Cafe Ana Announces Closure due to COVID-19 Pandemic

(Photo: Cafe Ana)

By edhat staff

The owners of Cafe Ana announced they are closing for good on Monday due to financial constraints brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The “all-day cafe” is located on the corner of Anapamu and Anacapa Streets in the former location of Coffee Cat. They opened in December 2018 following an extensive remodel and stuck the location’s roots serving coffee while adding extended food and wine options.

Their menu included California cuisine as well as house-made pastries for breakfast and lunch, and a newly added dinner menu of seasonal dishes.

Owners Katherine Guzman Sanders and Julian Sanders posted a message to their followers expressing their sadness over the decision to close.

“We write this with an incredibly heavy heart. The events of late have triggered the outcome we’ve been dreading… Cafe Ana is closed, permanently. March was going to be the month that saved us… with the launch of dinner, we were poised to finally get up on our own two feet. But instead it’s the month that killed us. We ran the numbers for a pivot and we just can’t do it. We’re at the bottom of the barrel…,” the note read.

The Sanders’ thanked their employees and the community for supporting their dream for the past 15 months.

“Thank you all so much for the support. It was incredible to have been able to live our dream – if even for that fleeting moment,” they said.

(Photo: Cafe Ana / Instagram)
Edhat Staff

Written by Edhat Staff

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103 Comments

  1. First rule of restaurant business plan: have enough money to tide you over for the first year. Just in case. Guess it applies to other years, as well. So many places fold in Santa Barbara, due to lack of money. Condolences to these owners and their investors.

  2. Never mind, I just realized it was the old coffee place. I just looked at their menu, it’s still on their website. $3.50 for a blueberry muffin? Avocado toast $10, and roast chicken for dinner at $22!?! It’s time for all of us to get real Santa Barbara, those days are over. Go buy a chicken at Costco for five bucks!

  3. Unfortunately, there will e many many more businesses closing. That will also result in many people remaining unemployed when the stay home orders are lifted. I’m no lawyer, but as a general proposition the government is not allowed to take property without due process of law and just compensation. All businesses that have bend harmed by the state’s unconstitutional orders should sue for just compensation.

  4. Chip – you’re thinking of eminent domain. That’s not applicable here. The government isn’t “taking” (necessary for ED) anything. If the gov was actually condemning and taking over peoples’ business, then maybe, although eminent domain applies to real property. All that’s happening now is a constitutionally appropriate limitation on our ability to go to some businesses. It sucks for some, but it’s necessary for ALL… and it is 100% legal.

  5. What a myopic statement. Having the money to get you through the first year is an entirely different animal from having the money to get you through a 100% shutdown. Get real and don’t add insult to injury.

  6. The price they must pay? Luckily for us, there are very few people with the power to punish them, and no one at that level can afford to make the world’s 2nd biggest economy mad. Last time I looked China owned enough T-bills from the US to tank our economy if they so chose. Capitalism and totalitarianism seem to go really well together.

  7. Ebola was named after the Ebola river which is in the Democratic republic of Congo (formerly Zaire). MERS (middle east respiratory syndrome. West Nile virus (west Nile region of Uganda). Lyme disease (Lyme, CT). Wuhan virus (Wuhan, China). The list goes on…

  8. @12:38: I don’t think fighting over the name is the proper description, only the fact that it’s not incorrect to describe it as the Wuhan virus or China virus. That said, your point is well-taken that small businesses, indeed any business, either here or elsewhere in the world, have suffered and will continue to suffer economically, if not being put out of business entirely, such as Cafe Anna. I’m afraid to say most people and governments will forget about this almost as quickly as it occurred if we use economic reactions to the Asian flu, Sars, etc, are an indication. In our need or want for cheap goods, we will probably not hold the CCP financially accountable even if we could. Our manufacturing and jobs have suffered tremendously before and, in fact, since we opened up trade with China almost 50 years ago. The lessons regarding the implementation of fair trade and tariffs will likely be ignored. But I completely agree that certainly is not an excuse not to try; once bitten, twice shy, as the saying goes.

  9. The CCP used its influence at the WHO to cleverly brand the virus COVID-19. Doing this helps distract people from the CCP’s actions that contributed to spreading the virus around the world. If you wish to help the CCP cover up its role in spreading the virus, then using the term COVID-19 is the way to go. If you prefer to highlight the CCP’s contribution to the spread of the virus, then use a more traditional name that clearly identifies where the virus originated.

  10. When politicians take a public position that causes massive economic and societal disruption, it’s going to be hard to get them to acknowledge that position was wrong or even that it can be changed right now in the light of new data.

