Longtime Store Owners Talk About Closing Green and Yellow Basket

The longtime owners of a downtown Santa Barbara business, The Green and Yellow Basket, say they can no longer stay open with foot traffic slow, and rents up. They are closing in December. The business has been on State St. since 1950.

Susie and Ed Dougherty have owned the store since 1976. At that time they promised the prior owners they would carry on the theme of the store and the name.

It did, at that time, sell many baskets. Those days are over. Very few baskets remain.

The store at 911 State St. is known for its wide selection of hats, shoes, novelties, and Santa Barbara souveniers.

“We’ve had so many phone calls,” said Ed Dougherty, about the reaction from friends and customers. “A lot of them are going to be sorry,” he said, when the store is gone.

It is a classic “mom and pop” operation with only two other workers.

His wife said some, “have cried. Including me.”

As for the replacement, Susie said, “I hope this whole street doesn’t go corporate. It’s going more and more that way.”

She said the customers were very pleasant in her store and that’s what made it comfortable to run for years. “We rarely have a sour puss,” she said.

Discounts begin next week.

The store will be closed after Christmas.