Post Modern
A Curated Shopping Experience
Remodels and redesign preserved as much historic and original architecture as possible.
Written by Caitlin White
Photography by Ye Rin Mok
Santa Barbara does everything its own way—including shopping. Although it’s a stretch to call the newly opened collection of 13 curated shops that fill out THE POST a mall, there’s a buzzy sense of purpose that harkens back to early ’90s mall culture as community gathering places. But there’s also a freshness to the simplicity of this mostly outdoor space, which has been reimagined to include a roundabout at the entrance and includes several architecturally significant and historic buildings.
At the Las Aves Complex, located at Los Patos Way and East Cabrillo Boulevard, weathered bricks are the foremost design elements, with courtyard seating and an eclectic, large-scale fountain from local sculptor Marge Dunlap titled It’s Raining. The nearby Andrée Clark Bird Refuge is a recognizable landmark for most locals. And all the brands and businesses that are setting up shop either hail from the Central Coast or Los Angeles.
Developers David Fishbein and Joseph Miller of the Runyon Group seem to have an innate sense of how to make digital-first shoppers ease back into the brick-and-mortar world. L.A. residents will recognize the pair as the driving force behind Platform in Culver City and The Row downtown. Their spaces traditionally include expansive outdoor areas, plant life, lots of light, and sophisticated storefronts.
One of their own brands, The Optimist, was created in response to a perceived gap in the menswear game, and its second location at The Post carries a mix of hard-to-find brands and vintage accessories. Another retailer, Teller, is run by Fishbein’s wife, Jamie Fishbein, and has a similar curatorial bent that’s women-focused. Outside of the family-run businesses, one tenant, The Great, a lifestyle brand widely touted for Americana flair and sturdy basics from Emily Current and Meritt Elliott, slots in neatly.
A handful of restaurants, including Buellton’s beloved Little King coffee shop (part of the Bell’s Companion Hospitality Group) and a forthcoming location of Jackson and Melissa Kalb’s contemporary Italian L.A. spot Ospi, are also part of the development. In an era where so many developers build sleek and soulless modern structures, it’s a breath of fresh air for Fishbein and Miller to preserve and enhance the rustic charm of these spaces. At its core, The Post is a love letter to Santa Barbara’s way of life—outdoorsy elegance and nonchalant charm. 1809 E. Cabrillo Blvd., Santa Barbara, thepostmontecito.com