  11. SAM – if the “new data” actually showed the virus was less of a threat, then they would be re-opening and they’ve said as much. It’s not though. It’s still a threat, which is why many politicians (at least the ones that matter) are hesitant to re-open just yet.

  12. The data already shows a much lower mortality rate than back in Jan/Feb. Tests out of Standford and USC are confirming significantly higher % of the population have already had the virus, with no symptoms, further reducing the mortality rate. Keep high risk and elderly on lock down and out of the mix, the mortality rate for the rest of the population is now at or near flue levels. BUT, our politicians have their head in the sand defending a decision they had to make early on with little data. We have more and better data now, time to make new and informed decisions.

  13. tell me at 2:28, if the “data” the our political leaders rely on is only postive tests and deaths, yet we’re only testing the sick and lumping anyone that dies with a covid like symptom as a covid death regardless of even having a test, with that “data” ever get better?

  14. Right on Sam! Using “confirmed cases” to calculate the mortality rate was virtually meaningless from day one. With the new studies indicating the actual case count is 50x higher that the “confirmed cases” we have to divide the fatality rate by 50. The “models” and predictions that served as the basis for all the draconian measures we have taken have proven to be grossly inaccurate. We need to reevaluate our approach now.

  15. Mac, thank you for the correction. The Chinese Communist Party prefers that you identify the virus as “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease caused by the virus as “COVID-19.” It’s important to get that right in order to more faithfully implement the Chinese Communist Party’s preferred naming convention.

  16. 3:13 -I think that’s a great idea! Round trip flights from SBA to Atlanta are under $300. It would be really nice to get away for a weekend, go out for dinner, get a haircut, have a drink at a bar, visit a gym for a good workout, etc. We could call it “Freedom Tourism.”

  17. The “Let Us Get Back To Work” rallies protesting ongoing government clampdowns, restrictions, and quarantine orders, held in various towns and states over the weekend, such as Michigan and Colorado, were met with either praise or denouncement. I wonder if we held a demonstration here in Santa Barbara now, knowing the encouraging data arriving daily, how many people and business owners would support it and how many would condemn it as dangerous to your health? Just a hypothetical question, but I would like to see our businesses get back on track as I really don’t want to see any more “Cafe Anna” casualties in our town or elsewhere.

  18. Pug, scones are supposed to be dry. I have an English wife so I know. And if you don’t believe me or her, try watching Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes back a few weeks ago 🙂 At least Cafe Anna’s were authentic.

  19. Sadly, I agree that this business probably would never have made it anyway. I tried going there a couple of times. Once they had no milk/creamer for coffee at 8 am in the morning and the other time the baked goods I bought were tasteless. Plus the service was lackluster.

  20. The first that has publicized. There are and will be a ton of small businesses and larger corporate retailers that are going to disappear. The Care act, even if it was funded, would have helped but in the long run… we’re screwed. We’re talking years and years to get back. Every day, week and month just extends that. A perfect setting for Bernie politics. weird.

  21. We are really going to miss them, and that’s for sure. Their baked goods were incredible, and prices for most things were fair (no $5 Costco chickens however). So sad that they have to close. Good luck with your next venture!

  22. I’m so confused by the commenters complaining about what are, frankly, reasonable prices. You must be unaware of how much money it costs to jump through the city’s endless permitting and approvals hoops just to open a basic business. Combined with rent, staff, high quality ingredients. If you want to pay 99 cents instead of $7 for breakfast, you should have gone around the corner to McDonalds.

  23. do you actually think you can stop death?
    did you ever actually look at any of the “flattening the curve” studies and notice how the area under both curves is the same ( i.e. we were never ‘preventing death’ only delaying it for the purpose of “not surging our hospitals”)

  24. I own a very small restaurant and sympathize, the loss of revenue is devastating. Landlords are NOT receptive to requests for rent forbearance and continue to send demand letters. I agree with SBROSES – County Health Inspectors arrived unannounced and instead of worrying about relevant “Take-Out Only” and Safe Distancing protocols instead demanded a new written “Time as a Health Control Measure” which requires cooks to write down in a log book the time and description of every item is pulled from refrigeration; the time four hours from then; quantity and disposition of food waste. This is archaic; I’m all about food safety but use electronic 4-hour timers which are much easier on the staff to use; but apparently unknown to the County Inspector. With reduced operating hours, my employees are suffering as well (reduced paychecks) and they in turn also have landlords demanding rent. I’m lucky to have good demand for take-out in the evening which is the only reason I’m still open now; but hanging on by a thread.

