Usually sporting a tie, tucked-in shirt, sport coat, and slacks, Warren Butler is a reliably buttoned-up chap, at least by Santa Barbara standards. But the longtime restaurateur gets rather giddy talking about planes.
“I’ve always loved airplanes, and I always wanted to be a pilot,” said a twinkly-eyed Butler, whose father and sister served in the U.S. Navy. “But you needed to have 20/20 vision and be a lot smarter than me.”
Paired with his hospitality career, that translates to an affinity for aviation-themed restaurants, like the Proud Bird near LAX and 94th Aero Squadron at Van Nuys Airport. Both are places where the surrounding visuals and associated clientele are just as compelling as the food and drink. “I just thought that was a great concept,” he explained.