By Staff Report Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

Apple will open its first store in Santa Barbara at 10 a.m. May 16 after the Jesusita Fire pushed its grand opening back one week.

The store at 928 State St. sat a few blocks from an evacuation warning area for several days as flames burned in the foothills above downtown Santa Barbara. It was originally scheduled to open May 9.

Best Buy, which is now open across from the Costco in Goleta at 7090 Marketplace Drive, will also celebrate its grand opening May 16.

Apple has remained mum about its downtown store for months even as construction permits and crews confirmed that the firm was behind the extensive remodeling at the site.

The improvements added office space above the proposed store. Neither Apple nor Hayes Commercial Group, the brokerage firm handling the property, have responded to inquiries from the Business Times about how much office space was built or when it will come onto the market.

Before Apple, the location housed Pier 1 Imports.

This story was updated at 12:15 p.m. May 8.

Are you a subscriber? If not, sign up today for a four-week FREE trial or subscribe and receive the 2009 Book of Lists free with your purchase.