New signage and landscaping can be seen outside the Marketplace at Birdcage shopping center in Citrus Heights. // M. Hazlip
Sentinel staff report–
Drivers traveling through Citrus Heights on Sunrise Boulevard near the mall now see bright new signage and fresh landscaping in several locations along the frontage of the Marketplace at Birdcage shopping center.
Signs are bordered by blue and include a lighter columns with the image of bird, fitting with the history and name of the shopping center, which once was home to live, caged birds when originally built.
Sunrise MarketPlace Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter referred questions about the signage to the Gerrity Group, a Solana Beach-based company that specializes in owning and managing retail properties. A representative of the company said in a March 9 email that the project was not yet completed and declined to comment further.
Carpenter said the project did not receive funding from Sunrise MarketPlace, which is the business improvement district made up of several hundred businesses in the Sunrise-Greenback commercial corridor.
Businesses in the Marketplace at Birdcage include a Walmart neighborhood market along with Old Navy, Coldstone Creamery, Off Broadway Shoes, Inferno Chicken, and others. The center most recently welcomed a new Chuze Fitness, which took up a building formerly home to Sports Authority.
KoBing Dessert Studio is planning to open at 6001 San Juan Ave., in Citrus Heights. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
A new boba tea cafe planning to offer drinks and desserts is coming soon to Citrus Heights.
The independently owned KoBing Dessert Studio is slated to open at 6001 San Juan Ave. in a suite formerly occupied by BeanHeads coffee shop.
KoBing owner David Hong said he plans to offer ice cream, coffee, and boba tea. Hong said his wife, Sang Joo, had the idea to open the business. The remodel is nearing completion, he said, and Hong hopes to open KoBing in early April, putting his restaurant management experience to work helping Joo with running the business.
Real estate broker Daniel Muller of Century 21 Select Real Estate Inc.’s Muller Commercial team said the new tenant is currently working on interior improvements. Muller said KoBing will be similar to other boba tea cafes, following a popular market trend with an urban aesthetic in nearby Davis.
The suite was formerly the home of BeanHeads, but has been vacant since the coffee shop closed its doors last fall after just a year in business.
BeanHeads owner Tim Snipes did not provide a reason for the closure, but previously told The Sentinel that although Citrus Heights was slated to be his first location, he couldn’t pass on a Natomas opportunity when a fully equipped coffee shop became available on Del Paso Road. That location remains open.
By Mike Hazlip—
Fukumi Restaurant Group, which owns Japanese restaurants in Citrus Heights, Roseville and Folsom, is taking measures to curb reports of food poisoning related to oysters served at one of their locations.
In a March 14 announcement posted to the company’s website, Fukumi Restaurant Group said they are voluntarily taking oysters off the menu while staff investigates the claims.
“It’s is our priority to ensure that we are serving food of the highest quality to our customers and provide a satisfying dining experience,” the restaurant said. “Please know that we take all complaints seriously, and have launched an investigating into this issue.”
The restaurant group did not identify which location or locations had reports of food poisoning, but Calvin Alford, shift leader at Fukumi Ramen in Citrus Heights, told The Sentinel on Tuesday that his restaurant does not serve oysters and said incidents are from the chain’s new Roseville location, It’s Sushi.
Reviews posted on Google also confirm the Roseville location had several reports of food poisoning, with one reader saying: “Had oysters this past Sunday and was violently sick Monday. Now seeing other people with the same issue.”
Fukumi Restaurant Group said they have also contacted their vendor, True World Foods, and they are conducting their own investigation.
A perusal of recent reviews does not show any reports of food poisoning at Fukumi Ramen’s Citrus Heights location. The restaurant has a four-and-a-half out of five star rating from 249 Google reviews, and four-out-of-five stars from more than 200 Yelp reviews.
Inspection reports available from Sacramento County Environmental Management Department show the Citrus Heights restaurant was issued a conditional pass after a Feb. 21 inspection. Two violations listed in the report as “major” were related to hand washing protocol and pork stored on a counter without a time log. Both violations were corrected the next day, records show, and Fukumi was given a full pass.
Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows raw or under-cooked oysters may contain the Vibrio bacteria. Symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting. Severe cases can lead to bloodstream infections and even death, the CDC says.
Corner Spot Karaoke is located at 6432 Tupelo Drive, Suite C2, in Citrus Heights. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
A new karaoke bar and party room rental business is bringing some nightlife to Citrus Heights.
Corner Spot owner Mindy Le said she opened the entertainment business about eight months ago in Citrus Heights because of what she saw as a lack of nightlife options in the area.
“There’s really nothing much like entertainment venues in Citrus Heights, so we decided it would be the perfect location,” Le said.
The business is located at 6432 Tupelo Drive and offers open mic karaoke every Sunday night at 7 p.m., with hours of operation as late as 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
In addition to a small bar lounge that is open to the public, there are five themed private party rooms that are available to rent at an hourly rate. The business also offers food items such as tacos, nachos, chicken wings, and fries, according to their website.
No age limit is in place for room rentals, but the business will not serve alcohol to parties where minors are present. Party guests are allowed to bring their own cakes and cupcakes, according to information posted to their website.
Despite a location close to Stones Gambling Hall, Le said business at Corner Spot has been moderate with most customers coming from surrounding areas like Folsom, Roseville, Fair Oaks and Orangevale. Some customers come from as far as Vacaville, she said.
The business has so far earned 10 reviews on Yelp, with 5-out-of-5-star ratings on all reviews. Customers note comfortable rooms, good food and welcoming service.
Le, who also owns Sweet Cones ice cream shop in Folsom and Natomas Auto Care, said she decided to become an entrepreneur after she lost her corporate job during the COVID pandemic.
She says running a business is not easy, but feels it’s worth the effort.
“It’s a struggle, really, right in the beginning during COVID,” Le said. “[W]e’re still struggling, but it’s paying off.”
An illustrative image shown in the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan shows one scenario for potential future development of Sunrise Mall. Area labels: 1) Main street. 2) Sunrise Commons. 3) Employment center. 4) Entertainment. 5-6) Hotels. 7) Retail/mixed-use. 8) Residential. 9) Open space. 10) Transit center.
By Mike Hazlip—
In October 2019, the City of Citrus Heights awarded a $1.2 million contract to create a “shovel ready” plan to comprehensively guide future development of the nearly 100-acre Sunrise Mall property.
After seeking extensive input from the public and stakeholders, the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan was approved by the City Council on Nov. 10, 2021. However, a little over a year later, visible progress at the mall has yet to take place and the city says misconceptions are commonly voiced by residents.
Meghan Huber, the city’s economic development and community engagement director, said in an email Friday that a common misunderstanding is that the city has more influence over the mall than it actually wields.
“There is a common misconception that the City owns the property and can control its improvement or be part of business decisions,” Huber said of the mall property, which is privately owned by multiple owners. “The City does not own the property and has no decision-making authority regarding investment.”
Despite the title, the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan is a general set of guidelines for development of the prime commercial site, according to the 147-page document. The City Council approved the plan, acknowledging that the buildout could look quite different in the end, depending on what private developers pursue.
“The overall purpose of the Specific Plan is to provide a comprehensive direction for the development of the project site while implementing the goals and policies of the Citrus Heights General Plan,” the document says.
The plan outlines six planning areas that roughly follow existing property boundaries. Each planning area sets a maximum square footage for retail, office, and community uses, according to the document. A maximum number of dwelling units or hotel rooms is also established for the residential areas of the site.
The plan has a 20-year timeline, another source of misunderstanding among community members, Huber said.
“We are working diligently to facilitate potential new projects, and we’re hopeful that new construction will start in the near-term,” Huber said. “New projects depend on market demand and each owner’s ability and desire to make deals.”
Development is expected to happen in phases, with currently unused areas of parking lots likely to be developed first.
