Pet Food Express has opened in the former Men’s Wearhouse location in Citrus Heights. // S. Williams
By Sara Beth Williams–
The building formerly home to Men’s Wearhouse in Citrus Heights now has a new tenant, with Pet Food Express celebrating its grand opening last weekend.
Store Manager Miriya Bruzenak confirmed that the location at 6177 Sunrise Blvd. held a soft opening on June 28, but had its grand opening on July 15 and 16. During its grand opening celebration, the store offered free access to self-service pet washing stations, along with treat samples, gifts for customers, and pet adoptions.
The new pet supply store offers a wide variety of supplies including pet food, grooming supplies, pet toys and beds and cat climbing trees.
“The community has been warm and welcoming,” Bruzenak said of Citrus Heights, adding that the new location is highly visible to passersby on Sunrise Boulevard.
In honor of the grand opening of both the new Citrus Heights location and a new store in La Verne, California, Pet Food Express is offering 20 percent off all purchases online and in-store through July 31, according to the company’s website. Shoppers must use the code “grandopening.”
Pet Food Express joins two other nearby pet specialty retailers: PetSmart at 6434 Sunrise Blvd., and Ben’s Barketplace at 7935 Greenback Ln.
The former Men’s Wearhouse closed in the summer of 2020 amid parent company, Tailored Brands, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Pet Food Express is headquartered in Oakland, California, and was founded in 1986. The company has locations in Roseville, Davis, Sacramento, and El Dorado Hills.
Father and son, Don Gill and Gill Valencia stand in front if the family carniceria and taqueria they have owned for decades as the younger Valencia prepares to take over the business. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
Operating since 2001, a Citrus Heights taqueria and market located inside an unassuming storefront on Greenback Lane is looking to the future, while keeping family ties with the past.
After immigrating to the United States from Michoacán, Mexico in the mid-1980s, Don Gill and Maria Valencia first opened Valencia’s Carniceria Taqueria in Orangevale. By the early 2000s the family moved and expanded the business at 8040 Greenback Ln. in Citrus Heights, their son Gill Valencia told The Sentinel.
His parents came to the United States for opportunity and education, Valencia said.
“There’s not much opportunity in Mexico, there’s not much if you don’t have an education over there,” he said. “Education really matters over there and the majority of the people over there aren’t educated. I think my dad at one point was just looking for more opportunity to make money, find some freedom, and he came over here with that in mind.”
Inside the storefront on Greenback Lane is a taqueria with table seating and a full menu of burritos, tacos and more. A small market is also located inside, and the business has earned more than 200 reviews on Yelp, with an average 4.5-out-of-5 star rating from customers.
More than two decades after opening, the younger Valencia handles most of the day-to-day operations and is preparing to take the family business further. The business continues to be a popular stop for shoppers and diners looking to experience authentic Mexican foods.
“I do pretty much everything,” he said. “Bookkeeper, manage about 25 people right now, taking care of inventory, dealing with the ups-and-downs as far as inflation costs and just so many things that just been popping up, counseling my own people because at the end of the day, when you’re a business owner you’re pretty much establishing friendships and you’re a counselor at the same time.”
Thirty-two-year-old Valencia said he learned entrepreneurial skills from his father, but also took some business and social science courses at Sierra College that prepared him to manage the business.
“He’s always had a business mind,” Valencia said of his father. “And that’s where I’m getting it from. I’ve seen the success that it’s brought and I like that, I like the flexibility of making your own time and that’s something I thoroughly enjoy.”
Valencia said one employee was shaken up after an armed robbery that occurred about four months ago when an individual tried to rob the cashier with a knife. Due to the incident being traumatizing for the employee, she was moved to a day shift.
The business has seen one other armed robbery in the past year, Valencia said, noting the crimes are an increase since the business opened.
Landlord improvements in recent months have increased the safety of the center, Valencia said, noting that the area was not well-lit when the crimes occurred. Security has also started patrolling the center.
“I told the landlord about the situation and he got on it right away,” he said. “He started putting up more can lights down the hallway, lights around the back area of the building.”
Looking forward, Valencia said he plans to expand the business and add more seating for the taqueria as well as offering more forms of money transfer such as Viamericas. He said the electronic money transfer service helps his customers pay their bills and transfer funds to family living outside the United States.
New developments nearby like the 260-home Mitchell Village have also been good for business, Valencia said. He is seeing more new customers from areas such as the Bay Area, San Jose, and Folsom.
“I feel like it’s grown a lot,” he said. “More people, you see a lot more activity here. We’ve got a brand new community behind us right now, and we got another community being built. So as far as people, there’s more traffic. That definitely helps out with business, but it’s growing.”
