Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: TurboTax Plans 3-Story Flagship Store On Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade

Make time for "How to Fix & Flip Houses" on the Santa Monica Patch calendar

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Thursday October 8th Patch AM
Thursday October 8th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Coffee in hand, Santa Monica? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️

🎃 Hosting a Halloween event in Santa Monica? Let Patch get the word out for you. Post it to the Patch calendar.

In today's newsletter:

  • TurboTax bets big on a three-story flagship on the Promenade
  • How a new state law will change Santa Monica's coastline decisions
  • How bad is the Promenade's slump—and can $3 million fix it?

Also on today's calendar: "How to Fix & Flip Houses" and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What is clean when it is black and dirty when it is white? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: Partly sunny and very warm, with a high of 82 and low of 69 degrees.
  • Friday: Partly sunny and warm, temps: high: 80, low: 69.
  • Saturday: Times of clouds and sun, with a high of 76 and low of 69 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. TurboTax Plans 3-Story Flagship Store On Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade (patch.com) — Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade is set to host a major new TurboTax flagship, with two floors opening in January 2027 and a third floor plus rooftop following later that year. The three-story space at 1408 Third Street Promenade will offer year-round tax and financial guidance, host educational events, and create new local jobs as part of Intuit's nationwide expansion of in-person services.
   

2. Newsom Signs Zbur Bill for Santa Monica Coastal Plan (smdp.com) — Santa Monica now has a clear, state-defined path to finally securing its own certified Local Coastal Program, letting the city handle most coastal development permits instead of relying on Sacramento. A new law signed by Gov. Newsom also fast-tracks local bike, pedestrian, and transit projects that improve coastal access, with incentives if Santa Monica finishes its plan by 2027.
   

3. Santa Monica retail decline — Why LA's top tourist spot is struggling (koreadaily.com) — Santa Monica's downtown shopping core, especially the 3rd Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place, is struggling with rising vacancies, steep drops in retail and restaurant sales, and weaker tax revenues. A new RAND report links the slump to lost tourism, online shopping, and safety and homelessness concerns, while city leaders are pouring $3 million into events, fee relief, and increased patrols to revive the area.
   

4. los Angeles County Sales Tax Increase Takes Effect Oct 1; Santa Monica Rate is Now 11.25% You voted for it, and now sales Taxes in California will be the highest in the United States. (culvercityobserver.com) — Sales tax on most purchases in Santa Monica just jumped to 11.25% after voters countywide approved Measure ER, a half‑cent increase for health-related services. The higher rate took effect October 1, and local officials estimate a typical middle‑income household could now pay more than $2,000 a year in sales taxes, on top of recent hikes in city utility and parking fees.
   

5. Author Readings to Celebrate Release of Fall 2026 Santa Monica Review on Oct. 25 (culvercityobserver.com) — Santa Monica College is rolling out the fall 2026 Santa Monica Review with a public launch party and author readings on Sunday, Oct. 25 at The Edye on 11th Street. Local readers can hear work from emerging and established West Coast writers, buy the new issue, and support a nationally recognized literary journal rooted in Santa Monica's creative community.
   

📸 Around Santa Monica

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Santa Monica

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Santa Monica Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Santa Monica PatchAM possible:

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • A $2M Bike Lane Aims to Make the Streets Safer – Some Residents Disagree —Phil Brock Read on Patch
  • Here are my answers to the LA Daily News election questionnaire! —Phil Brock Read on Patch
  • It is 95 degrees inside my Santa Monica apartment today, and my landlord refuses to provide adequate air conditioning.
    LA County has adopted an 82 degree maximum indoor temperature standard for covered rental housing, and the City of Los Angeles is moving toward the… (Nextdoor Santa Monica Beach-Wilmont)
  • I have a friend looking to board a medium size dog from 10/26 to 10/30.
    She is in Inglewood so we are looking for someone local to there. Please if you know someone or if you do then email me the costs. (Nextdoor Santa Monica Beach-Wilmont)
  • Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. posted a job opening for Director, Broadcast Operations Center in Santa Monica. Apply here.
  • Wonderful Citrus - The Wonderful Company posted a job opening for Field Sales Merchandiser - Wonderful Pistachios, POM Wonderful, Halos Citrus in Santa Monica. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Santa Monica here.

Ok Santa Monica! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "What is clean when it is black and dirty when it is white?" — A chalk board (Thank you Charlie H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Santa Monica