Upper State Street Update: Luis Vuitton Moves In, La Cumbre Management Says We Need 'Shopping Experience'

The Daily Sound reports that Luis Vuitton has moved in to La Cumbre Plaza.

Alice Love, senior marketing manager for La Cumbre Plaza, said the addition of Louis Vuitton is one more example of how the plaza provides a shopping experience that can’t be found anywhere on the South Coast.

“What we’re doing is concentrating on a compelling mix, which is first to market stores,” Love said, adding that first-to-market means stores like Tiffany & Co. and Louis Vuitton can’t be found nearby.

I'm not so sure that the La Cumbre Plaza makeover into some kind of mini-Rodeo Drive is compelling or very useful to the typical Santa Barbaran. This kind of 'shopping experience' perhaps can't be found here because it is the wrong change for a shopping center so far from Montecito or even the downtown area. My first-to-market prediction is that these stores will be loss leaders as the Santa Barbara address may mean to them that they can lose money and they will be forced to close within a few years.

La Cumbre Plaza ArtWalk Update

Got this note from an organizer of the La Cumbre ArtWalk -- good follow up to our recent post:

The update is we will not have any show dates for 2008 at La Cumbre Plaza. Management has told us the construction will be ongoing throughout the year. We were told they may re-introduce us in the Spring of 2009. We are looking for a new location for this year.
After 3 years of building a show we would hate to loose our momentum. We have many new artisans wanting to join us and musicians as well. Our goal is to find a venue that is local friendly and understands that handcrafted wares made in America is what our community wants to see. We thank the community for all their support and please continue to let La Cumbre Plaza know that you hope to see us back! We will keep you posted about our new location and if you have any ideas please go to our website:lacumbreartwalk.com and leave your message.

Shelly Szekely
C.A.O.(chief artisan organizer)

State Street/La Cumbre Plaza Update: Apple, Crate and Barrel, Luis Vuitton

Last week, it was announced that an Apple Store will be opening where Pier One is currently located on State Street. There are unconfirmed reports that they will be paying $4.53 a square foot which pencils out to $68,000 per month for the privilege of selling MacBooks and iPods on State Street. Perhaps one of our real estate specialists can comment on how anyone could afford that...do they write it off as a loss leader and essentially have higher profit stores cover the difference?

Yesterday, I heard second-hand that Crate and Barrel is moving into the Pep Boys building. Can anyone confirm?

While the face of State Street continues to become more corporate and chain-based, La Cumbre Plaza looks to be continuing on a path which will bump their traditional demographic elsewhere to shop or in debt. Somehow, I didn't think that our report that the ArtWalk was being canceled (and management's response) was the end of the story.

Pacific Coast Business Times reports that Luis Vuitton may be moving into La Cumbre Plaza where the Body Shoppe is located. Apparently, The Body Shoppe was asked to leave by the end of the month after 16-years at this location. Check out the link to the article for some choice comments from founder Anita Roddick's daughter Justine (whose mother recently passed away). Ritz Camera and Hallmark both have closing signs on their windows as well.

Response from La Cumbre Plaza Management

I appreciate a response I received from La Cumbre Plaza's Senior Marketing Manager about yesterday's post:

I read with interest your blog regarding our discontinuing the ArtWalk at this time. It is unfortunate that you were misinformed as Tiffany & Co. and/or other retailers were not opposed to the ArtWalk. In fact, no one is opposed to the ArtWalk.

This next year will see many aesthetic changes at the Plaza and it is due to these changes and the construction that will be taking place that the ArtWalk will not be at the Plaza next year during its’ normal schedule of June – December.

What Were They Thinking? Bah Humbug! from Tiffany & Co.

According to some artists I spoke to on the Art Walk at La Cumbre Plaza today -- Tiffany & Co., which has been at the mall for all but a month perhaps, is lobbying for the closure of the arts walk. It would seem they are a bit high brow for the local artisans.

While other retailers seem to enjoy the traffic created by the walk, especially in January and February when the mall is quiet, I guess Tiffany & Co. has a Teflon coating. Williams and Sonoma; and, Victoria's Secret don't seem to mind...

To be fair, the artists I spoke with may be extrapolating a bit...but is the new mall management taking it where we don't want it to go?