Scholar, engineer, magician
Just a few months shy of 10 years ago, I arrived in the Santa Barbara area to start what would become the Pacific Coast Business Times. I was introduced to Paul Glenn, an investor and philanthropist, who graciously hosted a lunch for me and several area business leaders. Glenn said at the time that he Read More →
Bank sues contractor, alleging his home is not his house
Some heavy accusations are being thrown at a well-known area contractor by a Santa Barbara bank. According to a lawsuit filed in Santa Barbara County Superior Court, David Lack of David Lack General Contractors and Bank of Santa Barbara are tangling over the matter of Lack’s house. Or, rather, the house Lack appears to lack. Read More →
A long fall from the top of the bubble
In the heyday of the housing boom, Bob Fowler and Ron Hertel cut a wide swath across the West Coast. By Fowler’s own account, their flagship company, R.W. Hertel & Sons, built some 1,100 homes in and around the tri-county region. They were active as far north as Oregon and as far south as Woodland Read More →
Anchor Blue, in Chapter 11, could close Santa Barbara store
Anchor Blue Retail Group, a 177-store casual wear retailer that filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 in May, may close one of its five tri-county locations as it attempts to restructure out of bankruptcy. The store at 820 State St. in Santa Barbara is on the tentative closure list. Brian Johnson of Radius Group Read More →
A first-hand look at future of automakers
Listen to the CNBC gang talk about the collapse of the automotive industry and you just might believe we have witnessed a catastrophe equal to the dinosaur extinction. But to Jamey Power, whose family pioneered the idea that customer satisfaction could be a driver for auto sales, the bankruptcies of General Motors and Chrysler signal Read More →
In this fight the winner, by split decision, is plaintiffs
CallWave’s attempt to take itself private caused a brief flare-up in Santa Barbara County Superior Court that likely will result in a payday for some out-of-town attorneys. The former Santa Barbara company hit the markets with a $40 million initial public offering in 2004. But its flagship products — most notably, a service to let Read More →
Forever 21
Forever 21, a trendy Los Angeles-based clothing store, has run into trouble in its bid to take over a Gottschalks location in Santa Maria vacated by that company’s bankruptcy. Officials behind the company that owns Santa Maria’s Town Center have objected to Forever 21 because they say the property’s lease agreements say that the former Read More →
