Santa Cruz Markets have been locally owned since 1980.

Before that, in the 1970s, Santa Cruz Markets was a chain of seven stores throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The name comes from the first store in the chain that was on the corner of Santa Cruz Street and Main Street  in Ventura. The Santa Barbara stores were on North Milpas Street, Cliff Drive on the Mesa, and Hollister Avenue in Goleta.

In 1980, the chain was broken up and the only two left today are in the Santa Barbara area. In 1990, the Mesa store lost its lease, and was forced to move to its present location, 324 West Montecito Street, formally the location of Aiellos Market.

Above and below are from the mid 1940s.

Above is a shot is from the Santa Barbara High yearbook in 1960.

Above is a photo David Lange sent us of him getting an autograph from L.A. Dodger Ron Perranoski in front of the Goleta store.  

The Montecito St. store when it was Aiellos. Not sure of the date.

Going Way Back....

The Santa Cruz Market on Hollister Ave. was originally an airplane hanger!

It was used at the first Santa Barbara airport, located off Las Positas, where the Municipal golf course is today.

 In 1938, it was moved to its present location in Goleta to become a Caterpillar tractor showroom.

The Western Welding building is still there today, as Giffin Rental.

 In the mid 1950s, it was transformed into a grocery store called the 101 Ranch Market. For years it was the only grocery store in town.

  In the 1970s it became a Santa Cruz Market.

We still still display our S&H Green Stamps sign at the Goleta store as a tribute to the past...and because it looks cool! The Goleta store also still uses cash registers, as opposed to scanners, because if it works, why fix it?