Signage for Falafel Corner appeared late last year at 7700 Sunrise Blvd., in Citrus Heights. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
Signage announcing a future Falafel Corner restaurant has recently appeared next to Round Table Pizza on Sunrise Boulevard, near Antelope Road.
Falafel Corner currently has seven locations in the greater-Sacramento area, as well as one in Fremont. The restaurant advertises Halal meats, and an online menu shows staples like hamburgers along with Mediterranean favorites such as falafels, wraps, and gyros.
Reviewers on Yelp give the area’s locations average ratings above 4-out-of-5 stars, highlighting crispy falafel, vegetarian options, generous portions, and reasonable pricing. Appetizers include quesadillas, Dolma, chicken wings, and Philly fries. Hummus, pita, and fries are available as side dishes, with Baklava and turkish delight listed as sweets.
Contact information for the company is not posted online, except for direct phone numbers of the various franchise locations. A general manager of one of the restaurant’s franchises on Morse Avenue said he did not have any details on plans for a Citrus Heights location.
Interior renovation at the site at 7700 Sunrise Blvd. can be observed underway, with brown paper covering the windows. A contractor working at the site last month said the business was expected to open sometime in January.
The website Open Corporates lists the Falafel Corner Franchising Corp owner as Sajad Shakoor with a primary address in the Natomas area. News reports by Sacramento News and Review and a Diablo Valley College student newspaper show Shakoor found success in the restaurant industry after serving more than 20 years in prison and has become an advocate for programs to help individuals with felony convictions gain employment.
The Starbucks at 6121 Sunrise Blvd. in Citrus Heights closed on Oct. 3, 2021. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
While Citrus Heights welcomed a dozen new restaurants along with other businesses in 2021, it also saw several departures during the same year.
Below are five businesses in Citrus Heights that closed or announced permanent closure during 2021.
Tea Republic
The popular boba tea shop first opened in a suite at 7777 Sunrise Blvd. in 2018, but began having erratic hours during the pandemic and later closed permanently in early 2021. The shop still operates another location in Rocklin.
Teriyaki Land
The restaurant operated out of a small, white building at the intersection of Rollingwood and Auburn Boulevard, but now sits empty with sunlight filtering through dusty windows into a starkly vacant interior. The restaurant closed in August of last year.
Starbucks
The abrupt closure of a Starbucks that shared space with Barnes and Noble in the Marketplace at Birdcage came as a shock to regulars in the marketplace. The location closed Oct. 3 with a note on the door as the only notice to the public. Starbucks later announced plans for a new drive-thru location several blocks away, at Sunrise Boulevard and Madison Avenue.
Sunrise Mall Theater
Initially shut down in 2020 because of the pandemic, news was confirmed in 2021 that the Regal UA at Sunrise Mall would not be reopening. The closure has meant Citrus Heights is officially without a movie theater, with the nearest option being Century 16, located just outside the city limits at Greenback Lane and Interstate 80. Prior plans for a new theater on Auburn Boulevard fizzled last year after Studio Movie Grill backed out amid a bankruptcy filing.
Bebesitas
After opening in the Fall of 2021, a new boutique at Sunrise Mall offering women’s clothing and cosmetics has already closed. Owners of the shop previously told The Sentinel that total sales had been less than $300 on Black Friday, without any items sold several days following. A visit to the mall on Jan. 5 found the suite vacant, and an employee of a nearby business said Bebesitas had closed its doors.
Additionally, The Pumpkin Farm on Old Auburn Road initially closed in 2020 due to the pandemic, with plans to open the following year. However, the site remained closed in 2021 and shows no signs of reopening. The farm’s main phone number goes to a voicemail that is full, its website loads only an error page, and the last post on the farm’s social media page is an announcement from September 2020.
By Mike Hazlip—
Despite declining sales and a climbing vacancy rate in the past decade, nearly 40 stores remain open at Sunrise Mall, ranging from a kids arcade to food, jewelry and clothing.
An employee at the mall’s leasing office referred The Sentinel to the mall’s website that lists over 40 retailers, and said the list was current. As of Jan. 4, the directory showed five new retailers opened in the last quarter of 2021, but a Sentinel visit to the mall on Wednesday found several of the stores had already gone out of business.
The City Council approved a plan last year to guide redevelopment of the nearly 100-acre Sunrise Mall property, but city staff have said they anticipate the plan to take around two decades to be fully realized.
The next step is for private developers to come forward with proposals for the site, in line with guidelines spelled out in the plan. Development activity is expected to begin in the unused parking areas, meaning the mall’s existing stores will likely remain open for many years.