  25. I’m so sorry to hear about your situation. Thank you for sharing with us, though. It’s important that people be transparent about how difficult the local government makes opening and running businesses. The new protocol you’ve described is completely crazy. Priorities here for government agencies seem completely hijacked by arbitrary and often archaic policy. Whether it’s the time and energy spent trying to get Institution Ale’s neon signed removed or getting cooks to write in a freaking journal instead of a modern method like a timer – so often, I look around and see what feels like government waste and sabotage of local business. Wishing you the best and really hope you are able to pull through.

  26. Death of an honest small business providing an honest service: this is the canary in the coal mine. The .01% US deaths from Covid-19 do not justify the closing of the economy. This is a travesty. I would like to see what the government workers would do if THEIR paychecks were stopped during this closure.

  27. Very sad. I have been there more than couple of times. Very metropolitan atmosphere which was alright, but not like the old Coffee Cat, homey kick back “How ya doin'”? regular type of folks coffee joint, which I really miss. Best of luck to the owners and their former staff. (And the German beer on tap that I drank one time there at Cafe Ana out in the patio area was very good.)

  28. Sadly and most disturbingly both for business owners and all citizens alike, this will be occurring frequently in “Everytown, USA.” By all means, if you have been scared senseless, have compromising health issues, and worry that you are going to die if you get within six feet of another person, please feel free to stay inside and out of public places as long as you want. For the rest of us we would like to get back to normality immediately. Believe what you want, but I happen to support and agree with various op-eds in many different publications (yes, shudder, Conservative ones) that suggest, and I paraphrase, “the Wuhan virus regulations have nothing to do with your safety and everything to do with your freedom. This virus is dangerous to a very small number of people, virtually all of which have underlying health issues. Data now shows that at least 30 times the number of people who get infected either show no symptoms or experience minor sickness. To close down the entire country by draconian measures and curtailing our personal liberties for .01% of the population dying is both insane and troubling. We’ve eliminated a huge part of the Bill of Rights with barley a wisp of protest from the citizenry. Right now we are in a perfect storm of cowardice and stupidity.” And I also quote from another source: “Before everyone lost their minds, dozens of studies were done on the coronavirus. All of them came to the same conclusion. It will be like a second round of flu season. Tragically, people will die, but it won’t be worse than what we experience every year.” And that is proving very prophetic. Unlike the dire predictions that millions of people in the U.S. would die, it has become a classic case of being told to trust the “experts” and then finding out the experts were wrong.

  29. It’s looking more and more like Newsom is going to drag his feet on “re-opening” and continue to destroy California’s economy. Fortunately, there are 49 other states and many of them are see things differently. Wouldn’t it be something if we start to see the Grapes of Wrath in reverse? Oppressed and bankrupted Californians will be migrating to Oklahoma and Arkansas in order to find work and opportunity…

  30. Nice of you to share your conclusions BigOne. I am assuming that no one in your life wants to hear your thoughts on the matter and that why you turn to a small town message board to boast about your brilliance. Yes, fear is the driving source of this crisis. And for good reason… its impacts unknown and its potential not well understood. But for a small minority of internet experts, our reaction is overblown and its hysteria manufactured. All to take away your freedoms. FYI – You are fully capable of earning money right now, in fact there are millions to be had, if you’re smart enough to figure it out… Regardless, no one is stopping you from being stupid. That’s a god-given right to every human, regardless of one’s country or political affiliation. \\\\\\\\\\\\//////////////////////////// / As for this closure, its sad and rather ironic especially considering that this particular cafe was held up by County of SB’s employees. Who are, as it turns, one of the few segments of the population whose income has not been impacted at all by the crisis…

  31. Nice of you to share your conclusions BigOne. I am assuming that no one in your life wants to hear your thoughts on the matter and that why you turn to a small town message board to boast about your brilliance. Yes, fear is the driving source of this crisis. And for good reason… its impacts unknown and its potential not well understood. But for a small minority of internet experts, our reaction is overblown and its hysteria manufactured. All to take away your freedoms. FYI – You are fully capable of earning money right now, in fact there are millions to be had, if you’re smart enough to figure it out… Regardless, no one is stopping you from being stupid. That’s a god-given right to every human, regardless of one’s country or political affiliation. \\\\\\\\\\\\//////////////////////////// / As for this closure, its sad and rather ironic especially considering that this particular cafe was held up by County of SB’s employees. Who are, as it turns, one of the few segments of the population whose income has not been impacted at all by the crisis…

  32. Chip–yeah. Maybe. Of course, we also may well see a massive wave of infection, sickness and death in places like Georgia, totally overwhelming their medical infrastructure and sending their infected to better prepared states like California so we can try and save their lives. Also, you should probably move to Arkansas.

