Santa Barbara Magazine

Name

Santa Barbara Magazine

Legal name

Smith Publishing LLC

Website

https://sbmag.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Lifestyle Magazine Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Home, Garden & DIY Magazines (MPAJAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food, Cooking & Beverage Magazines (MPAJAEAF), Arts, Culture & Literary Magazines (MPAJAEAN)

Keywords

• Regional lifestyle magazine
• Consumer magazine publishing
• Magazine subscription services
• Local editorial journalism
• Print and digital publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Magazine Sales: Single copy magazine sales through online store and retail stockists at price points ranging from $5.99 to $7.99 per issue.
2. Subscriptions: Annual magazine subscription at $19.95 per year for renewal. Subscribers receive regular issues delivered to their address.
3. Advertising: Revenue generated through advertising placements within the magazine, including sponsored content sections such as 'In Partnership' featuring local businesses.
4. Books and Merchandise: Sale of books and specialty publications such as 'Santa Barbara Living' at $55.00.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Santa Barbara Magazine publishes a quarterly regional lifestyle magazine covering homes, gardens, architecture, food, wine, arts, history, and culture across Santa Barbara, Montecito, Ojai, Carpinteria, Summerland, and the Santa Ynez Valley. The magazine sells single issues, annual subscriptions, a digital edition, and specialty books such as Santa Barbara Living, and generates advertising revenue from local luxury and lifestyle businesses. Distribution is handled through an owned e-commerce shop, regional retail stockists, and direct mail subscription delivery.

Product overview

Santa Barbara Magazine is a regional lifestyle publication offering a portfolio of print and digital products centered on Santa Barbara, California. The core offering is a quarterly print magazine published in seasonal editions (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter) plus special Home + Garden issues, covering topics including homes, gardens, architecture, food, wine, arts, and regional culture. Additional products include a Digital Edition for online reading, a Santa Barbara Living coffee table book, annual subscriptions with renewal options, and individual single-issue copies available for purchase through the online shop. The publication celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Santa Barbara Magazine (Print) Flagship quarterly print magazine with award-winning editorial on people, homes, gardens, architecture, food, wine, history, arts, and escapes across the Santa Barbara region. Sold at retail stockists, via subscription, and through the online shop at $5.99 to $7.99 per single issue.
• Digital Edition Online digital edition of Santa Barbara Magazine that allows readers to view the magazine's content digitally through the publication's website.
• Magazine Subscription Annual subscription service delivering printed issues of Santa Barbara Magazine to subscribers' addresses, with one-year renewal priced at $19.95.
• Single Issue Copies Individual back-issue and current-issue copies of Santa Barbara Magazine sold through the online shop, with prices ranging from $5.99 to $7.99 depending on the edition and year.
• Santa Barbara Living (Book) Specialty coffee-table book showcasing Santa Barbara living, sold for $55.00 through the publisher's online shop.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Montecito Bank & TrustcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSanta Barbara Magazine partners with Montecito Bank & Trust for branded content under the 'In Partnership' section. Montecito Bank & Trust celebrated 50 years of reinvesting in local communities on the Central Coast.
• Santa Barbara Lighting CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership featuring Santa Barbara Lighting Company content in the 'In Partnership' section, highlighting home and landmark lighting finishing touches.
• Riskin Partners Estate GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSanta Barbara Magazine partners with Riskin Partners Estate Group, Montecito's top real estate team, for branded content featuring team values, trust, authenticity, and community focus.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Sunset Magazine: Iconic Western U.S. regional lifestyle magazine covering home, garden, food, wine, and travel across the American West. Closely comparable as a regional lifestyle title serving an affluent audience with home/garden + culinary editorial and a long brand history.
• California Home + Design: California-focused architecture and home design publication. Direct peer in home, architecture, and design editorial targeting California luxury homeowners and design enthusiasts.
• Edible Santa Barbara: Local Santa Barbara food and beverage publication covering restaurants, wineries, and culinary culture. Overlaps in the food/wine editorial focus and the same Santa Barbara geographic market.
• Los Angeles Magazine: Major California metropolitan lifestyle magazine covering homes, food, culture, and local personalities in a wealthy Southern California market. Direct regional peer with similar print + digital + advertising + events business model.
• Coastal Living: Coastal lifestyle magazine covering homes, travel, food, and design in premium U.S. coastal markets. Comparable as a home/design-forward lifestyle publication with a similar affluent reader demographic and editorial focus.
• Veranda Magazine: Luxury home and garden design magazine covering architecture, interior design, and lifestyle for affluent readers. Comparable in the strong home/garden/architecture editorial focus and high-net-worth target audience.
• San Diego Magazine: Long-established California regional lifestyle magazine covering homes, dining, wine, and culture in the San Diego market. Closely comparable business model: regional print quarterly, subscription + advertising, and affluent local readership.
• Montecito Journal: Local Montecito/Santa Barbara publication covering community news, lifestyle, and culture in the same geographic market. Direct competitor for local advertising dollars and reader attention in the Santa Barbara region.
• Marin Magazine: Northern California affluent regional lifestyle magazine covering homes, food, wine, and culture in Marin County. Comparable as a regional lifestyle title serving a high-net-worth Bay Area-adjacent audience with similar editorial pillars.

Emerging players

• Wine Enthusiast: Wine-focused media brand covering wine regions including Santa Barbara County, with related content on food, travel, and lifestyle. Adjacent competitor in the wine editorial niche that intersects with SB Magazine's winery guide content.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/santabarbaramag
• Facebookfacebook.com/santabarbaramag
• Instagraminstagram.com/santabarbaramag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Santa Barbara Magazine