Sears is leaving and shoppers are talking about Santa Barbara options
Sears will be leaving La Cumbre Plaza in Santa Barbara by February 2019 and customers are speaking out about what should go in the space and shopping trends overall in the city.
NewsChannel 3 was not given access to the store or customers in the parking lot Monday. The shopping center does say it is actively looking for another anchor store at the site immediately. Other changes, improvement plans, pop-up stores and holiday special events are in the works.
Recently the Pizza Mizza restaurant nearby closed.
Sears nationwide has been cutting back on its stores due to declining sales. At La Cumbre Plaza, it is also the owner of the store property.
“I think it is a long time in coming. We bought a stove there and a microwave when we remodeled our house and there was nobody in there. The place was deserted,” said Donald Oldenkamp a Santa Barbara resident.
Downtown shopping has a new flare to it with decorations for the holidays already going up. Garlands, lights and wreaths are hanging in and around the Paseo Nuevo Mall. Some stores are putting some discounted items up front and holiday signs in the windows.
Even with online sales becoming so popular these days, some customers still want to touch, feel, smell and inspect their purchases in person.
“I don’t shop online. I don’t trust it. I am from the old school. I go to little festivals, farmers markets and that kind of thing,” said Betty
One customer said she looks at the in-person price, the online price and the timeline she has to make the purchase.
Barbara Bajova a Santa Barbara resident, was holding three bags full of gifts for birthdays and upcoming parties. A book was a bit more expensive than online but she needed it right now. “I did look online and I did see on Amazon it was $25 cheaper, which was about a third, but it is a gift I need to give tomorrow so I bought in person this time.”
Amazon does have a storefront pickup site in Isla Vista, and options online for a fast-track delivery.
