Whether on the sales rack or in the rental market, Johanna Melamed knows how to snag a bargain when she sees it.

Melamed is the owner of The Closet, a boutique consignment and resale clothing business with stores in Santa Barbara and Westlake Village. She recently moved the Santa Barbara store from its first location further up the street to 920 State St., in the heart of downtown. But the move wouldn’t have been possible five years ago, she said.

“I think it’s always been really hard for all small businesses to afford the rents to move downtown,” she said. Now, with State Street plastered with ‘For Lease’ signs, finding a deal on a place was finally possible.

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