Akira Japanese Restaurant owners stand inside the newly opened eatery. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– A new Japanese restaurant debuted on June 6 and has already received high praise from reviewers on Yelp.
Akira Japanese Restaurant co-owner Anna Doan said business has been okay since the grand opening but noted a lull in foot traffic between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Operating hours have adjusted and now lunch runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner runs from 4-8:30 p.m. The hours are extended to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Hours are posted on the restaurant’s front entrance.
The decision to open in Citrus Heights was influenced by the restaurant space’s previous existence as a Vietnamese eatery, offering a smaller, more manageable space, Doan said. She also cited the surrounding high-density residential area on Greenback Lane as advantageous.
Doan is Vietnamese, but said her co-owner brings twenty years of experience cooking Japanese cuisine.
The restaurant emphasizes the use of fresh ingredients. Its menu features a variety of authentic Japanese dishes, including sushi, ramen noodles, and teriyaki. Lunch Bento Boxes range from $14.99 to $19.99, offering options like Chicken and Salmon Teriyaki, Chicken and Oyster Katsu, and more. Vegetarian and kid-friendly boxes are available as well. The menu also includes a selection of beers, wines, desserts, and sake.
Plans are underway to expand the menu with additional raw sushi and sashimi choices. Doan aims to increase advertising efforts once the menu has been fully updated.
“Hopefully the business will go well, and hopefully we’ll be able to expand,” Doan said, adding that this is the first restaurant she and her business partner have operated.
Akira Japanese Restaurant is located at 6191 Greenback Ln., near the corner of Auburn Boulevard.
Red Lobster in Citrus Heights, located at 6231 Sunrise Blvd. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– Red Lobster in Citrus Heights could be next on the chopping block, according to latest company bankruptcy filings.
In an update last week, ABC 10 reported that a list of 132 locations has been released, where Red Lobster is seeking to reject leases due to the locations being “likely to continue to drive losses.” That list includes the Citrus Heights location.
In a May 19 press release, Red Lobster expressed reluctance as it announced the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. The company “intends to use the proceedings to drive operational improvements and simplify the business through a reduction in locations,” according to the press release.
Located at 6231 Sunrise Blvd., the Citrus Heights location was previously spared from a first round of almost 90 restaurant closures across the country in April. The Citrus Heights Red Lobster still remained open as of Thursday morning. Latest reports indicate almost 100 locations have closed across the country.
“This restructuring is the best path forward for Red Lobster. It allows us to address several financial and operational challenges and emerge stronger and re-focused on our growth,” Jonathan Tibus, the company’s CEO, said in the press release.
Red Lobster in Citrus Heights has remained a stable fixture near the corner of Sunrise and Greenback in a plaza that has seen several tenants leave and new tenants take over neighboring sites throughout the past decade.
A total of eight locations in California are listed as temporarily closed, according to Red Lobster’s website, including a Sacramento location on Howe Avenue.
According to the restaurant’s website, Red Lobster is known for its fresh seafood dishes and has over 700 locations operating across the country, as well as several international franchises. The first Red Lobster opened in 1968 in Lakeland, Florida.
5425 Sunrise Boulevard, rumored to be an Amazon Fresh, has been confirmed. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– A rumored Amazon Fresh grocery store coming to the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Madison Avenue has been confirmed through an official alcoholic beverage license filed on May 28.
The new grocer is slated to open at 5425 Sunrise Blvd., according to leasing documents online, but no official name has been listed. A notice of the filing of an alcoholic beverage license was posted next to the entrance of the building with the official company name.
Several sources with knowledge of the project last year informed The Sentinel that Amazon Fresh was slated to become the tenant for the space. Sunrise MarketPlace Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter could not confirm the name of the new tenant as of Monday.
Interior renovations reportedly began inside the building between six and eight weeks ago. Construction fencing has been erected by W.L. Butler Construction Inc. in the parking lot in front of the site, and interior construction is ongoing.
The 38,000-square-foot building was formerly occupied by JoAnn’s Fabrics, according to prior reports. JoAnn’s Fabrics moved over to an adjacent building in the same shopping center.
Rite Aid, which recently closed, was located two buildings down and is still listed on online leasing documents.