Plans for a K-6 charter school in the nearby 6060 Sunrise Vista office building and the Sunrise Tomorrow concept are also developments that Valencia says will help local businesses like his.
“As far as a school goes, if a school gets in there, that’d be good, that’s going to be good traffic right there, that will bring clientele. At the end of the day, that’s what makes everything go round, just customers and the economy.”
Stuntman Nick Palma stands in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costume during a Comic Con event in June 2023 at Sunrise Mall. // S. Williams
By Sara Beth Williams–
The usually quiet Sunrise Mall saw an influx of foot traffic last month during a “Weekend Blender” Comic Con event that boosted business at the mall’s various retailers.
Sunrise Mall Assistant General Manager Brooke Bolden-Mallory confirmed to The Sentinel last week that the mall saw a “spike” in foot traffic during the Weekend Blender event, but did not provide a specific number of estimated traffic.
During the Weekend Blender, an event labeled as “Not Your Typical Comic Con,” attendees were able to shop at various vendor booths for everything from kids’ toys, pop culture and vintage items, collectables and clothes, to Lego sets, custom 3D-printed cosplay weapons and armor, and handmade arts and crafts.
Cosplay contests were held each day of the event, giving local cosplayers the chance to dress up and show off their favorite comic book, movie and TV characters to a round of applause.
Hollywood stuntman Nick Palma also made an appearance to sign autographs and pose for pictures. Palma’s IMDB credits include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II (1991) and III (1993).
“It hasn’t been this busy in a long time,” Tatiana Neto said during the event. Neto is a supervisor at Mark’s Hallmark store inside the mall and has worked for the store since 2008. She added that she hopes to see more similar events in the future, as it brought an influx of customers into the Hallmark store.
The Weekend Blender was organized by Pete Salazar, who said the events began in 2009 at the Sierra Vista Mall in Clovis, California, with a handful of vendors who sold arts and crafts, toys, and collectibles. Salazar runs his own store in the Sierra Vista Mall and has hosted Weekend Blender events at both the Sierra Vista Mall and the Westfield Mall in Tracy.
Bolden-Mallory said the Comic Con event was a “good thing” for the mall atmosphere, and said she “absolutely” would love to see similar events take place at the Sunrise Mall.
In a phone call with The Sentinel, Salazar said he hopes to bring back the Weekend Blender in January of 2024. Sunrise Mall’s manager also said there is a possibility that the Weekend Blender event will return in 2024, but no final decision has been made on the matter.
The site of a former nightclub at 7942 Arcadia Drive in Citrus Heights is proposed to become an event center. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
A 6,000-square-foot building near Sunrise Mall that was once home to a string of nightclubs such as Alley Katz, Paradise Beach and Sand Bar, could become a new event center if plans are approved by the city.
Public records show plans were submitted by Citrus Town Event Center LLC to transform the building at 7942 Arcadia Drive into an event center with room for over 200 occupants. Plans also include additional spaces on the second floor and an outdoor courtyard. A dance floor is also shown in the plans.
A business plan submitted to the city shows Citrus Town Event Center LLC is looking to host corporate events, as well as weddings and other family events. The business cites a lack of event venues in Citrus Heights as one of the reasons for developing the site.
Sentinel staff spoke briefly with a business representative who was seen leaving the location on Tuesday, and were provided with a phone number for later follow up. A phone call to the business the next day went unanswered and was not returned by press time Thursday.
The Sentinel previously reported another event center proposal for the Citrus Plaza shopping center near Greenback Lane and San Juan Avenue. That venue would accommodate about 200 people in a 10,840-square-foot space, according to plans submitted to the city. The planning commission voted 6-0 in favor of approving the venue during a meeting held on May 11, 2022.
A new cuisine is slated to open at 7800 Sunrise Blvd., in a spot formerly home to Yalla Yalla bakery. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
Patrons of the popular Yalla Yalla bakery in Citrus Heights will have a new cuisine to choose from starting this summer.
Yalla Yalla served Mediterranean foods since opening in 2018 at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Antelope Road. Now, a new Uzbekistan restaurant has announced plans to move into the space. Caravan Uzbek Cuisine is in the process of remodeling the interior of the restaurant and husband and wife owners Farhad and Aziza Soatova hope to start offering halal foods later this month.
In a July 11 interview, Yalla Yalla owner Alan Liddawi confirmed to The Sentinel that he plans to continue to operate his business in a shared commercial kitchen with Caravan. Both restaurants have similar foods, Liddawi said. He added that he plans to open two more Yalla Yalla locations outside Citrus Heights.
Caravan plans to have a grand opening event for Sunday, July 16, Liddawi said.
