Savvy on State is the name of the newest retailer that plans to open its doors in one of Santa Barbara’s premier shopping corridors, joining marquee brands like Marshalls and H&M, which also are planning to open locations in the next few months.
Savvy will be located at 9111/2 State St., which formerly was the site of a Blue Bee, a high-end retailer. Savvy’s owner plans to open for business on Aug. 1 in the nearly 2,500-square-foot space.
Some local hiring is anticipated, said the commercial brokerage firm that released the news late Tuesday.
Terms of the lease were not revealed. The property is managed by Bartlein & Co. The name of the property owner also was not disclosed.
Owner Erica Dahl hails from Boulder, Colo., where she opened her first store, Savvy on Pearl, in 2007. Pearl Street is Boulder’s equivalent of Santa Barbara’s State Street, with a similar collection of unique local stores and a relaxed-yet-sophisticated vibe, according to the local commercial real estate brokers who represented both the tenant and landlord in the transaction.
“The closure of Blue Bee created a fantastic opportunity for a retailer like Savvy to secure a prime storefront on the 900 block of State Street,” said Kristopher Roth of Hayes Commercial Group.
The 900 block saw a spike in vacancy earlier this year with the closure of three Blue Bee locations and the Taj Cafe. State already was in transition with the closure of Borders and Barnes & Noble, said Michael Martz, also of Hayes.
“We’ve been working overtime to get the word out to quality retailers across the western part of the U.S. about the great spaces that are available,” he said.
Savvy is described as a fashion-forward store that caters to men, women and children of all ages and price ranges. Ms. Dahl, a Boulder native, is relocating to Santa Barbara to open the second location.
“I have been looking to open a second store, and after spending time in Santa Barbara I fell in love with the area and think State Street will be the perfect location for my new store,” Ms. Dahl said in a prepared statement.
“There are lots of beautiful boutiques and stores on State but I couldn’t help but feel there was something missing. I’m excited to become a part of Santa Barbara’s exciting fashion retail mix and hopefully fill some of those voids.”
Savvy on State will carry TOMS, Junk Food, BB Dakota, Chaser, Havaianas, Scrapbook, Wildfox, Minnetonka and many more brands that have yet to be seen on State, she said.
Marshalls will open in the Borders bookstore building sometime in September, and H&M will open in the Barnes & Noble space, also this summer.
“With national retailers like Apple, Forever 21 and True Religion, the 900 block will have strong brand presence for the foreseeable future,” predicted Mr. Martz. “Even better (is) to also have local and regional concepts like Savvy, Plum Goods, and The Closet to give the block balance and keep it unique.”