Jorge Rico cuts the hair of customer Junior Ybarra on Thursday at the newly opened De la Vina Barbers in Santa Barbara.
Jorge Rico cuts the hair of customer Junior Ybarra on Thursday at the newly opened De la Vina Barbers in Santa Barbara. (Joshua Molina / Noozhawk photo)

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Two childhood friends have turned a dream into a reality.

Jorge Rico and Erik Lule-Lopez opened De la Vina Barbers on Tuesday and have been busy clipping, shaving and buzzing.

The Santa Barbara shop is at 2830-B De la Vina St., next to Presto Pasta. 

The two met when they were 5 years old at Peabody Charter School and have been buddies ever since, through Santa Barbara Junior High School and Santa Barbara High School. Recently, they saw an opportunity to open a barber shop and jumped at it. 

“That should be every barber’s goal, to open up their own barber shop,” Rico said. “We saw the opportunity, there was a lot of space and we decided to do it together.”

Rico previously worked at Uptown Barber Shop and Lule-Lopez at Arturo’s Barber Shop.

Both guys said they enjoy talking with and meeting new people.

“You make friends,” Rico said. Lule-Lopez added that he enjoys meeting people from different parts of the community.

Haircuts are $30, and cuts for seniors cost $25. It even comes with a free beer or drink.

“We’re trying to do the best customer service we can,” Rico said. 

Woody’s Wilts

Woody’s BBQ in Goleta has closed its doors for good after 39 years in business.

Woody’s BBQ in Goleta has closed its doors for good after 39 years in business. (Joshua Molina / Noozhawk photo)

The days of a free meal with a youth sports jersey are over at Woody’s BBQ.

The popular ribs, chicken and barbecue place at 7320 Hollister Ave. shut its doors over the weekend, the end of an era for generations of Goleta residents. 

“We want to thank the community for 39 years, and we look forward to seeing them in the future,” owner Kim Stabile said.

The restaurant was located in the Magnolia Shopping Center. It was a popular destination for youth sports parties, video games and good barbecue food. 

Montecito Property for Sale

The 84-acre Ortega Ridge Ranch in Montecito has been listed for sale for $16.75 million.

The coastal agricultural estate has avocado and citrus orchards.

The property, at 370 Ortega Ridge Road, has been co-listed by Barbara Koutnik and Andrew Templeton of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Property Specialists, affiliated with the Montecito office of Coldwell Banker Realty.

The Spanish Villa is beautifully appointed with four-bedroom suites, a large office and a separate guest casita, according to a news release

“With unsurpassed ocean, island, coastline and mountain views from every vantage point, this stunning property sits on more than 84 acres planted with professionally managed avocado and lemon orchards and offers low property taxes due to the Williamson Act Agriculture Preserve status,” Koutnik said in a news release. “A relaxing rural lifestyle within minutes of Montecito’s Upper and Lower Villages along with quaint Summerland and the beach, the natural beauty of this estate surprises with its expansive lawns, established botanicals, flowering and native plantings, and wide pathways throughout to allow for orchard access and nature hikes.

“Showcasing a single-level courtyard entry with a large heated swimming pool and spa, the grounds include many open patios and covered verandas along with regulation north/south tennis court. Taking full advantage of unobstructed ocean views, the home encompasses a gracious living room with large fireplace, paned windows and French door access to exterior loggia patio and gardens and spacious dining room with raised hearth fireplace with dramatic stone surround.”

WELL Health Makes New Hire

Isabelle Meyer Stapf has joined WELL Health of Santa Barbara as senior vice president of product.

Well Health Inc. is a SaaS digital health leader in patient communications, according to a news release.

Stapf will drive WELL Health’s product strategy and lead the launch of new products in new markets, centering the company’s product culture on data-driven prioritization and process excellence.

“Isabelle’s expertise across product management, operations, marketing, customer success, and engineering, coupled with her proven success leading teams through high-growth, made her the ideal candidate to lead our product team,” Guillaume de Zwirek, CEO and founder of WELL Health, said in a news release. “Our product strategy will be integral to the future of WELL Health as our best-in-class digital communications platform continues to evolve as we enter new markets.”

Stapf moves from AppFolio Inc., where she held a variety of senior leadership roles.

Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.