At the time the plan was developed, the six planning areas were divided up between the mall property’s majority owner Namdar, with three areas, and one area each for the mall property’s other owners: Antioch Street LP, Seritage, JCPenny, and owners Andy Kuen and Shian Liu.
Since then, real estate investor Ethan Conrad purchased the vacant Sears building from Seritage, and currently has several parcels listed for lease or purchase, The Sentinel recently reported.
With the mall being privately owned, Huber said the city has taken a proactive role to make the mall site be as attractive as possible to developers.
“The City has focused on incentivizing site redevelopment by eliminating barriers under our control, including significant density increases associated with the Specific Plan, Environmental Clearance (CEQA),” Huber said. “These are two barriers the Development Community would be tasked with tackling had the City not taken on this role – this greatly reduces risk and increases the site’s desirability to developers.”
While the city says the plan is flexible to adapt to market demand, Conrad told The Sentinel in an email in January that he would like to see the plan modified “so that as much of the existing buildings can be retained as much as possible, versus demolishing all of the existing buildings and constructing new buildings, which will be very costly and may not be feasible.”
What’s in the plan? The plan envisions creating a walkable “21st Century Main Street,” with five big ideas guiding it: creating an economic engine, livable neighborhoods, streets for people, connected green spaces, and making the site a “community and regional destination.”
The plan allows for tripling of the development previously allowed at the site, with a maximum of 480 hotel rooms, 2,220 residential units, 320,000-square-feet of retail, 960,000-square-feet of office space, 450,000-square-feet of community/institutional uses, and 6,400 parking spots.
Up to 25 acres of open space and 1.5 miles of pathways are also envisioned in the plan, with much of this space being able to be integrated throughout the site, the document shows.
A central feature of the open space areas is Sunrise Commons, an area centrally located on the western side of the mall in a little-used parking area between Sunrise Boulevard and the mall’s entrances. The plan includes setting aside up to 80,000-square-foot for the area.
Centrally located within the site, the outdoor space could be used for events and indoor/outdoor dining, the plan envisions.
The plan also envisions constructing an event center up to 24,000-square-feet in size that could house dining and entertainment venues. Tent-like structures built in other cities, such as the Arizona State University’s SkySong, are shown to illustrate the idea.
A large area at the north end of the site is designated as an “employment anchor.”
“Envisioned as an employment district with office space and supporting uses, including a business hotel, child care center, and restaurants,” the plan says. Two additional employment anchors are also shown in the plan.
Market demand for office space has waned in recent years since the pandemic forced many workers into home-offices, and Huber said the final build-out at the site will depend on market demand.
Another key aspect of the plan is an emphasis on public transportation and pedestrian access to the site’s interior. The document shows a new bus transit center along northbound Sunrise Boulevard that could be integrated with existing and future bus routes.
A third left turn lane for northbound Sunrise Boulevard at Greenback is part of the plan, Huber said, along with a new traffic signal between Sunrise Mall and the Marketplace at Birdcage.
“Similar to the timeline, vehicle traffic ultimately depends on the types of projects and their density,” Huber said. “Traffic was evaluated as part of the Environmental Review for the project. The project evaluated future traffic conditions, including at the site’s buildout, and includes various improvements to improve traffic flow.”
What’s happening now?
Huber said an “Infrastructure Financing Strategy” is currently being completed that will identify sources of funding as the city continues to make the site as attractive as possible to developers — although the mall property’s multiple owners and parcels present challenges.
The city in December submitted an application for housing-related grant funding up to $10 million that would go to support infill development on the mall site, paying for frontage improvements, utilities, intersection upgrades and transit-related improvements.
The city is also currently reviewing an application that “lays out a footprint” for a potential hotel near the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane. Specific details have not been released, but the city said previously that the applicant, Antioch Street Limited, LP, is in discussion with Presidio Companies, which has developed and operated hotels under Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott brands.
