sbmidmod Brings Mid-Centry Style to Santa Barbara

Owner of sbmidmod, Tracey Strobel. Photo by Erick Madrid for the Santa Barbara Independent.

Owner of sbmidmod, Tracey Strobel. Photo by Erick Madrid for the Santa Barbara Independent.

An appealing array of home furnishings and artful objects—featuring the mid-century modern motifs of clean lines, bright colors, organic and geometric shapes, bold patterns, mixed textures, and contrasting materials—are on display at sbmidmod, a new addition to the Funk Zone. Located on Anacapa Street next to the popular Mony’s Mexican restaurant, this eclectic retail space showcases the timeless appeal of the design style.

A self-described research geek with a degree in ancient history, owner Tracey Strobel has spent almost two decades collecting, studying, restoring, and selling mid-century pieces. She got started hunting down furnishings for her own home. “Then it became a situation where I had one or two too many pieces and I thought I could maybe sell them … and it
snowballed into a business rather rapidly after that … and 18 years later, ta-da,” she laughed.

A Richard Schulman print of actor Anthony Hopkins, sits in the corner of sbmidmod. Photo by Erick Madrid for the Santa Barbara Independent.

A Richard Schulman print of actor Anthony Hopkins, sits in the corner of sbmidmod. Photo by Erick Madrid for the Santa Barbara Independent.

Strobel began selling in the early days of eBay. “I’ve done the grunt work,” she said. “I worked estate sales, I’ve had spaces in antique malls—including a current space at the Antique Center Mall—and I’ve been incredibly grateful for those experiences because you
learn a lot from the people around you. One of the things I love the most about this job is that you’re constantly learning.”

She finds her inventory everywhere, from online searches to estate sales to tips from her network of antique dealers. As to what excites her about the mid-century modern aesthetic, Strobel said, “I love the minimal lines. I love the simplicity, and honestly, I view all of these pieces as functional art. It’s a lamp, yes, it gives you light, but it’s beautiful to look at and it inspires an emotional reaction for me. I can’t explain it better than that.”

Kitty corner, a tribute to cats in art form, at sbmidmod in the Funk Zone. Photo by Erick Madrid for the Santa Barbara Independent.

Kitty corner, a tribute to cats in art form, at sbmidmod in the Funk Zone. Photo by Erick Madrid for the Santa Barbara Independent.

The research geek that she is, Strobel added, “There is also the component of knowing who the designers are and having the opportunity to research and learn about someone new.” The other appeal of the era is the craftsmanship. “It’s so well-made,” she said. “When you take care of these pieces, they will last for generations. It’s also important to me—though it’s pretty simple and rather obvious—that antiquing and buying vintage/used furniture helps the planet.”

As to the risk of opening up a new retail space during the uncertain days of a pandemic, Strobel said it was really a matter of stumbling onto a building that spoke to her. She was out on a bike ride in February when she spotted the “For Lease” sign in the window of a gutted building. “All I could see was the brick and the studs,” she said. She quickly made an appointment for a walk through. “It just landed with me,” she said.

Strobel signed a lease two weeks later. The timing was good. “I was really ready to have a
place where people could come in and shop, but also where I could research and do my work,” she said. “This is essentially my office that people can come and shop in.”

“It’s definitely an obsession,” she laughed. “You’ve got to have a passion for this in order to make it last a long time. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s also a lot of work.”

Santa Barbara Independent, June 24, 2021.Originally published in the June 24, 2021 issue of the Santa Barbara Independent. To see the story as it originally appeared in print click here.

Spirited Soaps

Spirited Soaps, originally published in the June 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine.

Piney juniper with a hint of citrus. Sweet fruit and spice with a touch of bitter orange. These may sound like flavor notes in popular cocktails, but they’re actually fragrance combinations in a line of handcrafted soaps. For two of its sudsy bars, Etta + Billie (ettaandbillie.com), a Ventura-based maker of small-batch body-care products, takes olfactory cues from libations.

“I’m constantly inspired by the food and beverage world,” says CEO Alana Rivera, “so I wanted to capture the essence of some of my favorite classic cocktails— the gin and tonic and the negroni.”

After what she describes as “years of pushing paper around in corporate America and feeling deeply unsatisfied and utterly uncreative,” Rivera received a book about soapmaking as a gift from her mother. She credits it with sparking her creative, entrepreneurial journey.

“I combine highly effective natural ingredients to create products that are centered around my love of farm-to-table food culture and the connection it brings,” she says.

805 Living Cover June 2021, photo by Gary Moss. Originally published in the June 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine. Cover photo by Gary Moss. To see the story as it originally appeared click here.

Strength in Elegance

Strength in Elegance, originally published in the June 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine.

Having worked for decades as an entertainment-industry visual-effects artist, Santa Rosa Valley resident Kevin Prendiville says he has always been a maker at heart. When his wife Jerami requested that he create a bag for her to bring to the barn where she boards her horse, he was inspired to create a handcrafted leather equestrian-themed tote with a removable saddlebag. It became the first product of the couple’s new brand, rebar works (rebarworks.com).

“So many people said, ‘I want one of those,’ that we redesigned it and made it even better,” says Jerami. More leather goods are on the horizon, as well as home furnishings and whatever else catches their creative spark.

“We consider ourselves a luxury lifestyle brand, and we like to cater to people who appreciate beauty, clean design, high-quality materials, and detailed craftsmanship.,” Jerami says.

“We’re bringing a unique voice to it, too,” adds Kevin. Taking inspiration
from the steel rods it’s named for, the company’s mission is to harness the
strength and integrity of understated elegance.

805 Living Cover June 2021, photo by Gary Moss. Originally published in the June 2021 issue of 805 Living Magazine. Cover photo by Gary Moss. To see the story as it originally appeared click here.