Armada Wine Merchant is tucked away in the historical San Marcos Courtyard downtown, near Santa Barbara’s legendary (and dearly departed) 1129 Restaurant & Bar. Reader Jonathan says the business at 1129A State Street has changed ownership and noticed that several of the people moving furniture inside the business were wearing “Crushcakes” t-shirts. When I called Armada their voice mail says they are open for business as usual while a Google search says they are temporarily closed. Meanwhile reader Annie spotted the following message on Craigslist:

“Crush Bar – Now Hiring All Positions! (Santa Barbara) Come join the Crush Bar family! From the family whom brings you Crushcakes Cafes, we are an upcoming beer & wine bar opening at the end of May and looking for service minded individuals to join our team! We are a family owned business committed to providing quality food and beverages to our community while engaging with our guests. We are looking to hire for all of our positions including: Hosts, Servers, Bar backs & Bartenders with opportunities for cross training and upward mobility. Applicants preferably should have experience working with food or alcohol however we will train the right person if they seem like a good fit.”

I sent an inquiry to the management at Crushcakes and a response is still pending.