Asked for an update on potential developers for other areas of the mall, Huber said as of March 10 there was “no news to share,” but said the city’s work to remove obstacles to redevelopment will ensure the property “is ready when the market and economic cycles are attractive for development to proceed.”
The property at 6422 Tupelo Drive has been listed for sale at $4.6 million and includes 100 parking spots. // Image source: Google Maps, with property boundary approximated based on listing.
Updated March 9, 4:57 p.m.–
By Mike Hazlip— A Citrus Heights retail center home to Falling Prices is on the market for $4,600,000, according to a recent listing by commercial real estate site LoopNet.
A listing brochure published by Oakland-based investment brokerage NAI NorCal shows the retail center near Stones Gambling Hall at 6422 Tupelo Drive is currently home to BidRL, and Falling Prices. A third tenant, TMZ Market, is shown taking up the rear left corner of the building, according to the document.
Hollywood Rock tobacco shop also occupies a suite attached to the building, but is not a part of the offering, documents show.
Listing agent Joshua Ballesteros of NAI NorCal said in a phone call Thursday that the listing is still new, but he’s already received some interest. He said that although transaction volume has slowed due to rising interest rates, the center is “well positioned” for buyers looking for a good return in the current market.
The seller originally purchased the property when it was vacant, Ballesteros said, and was able to find tenants and reduce blight that often accompanies vacant sites. He said TMZ Market is an incoming tenant with a lease signed, which will be a middle eastern-style deli.
The 27,798-square-foot, single-story center is 100 percent leased and sits on three acres of land with 100 parking spots included in the listing price.
The Sentinel previously reported BidRL opened in October of 2021, with Falling Prices opening early in of 2022. The building sat vacant for years before the discount secondary market retailers opened.
The building was constructed in 1985 and renovated in 2020, according to the listing. Recent improvements include a new roof and eight new AC units.
A home in northern Citrus Heights at 7753 Glenn Ave. recently sold for $150,000. // Image credit: Apple Maps
By Mike Hazlip—
With median home prices still above $450,000 in Citrus Heights, the recent sale of a two-bed, one-bath home on an acre of land for $150,000 is unusual.
The home at 7753 Glenn Ave. was built in 1948 and sits on 1.08 acres, located toward the northern border of Citrus Heights. Another home on the same street recently hit the market at $449,900, with similar square footage but half the land.
A visit by Sentinel staff last week found the front gate locked, with no access to the property. A neighbor said he did not know who purchased the home.
Cara Richey, an area real estate broker, said records indicate the home was bank owned and was once permitted at 1,165 square-feet, but just 675 square-feet was listed in the sale in what she called a “heavy fixer” with a cash buyer.
In light of the home’s condition, Richey said the closing price of $150,000 “sound(s) about right” for the land value of the property.
Certified Residential Appraiser Ryan Lundquist told The Sentinel the home sold in December and was a private cash transaction that was not listed in the Multiple Listing Service. The property last sold in 2013 for $145,000, he said.
Photos of the property from when the home sold in 2013 can be viewed on an archived Zillow listing.
Lundquist said private transactions are difficult to compare, as they are known to sometimes sell “way below market value,” and sometimes sell above market value.
Rangoon Grocery Shop is now open at 7601 Sunrise Blvd., in Citrus Heights
By Sara Beth Williams–
Rangoon Grocery Shop is now open for business at the corner of Old Auburn Road and Sunrise Boulevard, in the same parking lot as Safe Credit Union.
Brightly lit isles in the store primarily feature Asian food items, but also include items seen in a typical grocery store like Gatorade, milk, fresh vegetables, candy, and soda. Canned bubble tea, coffee, and an energy drink from Myanmar are also available from a refrigerated section.
Shwe Ou, sister to store owner Popo Oo, said the store opened for business on March 5, and noted the business was busy on the first day. Items stocked include Burmese, Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese, and other products, along with some American food items.