Below is a breakdown of stores The Sentinel found still operating, along with updates on some stores that recently closed. The Sunrise Mall remains open 11 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
ENTERTAINMENT
JJ’s Kids Fun Center is a locally owned arcade and was open for business during a Sentinel visit Wednesday, although it is operating on reduced hours.
FOOD
Hot Dog on a Stick recently re-opened in the food court. The business is a locally owned franchise.
Espresso Bar is an independently owned and operated coffee kiosk in the food court.
Taco Bell is a locally owned franchise that reopened in the food court last year.
Pretzel Maker is a locally owned franchise near the food court.
JEWELERS
Sam’s Jewelers at Sunrise Mall is one of five location throughout the Sacramento Valley and Bay Area offering jewelry.
Kay Jewelers is a national brand with locations throughout the country offering jewelry.
Fix Jewelry is an independently owned repair and sales business for jewelry.
SERVICES
La Estetica Hair Salon opened last quarter, according to a previous report by The Sentinel. The shop was still operating as of Wednesday.
Dr. Ring is an independently owned mobile device repair business. A recording for the business said they are operating at Sunrise Mall with reduced hours.
Miracle Massage is an independently owned massage business.
T-Mobile is a wireless service provider that sells mobile devices and wireless plans at various locations through the country.
Yes Custom Designs is an independently owned business offering custom printed T-shirts and apparel.
CLOTHING/APPAREL
Bad Bish Behavior opened in October of 2021, advertising women’s dresses, cosmetics, and accessories. The business announced it opened at Sunrise Mall in October 2021. Sentinel staff could not locate the business during a visit to the mall Wednesday.
Bebesitas Cosmetics also opened in the fourth quarter of 2021, offering cosmetics, women’s clothing, and accessories. The suite is now vacant and an employee of a nearby business said Bebesitas closed its doors.
Boot Town Western Wear is also a recent addition to the mall, according to the store directory. The business advertises western wear for men and women along with clothing accessories and saddles. Sentinel staff could not find the business during a recent visit to the mall. A voicemail left with the Stockton Boulevard-based retailer Wednesday was not answered by press time Thursday afternoon.
Breakout 408 is another recently opened clothing store, advertising graphic T-shirts, ski masks, assorted jeans, hoodies and jackets, along with other apparel. The business was open during a visit by Sentinel staff Wednesday.
Champs offers sports apparel and has operated at Sunrise Mall for several years.
Choice is a women’s clothing store.
California Basics continues to operate at the same location. The clothing store advertises women’s clothing, lingerie, and jewelry.
Famous Footwear offers shoes and is a national brand with locations throughout the country.
Hot Topic sells clothing, accessories, and pop culture novelties. They are a national brand with locations throughout the country.
JCPenny is a national anchor department store that has operated at Sunrise Mall for decades.
Lids is a national chain offering sports hats and custom embroidery.
M&M Couture is an independently owned business offering formal wear for women.
Macy’s is a national anchor department store that has operated at Sunrise Mall for decades.
Tilly’s is a national brand that sells men’s and women’s clothing and accessories.
Tops Men’s Fashion is an independently owned men’s clothing store.
Torrid is a national brand with locations throughout the country offering women’s clothing.
Vans is a national brand offering footwear at locations across the country.
Zumiez is a clothing store with locations throughout the country.
Shoe Palace offers footwear and is a national brand with locations throughout the country.
Spencer’s is a clothing and novelty store with locations through the nation.
OTHER STORES
Go Calendars and Games, a seasonal retailer, opened for the holiday season, but an employee at the location told The Sentinel the shop plans to close at the end of February. The games, toys, and novelty retailer currently occupies the same suite as previous years and is one of several locations through the region.
Bath and Body Works is a national chain that has operated the Sunrise Mall location for decades. The business sells items related to personal care.
Claire’s is a national chain offering trendy accessories and markets to the tween/teen age group.
Hallmark is a national brand offering greeting cards and gifts at locations throughout the country.
Image is an independently owned retailer offering clothing and gifts.
Perfumes Luxe is an independently owned business offering men’s and women’s perfume and cologne.
See’s Candies is a national brand that began in the Bay Area and continues to operate a location in Sunrise Mall that has been in business for decades.
Sunglasses Hut is a national brand and the Sunrise Mall location continues to operate in the same location.
See a store that should be added or removed from this list? Click here to let us know.
Raley’s, the largest tenant in the SummerHills Plaza, completed a remodel in 2021. // CH Sentinel
By Mike Hazlip—
The Raley’s-anchored retail center at Lichen Drive and Antelope Road, which has undergone some recent changes, has been sold for $16,750,000, according to an announcement by commercial real estate firm Marcus and Millichap.