  33. Sounds like you should get in your car Chip and vote with your soul! Texas and Georgia are waiting for you, with open arms of course… And since gas is cheaper than its been in decades, it wont cost you very much to move. You are free to move. No one is stopping you.

  34. “the Wuhan virus regulations have nothing to do with your safety and everything to do with your freedom” – Ugh….. A) It’s “coronavirus” or “covid19,” not “Wuhan flu,” “Wuhan virus,” “Chinese flu,” etc. The 1920’s are long over, time to keep pace. B) If you truly believe that the stay at home orders have nothing to do with safety and are only designed to repress the citizens of our country, then I have nothing more to say. There’s nothing that can counter such an absurd argument, as it’s indicative of conspiracy theory-based logic, a logic with which there is no point in attempting to dissuade through rational, logical argument.

  35. The problem with giving each individual the right to risk infection is that they then infect others who haven’t agreed to the risk. And then there are the Overworked medical personnel who might like a a chance for a few hours off, and less risk for themselves as well. When you get infected, you risk others‘ lives. Your freedom stops where mine begins.

  36. Xantus, the area under the curve represents the total number of cases of COVID-19, not the number of deaths. Deaths happen when the number of active cases (the upper part of the curve) exceed the hospital capacity to provide proper care and keep people alive. If you flatten the curve, you save lives, even though the area under the flattened curve is the same. You keep misinterpreting the graph to bend it to your political agenda.

  37. GOI – We can reopen when we have a robust vaccine, or widespread reliable antibody testing combined with knowledge that a certain level of antibodies confers a certain level of immunity, coupled with a certified immune ID of some type. We have none of that as yet, and the studies we do have show that the virus is much more contagious than we thought – which makes isolation policies the only way to fight it. Reopen too soon, and you get a tidal wave of illness that does much more harm to the economy in the long run.

  38. @ SACJON- The virus and every virus is named for the GEOGRAPHICALLY location of its origin. The only reason the name changed was due to the United Nations / World Health Organization having political pressure from China to change the name from the Wuhan Virus to the Coronavirus… So you see, you are supporting non-science standard operating procedures by supporting the corruption of the WHO, an organization as corrupt as the U.N.

  39. SBROSES: If McDonald’s can survive the city bureaucracy that you complain about, why couldn’t a small shop like Ana’s? The truth is that they too often have unreasonable expectations which include, especially, the idea that people will patronize them for personal reasons. In fact most customers want a fair price and comfortable venue. Ana was neither–hard chairs that discouraged staying around and noisy ambience. The owners are, I am sure, well-intentioned but please, they should not put the blame on the customers they didn’t get when those customers had a chance to decide not to go there.

  40. BIGONE (ha–yeah). I’ve heard some dumb things in relation to the pandemic, but this is one of the dumbest:
    “the Wuhan virus regulations have nothing to do with your safety and everything to do with your freedom”
    Literally one of the dumbest.

  41. AHCHOOO, you can isolate yourself to whatever extent you feel is appropriate, but you can’t force other people to live the way you think they should. Everyone has a different idea of what the risk is and what precautions are appropriate. Some would say that YOUR choices are irresponsible.

  42. Sacjon, the CCP itself refers to “COVID-19” as the “Wuhan virus” inside their own country. Years ago, the CCP told their good friends at the WHO not to title viruses by name that originated in China (e.g., such as “SARS”) to the rest of the world and they came up with the term COVID. You are free, of course, to call it anything you want but it is not “racist” or the 1920s to use place of origin as you suggest. However, it did originate in China and specifically, Wuhan, unless you don’t believe that and prefer the politically correct title.

  43. “The virus and every virus is named for the GEOGRAPHICALLY location of its origin”… Ladies, gentlemen and them: This is what happens when someone gets their news, information and education from a talk show host… Thanks for your brilliance Coast, you never fail to amaze!

  44. BIGONE and COAST – I’m simply pointing out that it’s not really correct to call it that, but it doesn’t change the important fact here: these orders are for our SAFETY and to think otherwise, it’s just plain silly.

  45. I was thinking I should try to explain to you the difference between how things like sourcing and pricing work for giant corporations with global dominance vs. small, locally owned businesses with zero leverage but if you’ve made it into adulthood and don’t understand economic fundamentals like that, I don’t think I can help you.

