Isla Vista Food Co-op Expands to Cantwell’s Deli in Downtown Santa Barbara

Isla Vista Food Co-op — the community-owned grocery store that has been serving Isla Vista for more than 50 years — just announced that it will be expanding to a second location in downtown Santa Barbara and taking over the longtime lunchtime favorite Cantwell’s Deli on State Street.

Lisa Oglesby, the president of Isla Vista Food Co-op’s Board of Directors, said that the new location will bring the best of the co-op — such as local produce and health-conscious snacks — while “honoring the legacy” of Cantwell’s, including the name and made-to-order deli options.

The new store will be called the I.V. Food Co-op Downtown Market (Featuring Cantwell’s Deli), and the deli counter will still have many of the classic offerings, something that Oglesby said was important to the classic location.

“We have taken it over in full but want to make sure that people can still find the Cantwell’s name in their delivery apps and searches,” Oglesby said. “The made-to-order options will stay the same. Our deli team is being trained by current Cantwell’s management and staff so that we can keep the menu that everyone loves and add in some favorites from our I.V. location.”

While the full transition may take a few months, customers can already see a few new products on shelves, and Isla Vista Co-op members can access their user benefits at both locations. The co-op also plans on hosting events and new owner drives (all co-op members are part-owners) in the downtown location’s parking lot to help familiarize new customers with the market.

The co-op is unique in its community-ownership model. It was founded in 1972 by UC Santa Barbara students and Isla Vista residents as a way to ensure that locals would have access to high-quality and affordable food options in their neighborhood. Over the years, the market has also offered a dedicated space for local farmers to sell their produce.

The new location, which sits on the corner of State and Arrellaga streets, is also the future home of a proposed mixed-use development that will feature 27 units of rental housing built around the market. Oglesby said that the I.V. Co-op has attained a multi-year lease agreement for the space, and that the plan is for the Downtown Market to remain a long-term tenant once the development is complete.

The I.V. Food Co-op Downtown Market (Featuring Cantwell’s Deli) will be open throughout the transition, and a grand opening is currently being planned for April.