Apple’s long-time plans to locate in Santa Barbara (Calif.) are apparently closer to becoming a reality. A story in the News-Press reports the company is negotiating for space at 928 State Street, which is being vacated by Pier 1. Apple has been looking at various properties in the picturesque, up-scale beach town since early 2005. According to a November, 2007 leasing brochure, the 54-foot wide space along the city’s main drag includes 9,421 square-feet on the ground floor, and another 9,322 square-feet on a mezzanine. The property will become available February 1st, the brochure notes, and advertises a lease rate of $3.25 per square-foot. At 18,743 square-feet, the current interior configuration would make the store one of Apple’s largest. More likely, Apple would renovate the interior to reduce the retail floor space and create storage and office areas. Depending upon how much construction is performed, the store could be finished by year’s end.
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Well….It’s about time. With a large resident population, a university (UCSB) and lots O’ Tech and Arts folks, and visitors, it should be a natural. Closest store to the north is San Luis Obispo (110 mi). The 1000 Oaks store is about 55 mi south of the proposed location. Let’s do it Apple!
In Santa Barbara we have just lost the Apple Store in the Goleta CompUSA, leaving us with two very small Apple dealers. Of those two the larger better established one is located on a side street in downtown Santa Barbara and is a real dump. The shop is a hold over from the mom & pop computer shop business model from the mid 80’s and is quite untidy inside. Now Apple is finally opening their new store and is going to probably drive them out of business. Good Riddance to Mac Mechanic and hello to better support and service!
I’m glad that you getting an Apple store. The Mom and Pop outlets have no future against any kind of competition. Apple does not care. They give them no mark up. Retail items are tough. You guess what people want and then Apple comes out with new product with no warning to their own supply chain. Try selling iPod covers for iPods that you do not sell any more. Yes some independents should be gone, so good riddance. But a lot are gone by the shift in America to large corporations. Losing these entrepreneurs gives us less choice and less personal contact in the retail experience.
If you are interested in construction photos of the new store in Waikiki - web.mac.com/marktrek/Apple/Royal_Hawaiian_Shopping_Center.html
Just a note . . .
The Mac Mechanic has been remodeled. Modern & sleek. :P
Yes, Mac Mechanic looks quite sleek now, and I have received excellent service there. I, too, am excited that S. B. is getting an Apple Store. However, the owner of Mac Mechanic has triplets to support and raise so I do hope Apple has a plan-of-inclusion for him, and his staff too.
Very happy to see that Apple is moving in to State Street. The Pier 1 space is quite large with two floors, and is in a great part of town.
I also hope they take on the staff of MacMechanic as they provide excellent service. They spent a lot to remodel their store, recently, to look more like an Apple-ish store. They also support the local Mac User Group.
Google Maps has the location of the store a little off. The building is actually to the left of the parking lot you see in the Satellite view, (which is actually the top floor of a movie theater.) Across the street, diagonal, is a Saks Fifth Ave, so the area is upscale enough for Apple.
The ex-Pier One store is not going to work for Apple - the city of SB won’t let them make the changes they want. There’s a new sign on the front - the location is back on the market.
The sign on the front stating that the property is back on the market is gone.
… and the local paper reported the other day that Apple is now accepting applications for employees for this new location.
Cool
