Updated Aug. 22, 1:08 p.m.–
By Mike Hazlip— The long anticipated See’s Candies store at Sunrise Boulevard and Uplands Way is now serving customers amid the closure of the company’s Sunrise Mall location.
An employee at the new location confirmed their first day was Monday, August 9. A steady stream of customers was observed at the location during a visit by Sentinel staff on Tuesday afternoon.
Building owner Tallen Capital Partners purchased the property in May and worked with See’s Candies on a long-term lease, according to CEO Terrence Tallen.
The building is now back on the market and Tallen told The Sentinel in an Aug. 1 interview that the property will make an attractive asset for future buyers.
“It’s a real jewel box,” Tallen said of the building. “I think that someone looking for passive investments, it would be a great opportunity, investment opportunity for someone.”
Tallen said his company leased the property to See’s while still in a due diligence period to acquire the property, calling it “a really nice set of circumstances that came about for See’s Candies, and of course, for us.”
See’s location inside Sunrise Mall was reportedly the company’s first million-dollar retail store, Tallen said, a factor that made Citrus Heights an attractive location for the new operation at what Tallen called “the best hard corner in all of Citrus Heights.”
Ongoing redevelopment of the adjacent Sunrise Village by Merlone Geier is another factor that Tallen said will have a positive impact on the property, describing the redevelopment as “fabulous.” New tenants at the village include Starbucks, Firehouse Subs, and Club Studio Fitness.
The Sentinel previously reported a grocer is slated for the remaining anchor space.
The aging Sunrise Village property was purchased by San Francisco-based Merlone Geier in 2017, with renovation plans approved in 2020. Changes at the 15-acre plaza have included demolition of several buildings, including the former Coco’s restaurant and Benihana. Exterior facades have also been added, along with modifications to existing roof lines to modernize the center.
