009-08-18 11:41 PM
Okay, I see now that the real question is whether one runs into people you know or not? I don't know that many people in Santa Barbara, but almost everytime I go downtown -- it's a great place to walk my dog -- I often see store owners I stop in to say hello, actually have seen "tourist" friends from LA and Pasadena and in the evenings often run into college kids from UCSB that are sons and daughters of my friends. I guess when walking a dog that everyone stops to pet him, you get to meet and greet a lot more people than the usual. So yes, we do see a lot of people we know and are happy to see when walking the dog around town.
COMMENT 34567	2009-08-19 06:32 AM
I don't see people I know down on State Street because I don't know many people here, period. But as for what's there, I often enjoy going downtown. A cappuccino before a movie, taking myself out to dinner, or just strolling along seeing all the people (and hearing exotic languages) are all things I've recently enjoyed on downtown State Street.

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