In an interview with The Sentinel, Aziza Soatova said their food truck is currently operating at 3525 Elkorn Blvd. and has gained popularity, prompting the couple to seek a more permanent location. Soatova said she is excited to be opening the first location, but there have been challenges that delayed the planned June start-date.
After opening the food truck business at the height of the pandemic, Soatova said she is no stranger to challenges.
“It was very difficult,” she said. “We put every cent together. It was very hard, But we did well.”
Soatova said the idea of moving into the building where Yalla Yalla was located occurred to her during a family trip to nearby Leatherby’s Ice Cream. She saw a sign advertising a ghost kitchen and convinced her husband to ask about the opportunity. When he approached Yalla Yalla owner Anan Liddawi about the idea, he was very supportive, Soatova said.
Opening the restaurant is something Soatova’s husband, who once worked as a police detective in their native country, wanted to pursue, she said.
“He had passion for cooking, and that’s why when he came here, he said I want to open a restaurant,” she said.
Caravan’s menu features traditional foods from Uzbekistan using fresh ingredients, Soatova said. Her oldest child, 14, is helping with the business.
As immigrants from Uzbekistan, Soatova said the family lived in New York before settling in the Sacramento area. Now with four children, Soatova said the food truck business was a way to earn income while making time for her family.
“I love my kids and I can not imagine, the life without them and everything for them,” Soatova said. “We are working very hard for them to give them the opportunity for education and to give them really good education.”
CSL Plasma has opened at 7830 Macy Plaza Drive, formerly home to Dimple Records. // Josiah Otterstad
By Mike Hazlip—
A new plasma donation facility is now open in the suite formerly occupied by Dimple Records in Citrus Heights.
Florida-based CSL Plasma announced the opening of their new location at 7830 Macy Plaza Drive in a July 4 release, saying “We’re thrilled to announce the grand opening of our brand new CSL Plasma center in Citrus Heights.”
According to the company’s website, donors are eligible for a reward program that varies by location and the medical history of the donor. New donors “can receive over $500” for the first month of donating, but a disclaimer says rewards vary by location.
Plasma collected from donors is then used to provide therapies for treatment of diseases and those with immunodeficiencies, along with use in transplants and surgical patients, the company’s website says.
Eligible donors must be in good health between the ages of 18 and 74, and weigh at least 110 pounds, and have no new tattoos or piercings within the last four months, the company says. There is also a screening process and donors will need to have valid identification and a permanent address.
CSL Plasma is expanding into California with donation centers opening in Stockton and Hayward last year, according to an Oct. 11, 2022 release. The Citrus Heights location is the sixth center in the state, according to the release.
Each center employs about 60 people in addition to local contractors hired for maintenance, the company said.
Construction was already under way in September 2022, according to a previous report by The Sentinel. A CSL Plasma spokeswoman, Rhonda Sciarra, told The Sentinel at the time that the company chose Citrus Heights for the population density and available real estate.
“Our organization brings with it hundreds of employee volunteers and puts thousands of dollars back into the community,” Sciarra said. “Wherever CSL Plasma has a collection center we are a positive economic force, benefiting the local economy each year.”
Plans for a batting cage business to open at Grand Oaks Plaza are under review by the City of Citrus Heights. // CH Sentinel
By Sara Beth Williams–
An indoor batting cage facility could soon be coming to the Grand Oaks Shopping Center, if plans successfully make their way through the city’s planning and permitting process.
City documents show Tunnel Vision Training and Performance submitted an application for a minor use permit to the City of Citrus Heights on June 12, with plans to operate at 7927 Auburn Blvd.
Citrus Heights Community Development Director Casey Kempenaar said last month that the training facility’s application is currently under review. Within thirty days, the city will send a letter to the applicant outlining whether the project was approved, denied, or if additional information is required for determination.
A draft site map submitted to the city shows plans for a 7,500-square-foot facility, located in a currently vacant space between Grand Oaks Bingo Center and Global Printing.
In a letter submitted to the city from Andy Candela of Tunnel Vision Training and Performance, Candela states the facility plans to operate five non-mechanical batting cages which can be rented by the hour. “The athlete requires a practice thrower that stands behind a standard baseball L screen,” Candela said.
In addition to hourly rentals, the training center plans to offer a small retail space with the purpose of selling new and used sports equipment, and sports collectables.
Proposed hours of operations are Sunday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m,. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. The late-night weekend hours are intended to attract college-aged athletes, according to Candela.
If the facility is approved for a minor use permit and no other information is needed for determination, Kempenaar said the tenant plans to begin interior renovations as soon as possible and hopes to open the new training facility by the end of summer.
Owner Jessica Rowell-Greenfield and her son, Miller, stand outside the new Miller’s Ace Hardware at 8077 Madison Ave., in Citrus Heights. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
Area residents have a new option for hardware and household supplies with the opening of a new retailer in the Almond Orchard shopping plaza at the corner of Fair Oaks Boulevard and Madison Avenue.
