Old Navy to Replace Copelands
One of our loyal readers tells me that Old Navy will be taking over the Copeland's space (I assume that would be the State and A location). Will State Street eventually become one long mall from Paseo Nuevo to the Arlington Theater?
posted by Sara De la Guerra | 12/07/2006 03:51:00 PM
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38 Comments:
Old news...
That's what City Council wants (except DAS)
Yep. Right across from the Art Museum.
The real question:
Who owns the building? Who is the landlord?
The landlord sets the rent. His or her level of greed dictates the price that the Earthling, Copelands, Old Navy or any other tenant pays. Everything else follows from there ...
It's our own local greed that is killing local business.
I don't see how an Old Navy differs much from Copelands. I miss Earthling though.
uhhh.....State St HAS been one long mall for a very, very long time....even below Paseo Nuevo........but the current Council has done more to BEND OVER for the Chamber and the D.O. than any previous Council, so the process of gentrification and commercialization will be expedited.
Old Navy is such a unique, classy, and artsy experience that Santa Barbara only would gain a more upscale and discriminating experience for visitors and residents alike!
State Street merchants are becoming so special all the time. They just cannot get an Old Navy experience in Santa Maria, Oxnard, Seal Beach, Escondido, or Tarzana, can they?
A curious post to a certain extent, since the area you refer to has always been a shopping district from the Arlington down to the wharf (well actually even higher up before the Bankruptcy Court took the I Magnin location) Previously it was the lower section down where the PN mall is that was the junky section. Whats really changed? its always been a shopping corrider sure there are more national retailers but there is still quite a few locals as well. The upper section needs something to spur people coming back into that area, the sportsman cant do it all by itself :)
7:41 -- good point. I was coming more from the national chain perspective. I don't think it's the same as Copelands. Oh, and yes The Sporty can't do it all by themselves even if they are open in the morning :)
Copeland Sports had over 20 stores across 3 states before going belly-up. Sur La Table has 60 stores nationwide. Brighton Collectibles has over 140 locations. Are these chains really so different from Old Navy? C'mon, a few doors down from the Copeland location lies a McDonald's.
Mel's helps...
I'm not exactly thrilled with the chain Old Navy moving in.
Its definetly not the worst scenario though. The notion that the Sportsman as an anchor (haha) is o.k. but my worst fear is that the this section of State Street will become yet another 3 blocks of bars and nightclubs..a la the quarto and cinco block of State Street.
The Redevelopement Agency, long with other private and non-profit funders are hopefull that this area will become an "Cultural Arts District." I am hopefull but not entirely confident that is what will occur.
Seems to me that for an enlightened community of artisans,
environmentalist and good natured liberal free spirits, we've allowed it to be turned over to the corporations suchs as Ducati, Harley Davidson, Hummers, etc. Even those other stinky and noisey Vespa motorscooters are unecessarily polluting our air and peace.
Oh great award winning protector of State Street, Marshal Rose, where are you when State Street needs you....Goleta, Montecito, day-dreaming of more parking garages or perhaps planning yet another non-profit charity car show?
Bye bye Santa Barbara. This is what the building frenzy has gotten us into -- one more step towards anywhere USA.
Earthling was shoved into extinction when Borders was allowed their mega store.
Copeland took over the location and forced the removal of a beautiful mural on the side of the building.
Now an Old Navy is going to move in?
Someone remind me, what makes this area so special? It looks like every other greed-driven slice of suburbia!
Oh that's right... we have red tile on the roofs. Yesssssssssssss. That's it. Those red tiles which were originally made on the thighs of native women, causing their early deaths as heavy metals seeped into their blood.
This area *deserves* an Old Navy.
Next..... Wal*Mart!
Isn't Mel's closimg?
And, again, I must ask:
Who OWNS 1230 State Street ???
Mel's closing?
I can't imagine it. Why, this is where it was reported that Council Members Harriet Miller and Rusty Fartly would, defient to the Brown Act, meet for "coffee."
Mel's will never "close." it will be saved and transformed. Of course it won't be exactly the same. Perhaps one of our "non profit" business associates will have a few fund raisers, get a few government grants and turn it into the Harriet Miller Memorial library.
I'm sorry, Donaldo, do enlighten me: which "Brown Act" provision prevents 2 of 7 members of an elected body for meeting fo r"coffee" "wine" or anything else? If there is such a provision [and there isn't] many local elected would have some trouble.....
Great -- now I don't have to drive all the way to Oxnard in my gas guzzling SUV to save some money on some cheap third-world sweat shop labor clothes!
Old Navy???? Yuck!!!!!!
No one but kids (and few of them) shop there, wow, what a community service it offers.....not.
Never heard of Old Navy before -- but if it is anything like its Web site, oldnavy.com, it is totally tacky (the site should rank highly in the list of Web sites that Suck.)
It'll be yet another reason not to go to State Street (except for the Solstice Parade), not that having two giant chain store Copelands within a block was anything to celebrate.
We need to boycott this business.
Old Navy? Tacky? yeah, so what. As a business owner who has seen many ups and downs in the 1100 and 1200 block of State St., I will welcome them. The truth is they will help draw traffic to our end. That traffic will help support many local businesses who could use a shot in the arm after the delays with the Parking garage and now the Granada and the changes to parking on Anapamu. That, and someone needs to start filling that ridiculous parking garage between Victoria and Anapamu.
