••• Colliers Santa Barbara posted on Instagram that “the landlord is prepared to redevelop the former Hitchcock Cinema into a purpose‑built, glass‑forward auto showroom with dedicated detailing, office space, and prime street‑front display parking.” I think the “former” is a bit early, as the cinema lists showtimes online through Thursday—but nothing after that. The closure would hardly come as a surprise, given the difficult times that owner Metropolitan Theatres has gone through. UPDATE 9/14: I learned more from the owner of the property:
The Hitchcock Theater lease is nearing expiration, creating a rare opportunity to reimagine one of the most distinctive commercial spaces in the upper State Street corridor. With more than 8,000 square feet of contiguous, column-free space, nearly 16-foot ceilings, and the potential for approximately 2,000 square feet of adjacent patio area, the property offers exceptional flexibility for a wide range of future uses. Over the past few years, ownership has studied multiple conversion concepts designed to transform the former two-screen theater into a dramatic, highly functional commercial space. Potential configurations could accommodate an automotive showroom, one or more restaurants, a fitness or wellness concept, creative office, showroom, or other experiential retail use. Along Hitchcock, the finished floor will sit approximately two feet above street level, giving the space a prominent, elevated presence and creating the opportunity for a dramatic storefront and architectural focal point.
••• Something intriguing on the horizon: Prismavera, “Santa Barbara’s premiere private cultural and arts enclave.”
••• Marfa Stance‘s pop-up, selling reversible modular women’s outerwear, has opened at the Montecito Country Mart.
••• State Street Trading Post at 1105 State Street—a “marketplace of vintage, makers, and merchants”—will open October 1.
••• According to the September 18 agenda of the county’s South Board of Architectural Review, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is working on “a reconfiguration of the parking lot and entry design, remodel of the gift store building and relocation of the 230-square-foot snack shop, [and] to replace the 170-square-foot visitor kiosk.”
••• A show of work by realist painter Mary-Austin Klein opens at Sullivan Goss on September 25. Below: “2 Palms + Goodyear Blimp.”
················
Sign up for the Siteline email newsletter and you’ll never miss a post.
Not sure what’s a more unpredictable business model today, a movie theater or an auto dealership franchise.
There is a snack shop at the botanical gardens?
I assume it’s the little area with convenience snacks inside the gift shop. It’s sort of tucked away in the back corner of the store.
Metro doesn’t currently have showtimes for any of their other theaters past Thursday, so probably not significant. (Or, even more significant?)
FWIW – Metro Theaters usually posts showtimes on Tuesdays for the upcoming week beginning on Fridays. Hopefully will see new showtimes posted tomorrow.
A dealership instead? Not sure about that.
I am genuinely sad about the Hitchcock Theater. It’s the only remaining Metro theater that I enjoy — because its a bit of a secret and no-stress grabbing a ticket and seeing movies that aren’t always in wide distribution. It was a perfect cloudy day venue for some good ol’ escapism. Losing this to a car dealership feels especially weird, considering I don’t imagine a dealership exactly “thriving” there. Speaking of escapism, clearly this real estate at present or with its future plans is living in a world that no longer exists — good luck with your revenue.