Miller’s Ace Hardware opened June 27 with location owner Jessica Rowell-Greenfield and her son, Miller, on hand with employees for a ribbon cutting. Rowell-Greenfield said she plans to have grand opening event the weekend of August 4, 5, and 6.
Named after Rowell-Greenfield’s son, the 14,200-square-foot Miller’s Ace Hardware is in the suite formerly occupied by Beverly Fabrics. Tuesday’s events included a tri-tip BBQ, with the store opening at 7 a.m. to welcome shoppers for the first time.
With the city border running through the Almond Orchard shopping center, the location on the edge of the Citrus Heights allows Miller’s Ace Hardware to reach several communities, including neighboring Orangevale and Fair Oaks. The location is ideal for Rowell-Greenfield, who said her goal is to be part of a small community.
“It was just the idea of being part of a neighborhood, but a smaller city and community versus a large city,” she said. “I thought it was a better place for a community-based store to really just be part of a neighborhood, and we found the city of Citrus Heights to be very pro-business, which was also helpful in this whole process.”
Ace Hardware has more than 5,600 locally owned stores in all 50 states and 65 countries. Its latest third quarter revenues for 2022 were $2.2 billion, up 10 percent from the same quarter in 2021, according to a Nov. 16 news release from the company.
Rowell-Greenfield said her location is not a franchise, but store owners are part of a cooperative where each business owner has a stake in the company. The initial investment is typically between $292,000 and over $1 million depending on the size and location of the business, according to the company’s website.
“We’re grateful to be a part of the community,” she said. “We’ve hired within the community, we have a lot of great staff that are happy to welcome customers and friends. It’s our goal to be members of the community, and because we are, our tagline is ‘where community and customer service meet.’”
Sentinel staff report–
Citrus Heights has a few more fireworks stands open this year compared to last year, with a total of 21 different temporary stands authorized around the city.
Sales of “safe and sane” fireworks are often one of the biggest annual fundraisers for various nonprofits, with sales legally allowed to begin June 28 at noon and continue through July 4.
As of Monday, the city said 21 fireworks stands have been issued licenses in Citrus Heights this year. Purchases from one location may help a local little league, while making that same purchase a few blocks up the street could support police or a local church.
The following is a list of licensed locations and the name of the organization in charge of the stand, as provided by the City Clerk’s office:
Bella Vista High Band Boosters: 6177 Sunrise Blvd.
Romanian Christian Fellowship: 7920 Old Auburn Rd. (benefiting Cornerstone Christian School)
Royal Stage Christian Performing Arts
6400 Antelope Rd.
7147 Greenback Ln.
Sunrise Little League: 7601 Sunrise Blvd.
SOAR Neighborhood Assoc: 7901 Greenback Ln.
Tabernacle Baptist Church: 6425 Antelope Rd.
An ordinance made permanent by the Citrus Heights City Council in 2022 prohibits setting off fireworks after 11 p.m., including those labeled “safe and sane.” The ordinance also allows authorities to cite landlords and those deemed “social hosts,” if illegal fireworks were discharged on the property.
A screenshot from Sunrise Rollerland’s Facebook page shows an announcement for a June 26 Skate Memorial for Mehki Clay.
Sentinel staff report–
Sunrise Rollerland on Monday will host a Skate Memorial and Fundraiser to celebrate the life of Mehki Clay, a 19-year-old rollerland employee whose body was found in a lake during a camping trip he took earlier this month in El Dorado County.
The “Donate to Skate” event will take place on June 26 from 5-7 p.m. at the Sunrise Rollerland, located at 6001 Sunrise Vista Drive, in Citrus Heights. Attendees are encouraged to make cash donations of any amount, with the funds directly contributing to covering Clay’s end-of-life services. “Any remaining funds will be dedicated to supporting his wrestling team or establishing a wrestling scholarship in his name,” the roller rink said in a post on Facebook.
Donations of $10 or more will receive a complimentary Free Admission Skate Pass, which can be redeemed at any time, Sunrise Rollerland says.
“Mehki was not only an exceptional skater but also an incredible employee,” the roller rink posted. “This event aims to honor him and ensure that his legacy continues to inspire others.”
According to a June 14 story from The Sacramento Bee, Clay was reported missing at Jenkinson Lake, where he had been swimming with some wrestling teammates. His body was recovered from the bottom of the lake the next day.
“Mehki was a hardworking and kind-hearted individual who had an amazing work ethic and would always go the extra mile to help those around him,” Sunrise Rollerland management said in a June 13 Facebook update. “He was the most polite employee we have ever had, and he truly had a heart of gold.”