Master Donuts owner, Dee Cheak said in an interview on Tuesday that she was “really excited” about the opening of the grocery shop in the same plaza as her donut store.
“I’ve come three times already in two days,” Cheak said, adding that the food is high quality. Cheak, who is Cambodian, said she used to have to drive to Stockton Boulevard in Sacramento to find other Asian market products.
Ou said all the employees of Rangoon Grocery Shop are family members. She said her family received advice from other Burmese friends and family who own other businesses in and out of state, and added that she would like to expand the grocery shop to more locations.
The location at 7601 Sunrise Blvd. was formerly home to the Citrus Mart convenience store, which shuttered during the pandemic. Along with Master Donuts, the shopping plaza is home to a coffee drive-thru, barber shop, and graphics printing shop, with Dollar N’ More as the most recent addition.
Rangoon Grocery shop is currently open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The building formerly home to Bischoff’s Medical Supply at the corner of Antelope Road and Auburn Boulevard has been vacated, as of March 7, 2023. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
A business operating at the high-traffic intersection of Antelope Road and Auburn Boulevard has moved out of Citrus Heights to consolidate with their other Roseville location.
In an un-dated announcement on the company’s website, Bischoff’s Medical Supply said the business “lost our lease” and would be moving from the 7725 Auburn Blvd. location on Feb. 24.
“Citrus Heights (store) will be MOVING and no longer at the corner of Sunrise and Antelope. Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support!” the announcement says.
An employee at the Roseville store at 118 Sunrise Ave. who was contacted by The Sentinel on Tuesday referred all questions to a manager, who could not be immediately reached for comment. The employee confirmed the move came at the end of the lease but could not give any further details.
Sentinel staff observed the Citrus Heights location had already been vacated inside by Mar. 7 and signage had been removed from the building.
The business offers medical supplies such as lift chairs, scooters, wheelchairs, walkers, and other devices to assist people living with various disabilities. The company’s website says it has been family owned since 1917.
Bischoff’s opened at the Auburn Boulevard location in 2017, and previously operated a store near Leatherby’s in the Family Fitness-anchored Ancil Hoffman Shopping Center at Sunrise Boulevard and Antelope Road.
A Bischoff’s manager previously told The Sentinel that opening the Auburn Boulevard location was an effort to gain better visibility. Prior to Bischoff’s, the store was home to a wireless retailer, but the corner commercial lot had been vacant several years.
Rich Hale, former president of the Auburn Boulevard Business Association, told The Sentinel in a 2017 report that he was pleased to see the vacancy filled at the high-profile intersection, saying “nothing good comes from a vacant building.”
A security guard parks in front of Hobby Lobby in Citrus Heights. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
National retailer Hobby Lobby is seeking to fill a job opening in Citrus Heights for a plain clothes loss prevention agent, according to an online job posting.
It is unclear whether the position is newly created, or if the store is hiring a replacement agent. A phone call to the store manager last month was referred to Hobby Lobby’s corporate media department, which did not respond by press time on March 4.
The job posting says the position pays $19-20 per hour starting pay, with paid vacation, health and dental, 401k match and three-day weekends twice a month. Prior experience in loss prevention is required.
Responsibilities for the position include reviewing camera footage, completing incident reports, and “discreetly walking the sales floor undercover to apprehend shoplifters.” Candidates must have a valid driver’s license and pass a background check.
Kathilynn Carpenter, executive director for the Sunrise MarketPlace business improvement district, told The Sentinel in a phone call that retail theft is an ongoing concern in the district but has remained relatively steady. She said hiring of loss prevention agents is a prudent move that many retail stores have taken.
Carpenter was unsure if Hobby Lobby’s job announcement was related to any increase in criminal activity in the district. Citrus Heights Police Corporal Kyle Miyamura said in a phone call Saturday that the department has not seen any increasing trends in retail theft compared to last year.
Carpenter said she is working with Nor-Cal Security and officer Jeff Schouten to prevent as much theft as possible by closely monitoring individuals engaged in suspicious activity.