  46. Also I am really hoping you are not intending to imply that McDonald’s is a comfortable venue. And your idea of comfort may be different than others in any case. That is totally subjective. There was nothing unfair about Ana – or many of our other wonderful small, local business’ – pricing structure. Again, you seem to have a terrible grasp on how things work in the real world. Huge costs to open given local permitting marathons, expensive staffing, expensive ingredients, etc. If you can’t pencil out how that might lead to a $4 pastry, again, I can’t help you.

  47. If you put a value of $150,000 on each life like some economists do, and the death numbers stay where they are, the cost to the economy is about $150B. If they reopen the country and the death rates soar, the cost becomes $4.5Trillion. There is the range you are looking at when you want to reopen early.

  48. If older folks and those with health issues are the most vulnerable for hospitalization why not just have them stay home and practice social distancing if they need to get out? We could reopen businesses and still maintain some social distancing when in stores and restaurants. Large events like concerts, sport events, festivals, etc… should probably wait until new case numbers get low enough. Wearing a mask and using hand sanitizer/wipes everywhere would be encouraged.

  49. COOLIO – in theory, it would be great, but in practice? The problem with covid is how easily it is spread. If the “healthy” people all start going out and about and pick it up, then they will spread it, whether they’re healthy or not. Also, it can kill “healthy” people, it has many times.

  50. Chip, the main reason for the shutdown is to even out the impact on the hospitals. That issue remains. If you can figure out a way to make your choices not unfairly impact the medical workers, then have at it. But take some responsibility for how your choices affect others.

  51. Look at some of you, fighting over the name of the virus. What’s wrong with Wuhan Virus? That’s what it is. Like Lyme disease came from Lyme, CT. The fact that people are arguing over the effing name of the virus speaks volumes as to who they are trying to protect. The most important issue that is meanwhile being ignored, is the CCP’s role in this, their negligence and/or lack of care, and the price they must pay for unleashing this on the world – whether by accident or on purpose. Focus on that instead.

  52. Not to compare it to the flu, but the flu can kill healthy people too! do we go on lock down every flu season? With the new data coming out showing how many people have already gotten the virus (without even showing symptoms) the original mortality statistics that convinced us all to go into lock down are wrong! This crisis has unfolded very quickly and our political leaders, in general, make the best decisions based on the information available at that time. As new information comes out; like the number of asymptomatic prior cases, updated mortality rates, local health care providers being far from capacity, respirators possibly hurting vs. helping, etc. why are we not requiring our local elected officials to lead and take action rather than staying entrenched on a prior decision based on outdated infomration. KEEP SOCIAL DISTANCING but END LOCK DOWN NOW!!!

  53. Sacjon, it’s opening up with social distancing. When covid was spreading like wildfire people weren’t even washing their hands regularly! If your expectation is to stay in lock down until we can unlock and there will be no additional cases your in la la land. We absolutely will see an increases in cases as restrictions are eased, we’ve proven our health care system here locally can handle. At risk? stay home. The bending the curve argument was never to be to prevent everyone from getting it but to delay when they get it. Don’t let politicians or media make you forget why we agreed to this in the first place, whey we agreed and complied with the initial lock down.

  54. You’ve previously said we need to stay in lock down until their is a vaccine or we have herd immunity. You post articles saying how those who get it may not be immune and thus no herd immunity. So what your telling us is your solution is for everyone to stay on lock down until a (safe) vaccine is developed 12 – 18 months out, if at all? Good for you for having the means to stay sheltered in your house for years on end, most of the United State does not.

  55. STD – #1 We’re not on anything close to lockdown. #2 – Yes, social distancing protocols may have to remain in place for a year or more if you don’t want a tidal wave of sickness, given the contagiousness of the disease and its devastating effects on a substantial percentage of its victims.

  56. “”Deaths happen when the number of active cases (the upper part of the curve) exceed the hospital capacity to provide proper care and keep people alive. “”
    — really? nobody has died in a hospital in the USA? that’s news to me.

  57. Wrong Mac (but you probably know that) The upper part of the curve that exceeds hospital capacity has a higher mortality rate then beneath that line. Area of the curve is the same, same number of people get the virus, there will be less deaths with a flattened curve (which is why we shutdown) but there will still be deaths.

  58. There will be many more.
    It is time to talk about the coming bankruptcy of the City of Santa Barbara (among others). This was probably going to happen eventually anyhow because of the excessively high pensions, etc. However the pandemic is bringing these issues to light and there is now way to tax ourselves out of it. The results of this will be to default on municipal bonds, pension reform, and probably the decertification of the public unions unless they can get on board to be part of the solution.

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