AnonymousAt a time when Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone is enjoying plenty of pep in its step, Santa Barbara Running owners and husband-wife team Joe and Monica DeVreese decided to take their popular specialty running shop on a new course in Montecito’s lower village.
“We loved being in the Funk Zone, but we couldn’t pass up this opportunity,” said Joe DeVreese. He points to a number of factors that inspired the move, including being closer to many of their core clientele as well as prime running routes.
“Since the devastation in Montecito with the 2018 mudslides, there is a wonderful sense of renewed energy, excitement and new businesses opening up in the community and we wanted to be a part of that,” he said.
The specialty shop joins another lifestyle brand, lululemon, in setting up at Coast Village Walk located at 1046 Coast Village Rd. Though Santa Barbara Running officially re-opened on June 18, the two new neighbors plan to share grand opening festivities this Saturday, June 29, beginning at 8:00 a.m. with a community run.
Santa Barbara Running was founded by the DeVreeses in 2003 and had been operating in the Funk Zone since the summer of 2004. The company stocks a full assortment of running shoes and apparel, accessories and nutritional supplements, and all staff are trained runners who can provide a comprehensive gait analysis onsite to help customers in their purchasing decision.
“We enjoyed being down by the beach, but our lease was coming to an end and when we found out about this new location we simply couldn’t pass it up,” said Joe.
Avid runner and local commercial real estate broker Gene Deering of Radius Commercial Real Estate represented Santa Barbara Running in the lease of their new 1,240 sq. ft. space. “Montecito has a resilience and a spirit that not only attracts visitors and tourists but which also keeps commerce vibrant in the area,” he said.
In a recent report provided by City of Santa Barbara Community Development Department, the storefront vacancy rate on Coast Village Road dropped from 8.2 percent in April, 2018 to 4.8 percent, or just seven vacancies, in April, 2019. “This is healthy activity and good news for Montecito and for Santa Barbara in general,” said Radius agent Justin Diem who represented the property owner in Santa Barbara Running’s lease.
Other Coast Village Walk tenants include Starbucks, Vons Pharmacy, Blenders in the Grass and Sakana Sushi.