After filing for bankruptcy in mid-October 2023, the chain initially announced the closure of more than 150 stores across 15 states. More closures occurred in November 2023 and January 2024, according to online reports. Previous Rite Aid locations in Citrus Heights had already shuttered in 2018 and 2023.
According to the city, building permits were issued to 5425 Sunrise Blvd. on May 2.
Amazon is known for being silent about plans for its grocery concept stores to open in other parts of the country. An Ohio-based news outlet reported Amazon being mum about plans for a new grocery store in Cleveland and said the company is known for using a generic “National Grocer” name for its projects elsewhere.
Redevelopment of the Sunrise Village shopping center has been ongoing since the first quarter of 2021, according to prior reports. A new archway sign was erected in 2023, and several new businesses have joined the shopping center. Recently, Pinkberry, a national frozen yogurt chain, was added to the leasing materials for Sunrise Village.
The shopping center currently includes several prominent businesses and eateries, such as See’s Candies, Olive Garden, Starbucks, Little Ceasar’s, JoAnn’s Fabrics and Crafts, and The Habit Burger Grill.
W.L. Butler Construction could not be reached by Sentinel staff before press time on Tuesday.
By Sara Beth Williams– New businesses with plans to open in the near future in Citrus Heights include several new eateries, a high-end fitness center, and a grocery store.
Yummy Buffet Grill & Sushi: A new Asian buffet is coming to the former Tokyo Buffet building located on Greenback Lane in the same shopping center as Sam’s Club. Yummy Buffet has signage posted outside the building and has done extensive exterior work since August of last year. Interior construction is still ongoing. According to a representative of the restaurant, the facility hopes to open by the end of July. Yummy Buffet Grill & Sushi is located at 7217 Greenback Ln.
West Coast Sourdough: Signage was seen being mounted on the suite across from Costco sporting the new sandwich shop’s name over Memorial Day Weekend. West Coast Sourdough, which signed a lease last year for a 2,400-square-foot suite in a five-tenant building in the Stock Ranch Plaza, anticipates completing construction sometime in June. The building is also home to Sport Clips, Crumbl Cookies, AT&T, and Citrus Heights Smiles Dentistry. West Coast Sourdough is located at 6920 Auburn Blvd., #150.
Club Studio Fitness: The high-end fitness club anticipates opening its main fitness center in Sunrise Village by mid-July, according to a project superintendent. The company currently has a smaller satellite site open on Greenback Lane and Sunrise Boulevard next to Red Lobster where customers can sample fitness equipment and purchase memberships. The new Club Studio location will open at 5419 Sunrise Blvd.
Oyster Bar: A popular Natomas-based seafood restaurant is expanding with a second location in Citrus Heights and is slated to take over the space formerly occupied by Chando’s Tacos at Sylvan Corners. The restaurant initially stated they expected to open in early 2024, but the site was still under construction when Sentinel staff visited last week. Oyster Bar is located at 7084 Auburn Blvd., #160.
HomeGoods: A new HomeGoods store is slated to fill the space previously occupied by Stein Mart, which closed in early 2020 in the Marketplace at Birdcage shopping center. HomeGoods sells furniture, rugs, kitchenware, and other home supplies at discounted prices. Sunrise Marketplace Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter could not yet confirm an opening date for the store. HomeGoods is slated to be located at 5975 Birdcage Center Ln.
Teriyaki Madness: According to leasing documents for the Marketplace at Birdcage, the new fast-casual restaurant is slated as “Coming Soon,” but no opening date has been confirmed by the company or Sunrise Marketplace. Teriyaki Madness is slated to open at 6121 Sunrise Blvd. in the former Starbucks site, next to Barnes & Noble.
Amazon Fresh: A rumored grocery store coming to the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Madison Avenue has been confirmed through an official alcoholic beverage license filed on May 28. Interior renovations reportedly began on the nearby store between six and eight weeks ago. The space was formerly occupied by JoAnn’s Fabrics, according to prior reports. JoAnn’s Fabrics moved over to an adjacent building in the same shopping center. The new grocer is slated to open at 5425 Sunrise Blvd.
An empty playground at the recently closed Citrus Heights Preschool. // SB Williams.
By Sara Beth Williams– The shuttering of Citrus Heights Preschool after more than 50 years has impacted many families across the community, including Samantha Reid, a single mom whose 8-year-old daughter attended the preschool for the last five years. Reid reached out to The Sentinel this week to shed light on the center’s abrupt shutdown.
