Strawberries top Santa Barbara crop report
Santa Barbara County’s agricultural production topped $1.24 billion in 2009, its highest total ever, according to the county agricultural commissioner’s annual crop report. The report, released April 12, shows a 9.1 percent increase over 2008 in gross value of crops, livestock and other agricultural products. Santa Barbara County ranked 14th in the state in agricultural Read More →
Late bidder emerges to top offer for CKE
Hold the lettuce. The emergence of a late bidder has frozen private equity firm Thomas H. Lee’s plans to take Carpinteria-based CKE Restaurants private for $11.09 per share. The parent company of Carl’s Jr. and Hardees said April 7 it had received a late bid that was likely to top THL’s best offer, an announcement Read More →
Santa Barbara Borders building sold for $10M
The $10 million sale of 900 State St. in Santa Barbara makes for the largest commercial real estate deal in the city in more than two years and signals new life in the city’s downtown. The 38,000-square-foot retail space where Borders bookstore is currently housed was sold on April 5 to an affiliate of SIMA Read More →
UPDATE: Chumash buy Fess Parker land in $40M deal
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has bought a 1,390-acre ranch from Fess Parker Entreprises, the company of the late Fess Parker. The deal’s recorded value was $40 million. Charles Bargiel, an attorney for Fess Parker Enterprises, said negotiations for the property commonly known “Camp Four” went on for several months. “Mr. Parker himself Read More →
First California nets $39 million in stock sale
Westlake Village-based First California Financial Group, parent of First California Bank, closed a public stock offering March 24 that netted it about $39 million. The bank, which has about $1.5 billion in assets and seven branches in the Tri-Counties, sold 16.56 million shares at $2.50 each for a total of about $41.4 million. Chief Executive Read More →
The Walking Co. to exit Ch. 11 in April
Santa Barbara-based shoe retailer The Walking Co. said March 22 that it could emerge from its $68.5 million Chapter 11 bankruptcy by the end of April. In December, the company took on mall landlords by filing to reorganize, citing untenable leases it signed during what company leaders called a “high water mark for retail space.” Read More →
First California to raise $36M
Westlake Village-based First California Financial Group, the parent of First California Bank, plans to close a $36 million stock offering by March 24. The banking company said March 19 it will sell 14.4 million shares for $2.50 each. After costs, First California will net $33 million, the bank said in a release. Earlier, First California Read More →
