Farewell, Paradise

I was one of the sad patrons to see Paradise Cafe close it’s doors. Even more sad to learn that the owners handed it to Acme, a company I feel doesn’t understand Santa Barbara.

Say what you will, but my opinion is that Acme gears their locations completely towards tourists, with tourist prices and gentrification to match.

I miss the days of real independent S.B. restaurants. Not ones owned by companies with design teams trying out the latest “hot” aesthetic with brass and raw wood, or their real-estate teams looking for the next bite out of S.B. history. I’m not bitter, just tired of the greed. Don’t people like Villanueva have enough already? Can’t they leave some for real local entrepreneurs? I suppose not when there’s more more more to be made off our town.