Reid relayed that, in March, two long-time staff members both quit abruptly on the same day “with no notice or reason.” Then parents were notified that transportation services would be reduced due to staffing shortages.
Reid, who lives in Citrus Heights and works in downtown Sacramento, relied on the preschool to provide transport for her daughter to and from elementary school.
At the end of April, parents were notified that the last day of operation would be May 10. Two weeks later after operations officially shut down, Reid said her work was “gracious enough” to allow her to alter her work schedule so she could pick up her daughter from school.
“The sudden closure caused a lot of hardship for me,” Reid said.
Residents on social media expressed sadness over the childcare facility’s shuttering and shared many memories of time spent at the facility over the years, either teaching, attending, or having their children and grandchildren attend.
Reid said staff were “super awesome” and assisted her daughter with online schoolwork during the pandemic, even though the elementary school her daughter attended at the time wasn’t specifically partnered with the center.
While many expressed sadness, some families also relayed concerns regarding finding a replacement daycare. Reid called the center a “rare gem” because the facility partnered with and offered transport for children to and from nearby elementary schools. Reid has yet to find a replacement daycare that offers the same services.
Reid said a few new hires in 2024 did not remain with the center for long, and she said the director had told her and other parents that she was struggling to find new staff members and cited higher minimum wage requirements as a hindrance. Phone calls from The Sentinel to the school were unsuccessful, as the line appeared to have been disconnected.
Some residents speculated on other reasons for the shutdown, including lower enrollment and that the director chose to retire. The Sentinel was unable to contact the owner in order to verify online speculation.
On a visit to the site Thursday, Century 21 Select Real Estate Realtor Michael Thompson told The Sentinel that the previous owner recently passed away and that he had continued to honor the site’s use as a preschool under a promise to the owner prior. Thompson said he is “committed” to following through with the former owner’s wishes and hopes to find a buyer that will continue to use the site as an educational facility.
Reid said on the last day of operation, the director was “very, very heartbroken” over shutting down the facility and that saying goodbye was “sweet and sad.”
“I wish I had a way to talk to her because she was part of our lives for five years,” Reid said, adding that she has nothing negative to say about the preschool itself and that she and her daughter are very saddened.
The Sentinel reached out to previous employees of Citrus Heights Preschool regarding the closure and staffing challenges. One former employee declined to provide comment and others did not return a request for comment.
By Sara Beth Williams– A pet hospital on the corner of Greenback Lane and Auburn Boulevard in Citrus Heights has closed, but could re-open soon if efforts to recruit a new doctor are successful.
Akaal Pet Hospital recently announced on their website blog that Dr. Jagjit Bhullar left the practice as of March 14.
“This unexpected change in our veterinary team has prompted us to make some adjustments,” the pet hospital wrote.
According to the company’s website, the pet hospital anticipates reopening once a new veterinarian is recruited and directed residents that need assistance to contact the AmeriVet Veterinary Partners directly. Akaal Pet Hospital joined AmeriVet in 2019, according to AmeriVet’s website.
“We are actively working on restoring full operations and services as soon as possible to continue providing care to our clients’ pets,” AmeriVet Head of Communications Roberto DeLeon told The Sentinel on Monday, adding that the pet hospital has a lot of local clientele and that AmeriVet is working “diligently” to address the situation.
Several Akaal Pet Hospital reviewers on Yelp indicated that the only licensed veterinarian on site abruptly left the clinic in early 2024, leaving the clinic unable to legally operate and perform animal care services. One reviewer stated that “only having one license holder in a clinic is not responsible.” Other reviewers indicated that the abrupt departure of the doctor caused “enormous stress and anxiety.”
Akaal Pet Hospital is located at 6081 Greenback Ln. and bills itself as a “one-stop-shop for all your pet’s health and wellness needs.” Adjacent businesses include Grocery Outlet, Jack in the Box, Taco Bell, Petco, and Dollar Tree.
Chief Executive Mark Rossel of Madison Imaging Center stands with multiple doctors waiting to cut the ribbon Saturday, June 1, 2024. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– A new imaging center in Citrus Heights held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, June 1.
A small crowd of local and regional community leaders, specialist physicians, and residents gathered Saturday morning for the grand opening of the Madison Imaging Center, including Citrus Heights Vice Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa, Councilmember MariJane Lopez-Taff, and Citrus Heights City Manager Ash Feeney.