Responding to "not in the brown act"
I was o.k. with the report of the "coffee" until it was later acknowledged that council business was discussed.
While not a violation of the Brown Act it is the intent of the Act to keep governmental body deliberations in the light of day rather than in the "smoke filled" recesses of a dark back room.
To be more specific, my objection is the lack of integrity of the pair and the skirting of the intent of the Brown Act. The technicality that there are a mere two in a discussion about council business makes no difference to me.
I remember the same grumblings about Costco coming to Goleta; how the small town ambience would be spoiled by those big box chains. I am sure all of these doomsayers are now executive members at Costco and shop there regularly.
I am thrilled that Old Navy is coming to Santa Barbara. Where else can I get back-to-school clothing for my kid for under $150? Old Navy has decent stuff at reasonable prices. I am just a typical service industry employee and my paycheck only goes so far.
It is interesting that on the 1100 block of State Street the two extremes of the Santa Barbara lifestyle will be represented: Old Navy vs. Blue Bee.
well, 7:12, if the "technicality" of how many persons discuss official business makes no difference to you, then we're really talking apples and oranges.
The intent of the Brown Act is not and never has been to prevent two officials from talking policy. If it were, then the Brown Act would have prohibited any two from talking. It specifically does not.
But here's the real challenge: name TWO elected officials who have NEVER spoken to one other elected about city or county business.
The comparison of CostCo off Hollister/Storke and Old Navy on State STreet is laughable —— unless that part of State Street is going to be leveled and made into a mall. (That way the Politicos Memorial Garage will be used more often.)
Btw, anyone know exactly how many parking spaces were gained by that garage taking over the outside lot, given that spaces were removed on both sides of the Anacapa Street block, spaces removed part way down on the next Anacapa Street block, moving the library boxes; and spaces were removed on the Anapamu Street block between State and Anacapa.
Maybe 25-50 more spaces added, some of which will be used by the housing to be built on top of the garage?
responding to 11:21
"Policy" is not the issue but rather specific agenda items. When you have business before the council and discussion ensues that gives an impession that much has been discussed with staff, other intersted parties, and other council members before the "public hearing" you can't help but loose faith in your government and the process.
Again, if a pair of elected officials were in a smoke filled room having coffee wouldn't it be more in line with the intent of the Brown Act to talk about non-council business topics and leave council business discussed in the full light of the council chamber.
I hope your challenge is not for me specifically because I would never want to suggest that Miller and Fartly were the only two elected officials who have ever had a discussion outisde the governmental chamber.
Sorry, I'm DELIGHTED to see Old Navy come. It's got high-quality (ie. durable and comfortable and fashionable, not designer) duds at very reasonable prices. I'm not a kid; I'm a mom, and my friends and I make special trips to Ventura all the time to shop there because our families can't afford to buy our everyday clothing at the upscale boutiques (Blue Bee is local, but ... !) that make S.B. so "different" from other towns.
I do appreciate the area's unique character, and I'm not saying it's a boon for the city to bring another chain in, but I thought someone ought to stick up for the store. It's not Wal-Mart.
Buying at Old Navy is like supporting slave labor. Don't shop there!
I hate to say it but i am kind of glad that Old Navy is comming. Santa Barbara IS a college town we have 4 schools here all of us can't afford to go to blue bee or saks to buy clothing and it will be nice to not have to drive out of town to do some shopping.
old navy is going to be wonderful. I don't know why people here are so hung up "keeping santa barbara the same for decade after decade". it is going to give average people a place to shop and actually afford clothes. Old navy is going to be a great asset to state street, and people need to find bigger things to worry about!!!!!!! GET OVER IT!
All of the people that are so snobby about keeping santa barbara locally owned are probably the ones raising rent so high that only old navy and starbucks can afford to move in. Personally I'm in favor of the reasonably priced old navy moving in.
I agree with Anonymous regarding Old Navy - At last, a store regular people can afford to shop for themselves and their kids. Even La Cumbre is turning into a Paseo Nuevo with its installation of high end shops.
True, we need a resonably priced clothing store. Kmart and Sears do not cut it. Yea, Tiffany at La Cumbre Plaza? Gimme a break.
I believe Old Navy is probably slave labor but there are many other companies that do the same thing. Tell me something I don't know. Honestly I care but not enough to not shop there. Kids go through clothes so quickly and I'd rather buy cheap and have it not be such a waste, in the end. I only spent $50 on that stuff. It's ok. When it really matters I'll buy expensive. Otherwise no thank you. I gotta take care of myself and my family the best I can. Thank you very much.
When is Old Navy suppose to open?
I'm very excited about Old Navy coming in, I wish is was in La Cumbre Mall. State St. has been become to high end for me
I wish Santa Barbara had more unique and interesting stores. However, I am sure that Old Navy did its market research, and knows there is enough demand here. Why have so many state street storefronts become big chain stores? Because they can afford the high rents - people spend money in them! They sell to public demand, and the public demands more jeans than fine art, more sweaters than unique gift items. Santa Barbara isn't a victim of local greed - it's a victim of the American dull consumer culture.
Enlighten me, where are middle class people supposed to shop?
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