Anonymous
Source: Santa Barbara Airport
Santa Barbara Airport Protects Long-Term Interests Amidst Restaurant Closure
The owners of the restaurant High Sierra Grill & Bar, located adjacent to the Santa Barbara Airport airfield, last week notified the City of Santa Barbara of its intent to close the restaurant for business. “We are very disappointed that the restaurant was unable to be profitable; the Airport had high hopes for the restaurant when we leased it in 2015,” said Airport Director, Henry Thompson. The prior long-time tenant, Elephant Bar, closed in 2013.
By all accounts, the restaurant has been a struggling business for some time and for the last year, the City has provided rent relief to keep it open. The owners’ decision to close follows an attempt since February of this year to sell the business and transfer their lease with the City to another owner. After reviewing several incomplete proposals requesting an assignment of the lease, the Airport eventually received sufficient information to consider the assignment. The City thoroughly reviewed the terms of the proposed deal. “The owners of High Sierra Grill signed a 25-year commitment to the City, so it’s reasonable that the City do its due diligence to understand the deal they’re proposing,” said Thompson.
In accordance with the terms of the lease, the Airport notified High Sierra Grill yesterday of its decision to deny the requested assignment of the City’s lease to Flightline LLC as being contrary to the best interests of the Airport.
As detailed in its written response, the Airport had legitimate business concerns regarding Flightline LLC’s ability to assume the lease obligations and operate a high-quality restaurant and bar for the entire remaining term of the lease. “We had concerns about the proposal, and we provided both High Sierra Grill and Flightline ample opportunity to work with us. But in the end, they were unable to address those concerns,” said Thompson.
Apparently, the better interest of Santa Barbara is to have (another) vacant building. I will look forward to seeing who signs a 25-year lease for that particular space. Santa Barbara remains a difficult place to do business. Well done director Thompson.
No Plan for the Future. The City has few jobs above low wage planned for the future. They area based on tourism or healthcare. The City has no leadership or vision. The idea of “economic development” is to bypass requirements and plan “block parties” for the Downtown. With no leadership we get straw bans, Indigenous People’s Day, free rent for use of public land and giveaways for developers that cause parking, noise and other problems. Locals need to jump ship or do something before it is too late.
Trump and his multiple bankruptcies, Liberty Mutual bringing their associates to the Bacara and renting out the sunken gardens, Madoff and his Ponzi schemes, there are plenty of examples of corporate poor decision-making that have been richly rewarded. I know it is popular to take whacks at guvmint inefficiency but it seems to be a more universal condition than that.
Whether or not the food was good or bad is not the issue … City Airport Admin heads should roll, but they won’t. There is no accountability on these mismanaged City government positions. This mismanagement situation can’t be duplicated in the private sector as it wouldn’t be tolerated…
Bureaucrats cause another vacant business. At least the bureaucrats still have a job.
Cheesecake Factory, please. All day.
Chang’s Spicy Chicken, sweet-spicy chili sauce, green onion. I need P.F. Chang here. Maybe they could be convinced to do a Chang-ette, like Target did on State Street before the big one in Goleta.
Target, Good & Gather, is Target’s new grocery brand, announced Monday. Lots of organic food, and prepared salads, pastas. Word on the street is they are competing head-on with Amazon’s Whole Foods, beginning Sept. 15. Goleta Target (opening in October) will be stocked with the new offerings! Hoping for quality, and good prices. Target opens at 8am daily.
High Grill will be missed for its service to the community providing group meeting space, in addition to being a fun place to eat when awaiting airport arrivals or departures. Thanks to the current owners and staff for their dedication and long hours trying to make High Grill Restsurant a success. You’ll be missed!
Willing sellers did not find willing buyers. Hard to refute the animal spirits of capitalism at any level. Even corporate welfare at taxpayers expense – a year of free rent – did not alter the animal spirts of a business that failed to find sufficient willing customers. How far did they deviate from the former Elephant Bar format?
City bureaucrats gave them a year of free rent. Spending your tax dollars with your interests in mind.
This is a college town – and a government bureaucrat town. Those are the biggest employers, all depending on tax dollars, not tourism or healthcare (also tax dollar funded). You created an economy based solely on increasing tax revenues: public higher education and government workers obtaining very high salaries and benefits. No wonder their unions support candidates who will ensure this gravy train still runs at maximum efficiency.
Remember how you used to be able to go up into the old airport building and eat, either while waiting for a flight or just to watch the planes??? Now you have to go past security to reach the “restaurant.” That was another government poor choice, once again limiting our options. A good coffee shop with that view could succeed again.
i worked there at nights last year and saw the saw the manager screaming and firing a waitress in front of all the patrons,and his language was not fit for the family hour,it wasnt a very happy place to be or work.