Chief Executive of the center, Mark Rossel, along with five doctors who will be working with the imaging center, participated in the ribbon cutting. Following the ceremony, the team led small groups on tours throughout the center.
Rossel told The Sentinel Tuesday that the ceremony went “very, very well” and was well-attended. Rossel added that multiple specialist physicians from around the region called in the afternoon on Saturday requesting tours, and in total, he estimated the center led 30 small tours of three to four people throughout the day.
The 15,000-square-foot building was purchased three years ago, according to Rossel, and features state-of-the-art equipment that is typically reserved for universities and research institutions.
The imaging center will offer MRIs, PET scans, CT scans, x-rays, and ultrasounds, among other services, according to Rossel, who said the equipment is of higher quality and will allow for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer sooner.
“If you receive a referral, you’re typically 10 to 14 weeks out,” Rossel said, adding that with the high-tech equipment available, the center will be able to provide imaging results and begin treating patients in days instead of weeks.
Rossel said that the company also acquired Creekside Medical Group, located on Greenback Lane, three years ago, around the time the new Madison Center Imaging building was acquired. Creekside Medical Group offers healthcare services, including physicals, vaccinations, echocardiograms, ultrasounds, and ankle brachial index exams according to the medical group’s website. The center on Greenback Lane has been open for over a decade under another doctor, Rossel said.
“We’re very, very excited about this project and for the city of Citrus Heights,” Rossel told the City Council on April 25, adding that he’s especially excited to offer services to the seniors in the region because the imaging center is Medi-Cal approved and has a Federally Qualified Health Clinic application in process, which would allow for charges to be given on a sliding scale based on a patient’s income.
Rossel said the city has been “great to work with” through the permit process and praised the Citrus Heights Police Department for partnering together with the imaging center to help protect the property. Rossel told the council that Citrus Heights and multiple other police departments and organizations used the property for K-9 trainings before construction began. A more frequent police presence safeguarded the building from vagrants and illegal activity, Rossel said.
The Madison Imaging Center is located at 7803 Madison Ave. directly behind the Sunrise Village shopping center. Nearby businesses include the Cannabis Coverage Company, B. Uppal Insurance Agency, and Family First Mortgage Group.
Owners Melisa and Robert Roden, Galaxy Game Cafe. // S. Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– New businesses that have opened in Citrus Heights this year include a new thrift store, an imaging center, an events center, a batting cage facility and a gaming cafe.
Whatsupstairs: A new thrift store located next to the former Goodwill on the corner of Auburn Boulevard and Old Auburn Road opened in mid-April. Co-owner Mark Holmes said the store is doing well and has been open for eight weeks. The thrift store sells an assortment of antiques, collectibles, new and used furniture, and everything in between. Whatsupstairs is located at 7134 Auburn Blvd.
Madison Imaging Center: A new Imaging Center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, June 1. The high-tech imaging center prides itself on its state-of-the-art equipment and on offering high-quality imaging services to those who are enrolled in Medi-Cal and Medi-Care plans. Madison Imaging Center is located at 7803 Madison Ave., directly behind the Sunrise Village shopping center.
Citrus Town Event Center: A new event center opened near the Citrus Town Center in early 2024. Situated at 7942 Arcadia Drive, opposite the Mitchell Village housing community, the center occupies the former premises of various nightclubs, including Alley Katz, Paradise Beach, and Sand Bar.
Tunnel Vision: Trainer Jeff Williams from the new batting cage practice facility said the center officially opened Feb. 2 and has since added 7,000 square feet of outdoor training turf, as well as a gym area and two new pitching machines. Tunnel Vision is located at 7927 Auburn Blvd.
Galaxy Game Cafe: A new game cafe opened on Sunrise Boulevard in April, and features more than 700 board games, card games, tabletop games, and a Star Wars display gallery. The cafe describes itself as a “family-owned play space” with the motto “Unplug. Connect with others.” The Galaxy Game Café is located at 7700 Sunrise Blvd., Suite 1900.
Owner Dan Howes and his wife stand in front of their Auburn Boulevard business. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– Citrus Heights business owner Dan Howes is championing a new Auburn Boulevard development collective, in an effort to improve one of the city’s key commercial corridors.
