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After facing high rent, theft and lack of local traffic, Faitell Attractions is moving elsewhere KENNETH SONG/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOSFaitell Attractions is closing its store on 619 State St., but owner Lisa Faitell plans to move to a new, yet-to-be-determined location.
Faitell Attractions, a consignment store and interior design business, is hosting a moving sale and is in the process of relocating from a troubled State Street.
A new location is not confirmed yet for the store, currently located at 619 State St., but owner Lisa Faitell said, “We will let everyone know as soon as we know.”
Ms. Faitell, who opened her store in August 2020, said she found she needed to leave State Street, where several downtown Santa Barbara businesses have closed during the pandemic.
“On State Street in general, there is an issue with boutiques surviving with high rent, homelessness and theft,” Ms. Faitell told the News-Press. “When we had a theft occur, it took a week for the police to respond.”
She said her business serves local customers, including Santa Barbara and Montecito residents.
Faitell Attractions is a consignment store and interior design business. It also sells window coverings.“Our locals are not coming downtown because they are hesitant to come due to the condition of State Street,” she said, but added, “Weekends are more busy with tourists.”
“When people were home during (the earlier stages of) COVID, everyone was shopping more because people were dying to get out,” Ms. Faitell said, but noted “We have seen a big drop off (in business) since early 2021.”
Ms. Faitell said her business includes consignment, but its larger and expanding side is its interior design and custom window coverings, for which she needs local business to succeed.
These elegant birds are among the items gracing the store.Ms. Faitell described the kind of location that she is looking for: “It’s got to have some charm, and walking exposure. It needs to be around similar businesses, not off on its own. In our current location, we pay for parking and easy access for moving furniture in and out in the back.”
“The new location will focus on interior design,” she said. “I have been an interior designer for over 25 years and have had the experience of working for Hunter Douglas.”
Hunter Douglas is a window covering company.
Faitell Attractions has benefitted from owner Lisa Faitell’s more than 25 years’ experience in interior design.“I have significant experience working with window coverings. I am a dealer for two U.S.A. manufacturers,” Ms. Faitell said. “I cover the full gamut, It’s a specialty niche.
“When I moved to California in 2017. I thought I would have a following here because of my success in New York, but that wasn’t the case,” she said. “So I worked for Hunter Douglas to get acquainted with Santa Barbara and have them get acquainted with me.”
Ms. Faitell emphasized that Faitell Attractions will continue to serve the community when it finds a new site.
“We are looking forward to a new location where I will see more of the local community,” Ms. Faitell said. “We want our customers to know that we are not going out of business. Everyone seems to love what we do.”
email: kzehnder@newspress.com
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