Tag Archives: The Market at Santa Monica Place

The Gourmandise School Reopens In New Digs…

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The last remaining soldier in the Market, that once promised us a Ferry Building-style experience atop Santa Monica Place, has finally found a new home.  The popular culinary academy The Gourmandise School has now opened in their elegant new space across the way, next to the also recently relocated The Curious Palate.  And what of the Market at Santa Monica Place?  As I’ve already told you, it looks poised to become a children’s museum, thereby completely extinguishing any further gastronomic hopes.

 

 

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CrepeMaker Done, The Market Converts Into A Museum In Santa Monica Place

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Still more signs of trouble for the consistently sputtering food scene in Santa Monica Place.  It appears that another of the concessions on the third floor has disappeared.  CrepeMaker has unceremoniously vacated its food court location.  In other news…  If you were hopeful that the failed The Market space might return with the promise of a new food venture, I’m afraid your hopes are about to be dashed on the rocks.  In case you haven’t heard,  the space is being converted into the Zimmer Children’s Museum, at least according to the new window displays.  Perhaps the Dudes’ Brewing Company, currently under construction, will breathe new life into the third floor.

 

The Gourmandise School Shifts Locations In SMP: The Market Soon To Be Completely Empty

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The last remaining tenant of the failed Market at Santa Monica Place is pulling out.  Culinary educators The Gourmandise School are moving to a new third floor location in the mall, just to the right of the recently moved The Curious Palate.  What’s next for The Market?  I’ve heard whispers that it will be turned into a multi-use space, but I cannot confirm that, so we’ll just have to wait and see…

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Venokado Vacates SMP

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It appears that wine and gift shop Venokado has given up the ghost in The Market at Santa Monica Place.  And The Curious Palate will be jumping ship from its Market space to across the way, just to the right of the ArcLight.  That means that soon, the only soldier left standing will be La Gourmandise School.  But we’ve been promised that something new will be coming…

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More Changes To Santa Monica Place…

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It looks like one of the last enduring restaurants in the challenged Market at Santa Monica Place is finally pulling out.  But for once, the news isn’t catastrophic.  Tenacious farm-to-table hold out The Curious Palate is moving from the space inside The Market, to the outside space directly opposite (space 331), just to the right of The ArcLight Cinemas.  The space has mostly sat empty since the post-remodel orginal restaurant Ozumo pulled out back in 2012.  They are apparently not using the entire Ozumo space, and construction has yet to begin, so it may take a while yet…

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Great Khan’s Mongolian Grill Opens In SMP

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We all know that since opening, the food scene at Santa Monica Place has had its share of troubles.  The much-anticipated Market now sits mostly empty and largely untouched, as do a number of other restaurant spaces, even as the wildly popular Cheesecake Factory continues to be a big draw.  Into this chaos, one plucky new eatery is making a courageous bid.  Mall staple Great Khan’s Mongolian Grill is now open in the food court.  We wish them luck.

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Trouble At Santa Barbara Public Market?

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And while we’re on the subject of Santa Barbara…  One of the locations of Rori’s Artisanal Creamery is in the Santa Barbara Public Market.  You may remember that the anticipatory buzz was very high when SBPM first opened only last year.  Well, recently I had a chance to check out its progress.  Sadly, it appears that the market, often compared to San Francisco’s Ferry Building, may be having some of the difficulties that have plagued its predecessor The Market at Santa Monica Place, which is currently under redevelopment.  Three of the original stores have now closed; Belcampo Meat Co., The Pasta Shoppe, and Crazy Good Bread.  We’ll just have to wait and see how it all plays out.

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The Market At SMP 2.0 Coming Soon…

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Oh those glorious days back in 2011 when we all held such high hopes for the opening of The Market at Santa Monica Place, only to have those hopes dashed on the rocks shortly thereafter.  With names such as Rockenwagner and Piero Salvaggio involved, all eyes were on the food hall that was frequently described as “Ferry Building style”.  Well, after years of sputtering and losing tenants, The Market recently closed most of its space for a major re-do.  Only four stores remain open: The Gourmandise School, The Curious Palate, Venokado, and Groundworks.  No word on what they’re planning on doing, and the signs that are up only promise that “The Market is changing”, so we’ll just have to wait and see.  Perhaps the new Arclight Cinemas and Cheesecake Factory will bring more foot traffic.  Maybe we can start to get our hopes up again…

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The New Arclight Cinemas In SMP Will Feature A Bar And Café

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The brand-spanking new Arclight Cinemas being built directly on top of Bloomingdale’s in the Santa Monica Place will feature its signature café and full bar according to the posters covering the plywood.  Thus between the new café and the upcoming Cheesecake Factory, diners will be spoiled for choice on the formerly struggling third floor of the mall.  Who knows? Maybe even the stagnant The Market might get new lifeblood…  Look for a Fall 2015 opening.

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MAKE OUT Now Closed In SMP…

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Abandoned storefronts, dusty shelves, deserted halls, and the occasional lost soul would be the perfect backdrop for Halloween… except that this is actually The Market at Santa Monica Place.  Just in case we need more evidence that the sputtering Ferry Building-style food hall, about which we once held such high expectations, is not getting any better, Chef Matthew Kenney’s raw food restaurant MAKE has recently closed up its take away outlet MAKE OUT.  The restaurant itself remains open, and you can read more about that here. 

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