Howes, who owns Good Hands Massage on Auburn Boulevard along with two other businesses, said he previously paid to be a member of the now defunct Auburn Boulevard Business Association (ABBA) before the association became stagnant. Now, Howes wants to form a new group under the name Auburn Corridor Development Collective.
“ABBA is gone,” Howes told The Sentinel last week, adding that he is forming a new business collective because he didn’t want to take over something that wasn’t his to begin with.
Howes’ vision for how the Development Collective will operate is different than that of the previous association. Howes wants to focus on improving development along the Auburn Boulevard Corridor, starting with collectively committing to maintain the outward appearance of businesses along with helping hold building owners accountable for the appearance of vacant or abandoned buildings along the corridor. Buildings with boarded-up windows discourage new businesses from coming to Citrus Heights, he said.
Monthly meetings aren’t necessarily in the framework of the collective, Howes said, explaining that he wants a group of businesses to come together as needed to address concerns such as vandalism and blight.
To garner interest in the new collective, Howes recently facilitated a meeting on May 21 and reported that roughly 20 people were in attendance, including eight business representatives besides himself.
Prior to that meeting, Howes said he personally handed out printed flyers to 75 businesses along Auburn Boulevard on two occasions, inviting business representatives to the meeting.
In addressing the lower-than-expected turnout of business representatives, and the creation of a new collective, Howes said he is “confident” that more people will come as they realize the value of such a collective.
“Sort of a ‘If you build it, they will come’ scenario. All I have to do now is build it,” Howes said.
Last week’s meeting featured four speakers. General Services Director Regina Cave spoke about what businesses can expect during phase 2 of the Auburn Boulevard Complete Streets Project and also volunteered to be a liaison between the construction company and Auburn Boulevard businesses, Howes said.
Citrus Heights Chief of Police Alex Turcotte addressed the issues of retail theft, vandalism, and illegal dumping by highlighting the See Click Fix app, which allows residents to report blight and other concerns directly to the city.
Turcotte also stressed the importance of businesses reporting issues to the Police Department so that the Department can assess what police resources are truly needed for the Auburn Boulevard Corridor.
Economic Development and Community Engagement Director Meghan Huber told attendees that the city will be providing signage for the reporting of illegal dumping to businesses on a first come first serve basis, complete with mounting brackets.
Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sheri Merrick spoke on the value of the local chamber and “emphasized the value of shopping local,” Howes said.
Several businesses expressed to Howes that future construction along Auburn Boulevard could hurt revenues, but Howes said he feels the city is doing “a ton to make it an easy process.”
“People resist change, it’s in their nature, but this will be a much-needed improvement,” Howes said.
The Citrus Heights Preschool appears to be closed, as of May 29. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– A preschool facility that operated for more than 50 years in Citrus Heights appears to have closed its doors.
Citrus Heights Preschool is located at 7555 Old Auburn Rd. No indication of when or why the facility closed is available on the preschool’s website or social media, and the preschool’s Facebook page shows little activity. A phone number listed on the website appears to have been disconnected.
On Wednesday, Sentinel staff visited the facility to find a vacant parking lot and empty playgrounds with various preschool play equipment still visible. No notifications were posted indicating when or why the facility has closed.
An adjoining facility with the address of 7569 Old Auburn Rd., which shares playground and grass space with the original preschool building, also appeared locked and abandoned with no posted notification regarding closure. Both buildings were purchased on the same date in 2012, according to the Sacramento County Assessor’s office. The preschool’s website indicates that in 1975, a second building was added to the site.
As mandated by law, the Department of Social Services evaluated the facility annually, but the report from 2023 was not immediately available. A Patricia Newton was listed as the director of the facility in a December 2022 report.
The Sentinel has reached out to former staff members for comment but has received no response.
On Wednesday, employees and management at Sylvan Corners Pet Hospital, located across the street, said they were unaware that the preschool had closed. Staff mentioned witnessing families dropping off kids at least two to three weeks ago.
Yelp reviews throughout the years noted concerns of a lack of staffing at the preschool, but reviews were scattered over many years. Only one review was posted in 2023, and no reviews were posted in 2024.
The preschool indicates on its website that the privately owned school originated in 1970 as a one-building preschool before adding a second building. The preschool included programs for infants, preschoolers, pre-kindergarten, and school-aged children and was open from 6:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. according to their website.