Marcus and Millichap associate Wyatt Figueroa told The Sentinel in a phone call Wednesday the SummerHills Plaza is well-positioned, with several tenants having recently signed long-term leases, including Raley’s and Dollar Tree. Figueroa said he doesn’t expect to see any changes in the major tenants as a result of the sale. The center is over 80% occupied, he said.
Buyer Ethan Conrad announced the acquisition in a release posted Tuesday from the Sacramento Business Journal. The Journal reported escrow closed in late December, about five years after Newport Beach-based seller Citivest Commercial Investments LLC acquired the asset for over $14 million.
Conrad’s signature yellow-and-blue “for lease” signs could already be seen at the site this week. At least three vacant storefronts were observed on the western side of the center on Thursday morning.
Conrad, who owns numerous shopping centers and office buildings in the greater Sacramento area, told The Journal he plans to improve the center from “a ‘7’ to a ‘9’” in appearance.
The plaza’s largest tenant, a 55,000-square-foot Raley’s grocery store, recently underwent renovation that changed the store’s footprint and interior space to make room for grocery delivery operations. The center also welcomed a new Dutch Bros. drive-thru last year.
Plans for a 22-unit apartment complex on a vacant acre of land behind the Raley’s store were previously submitted to the city, but the project was subsequently postponed “indefinitely” in 2019 after a spokesman for the developer cited cost concerns and unfavorable market conditions. Conrad told The Journal that section of land would be ideal for a self-storage business and said his company will look at selling that portion of the property.
Ethan Conrad Properties, Inc., also acquired a portion of another shopping plaza in Citrus Heights two years ago, located on the southeast corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Antelope Road.
A photo from October shows the frame of a new building and drive-thru where a Coco’s restaurant once stood, at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Madison Avenue. Starbucks will be among the new tenants. // M. Hazlip
Sentinel staff report–
The past year saw new development projects and business openings in Citrus Heights, along with changes at City Hall, rising real estate costs, several abrupt closures, and more.
Below are the top local stories that drew the most interest from readers in 2021:
Real estate. The hot housing market was news of the year, with the most-read story on The Sentinel being the sale of a 3-bedroom, 2-bath home on Elza Court which was listed in March for $399,900 and received more than 100 offers the first weekend. A less-read followup story included more details on the sale and reason for the couple’s move: Why this Citrus Heights couple sold their home and is moving to Idaho
Development activity. Readers were also interested in demolition and construction activity on Sunrise Boulevard near McDonald’s, where thousands of drivers pass by each day. The site at 7640 Sunrise Blvd. was previously home to an all-terrain vehicle dealership, and has now been converted into expanded parking for the adjacent Palm Auto Sales dealership. Related: What’s going on next to McDonald’s on Sunrise Blvd?
Another development story with significant reader interest was news in July that the abandoned Studio Movie Grill property had been acquired by a new owner. The property is still vacant, and owner representatives have not returned several requests from The Sentinel for more information.
Abrupt closures. A pair of restaurant closures drew significant reader attention when the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant on Greenback Lane abruptly closed at the beginning of the year, followed by the sudden closure of Starbucks in the Marketplace at Birdcage in October. The KFC has since become a Burger King, and a new Starbucks drive-thru is slated to open nearby at the corner of Madison Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard. Related: Firehouse Subs, Starbucks coming to Citrus Heights shopping center
Sunrise Mall. The biggest news of the year for Sunrise Mall was the city’s finalizing of a plan to guide redevelopment of the nearly 100-acre mall property in November. A senior planning manager later said the city is seeing “a ton of interest” from developers interested in the property. For more, see story: City seeing ‘a ton of interest’ from developers in Sunrise Mall plans.
Shootings. News of four people being injured in a shooting outside Rocky’s 7440 Club on Auburn Boulevard in May shocked the community, with added concern raised when another shooting occurred the next weekend near the same location, where two people were struck by gunfire. The Sentinel later published a story detailing an uptick in shootings in 2021. See story: Shots fired: see where all the shootings in Citrus Heights have occurred in 2021
Openings. New restaurant openings also drew significant reader interest, with Citrus Heights welcoming the Greenhouse Cafe in June, next to the former future home of Studio Movie Grill. The cafe is run by a brother-and-sister entrepreneurial duo.
The opening of Inferno Chicken in the Marketplace at Birdcage also saw interest from readers, with a story on Citrus Heights’ newest hot chicken restaurant.
City Hall. Although not drawing as much reader attention, other significant happenings in the city included the announcement of the retirement of City Manager Chris Boyd in May, along with the departure of Police Chief Ron Lawrence. Boyd’s replacement is still being narrowed down by the City Council in closed sessions, and Lawrence was replaced by then-commander Alex Turcotte in September.
In local financial news, the city also announced it would receive a boost of more than $15 million in coronavirus relief funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. The funding helped the Police Department to begin filling positions that had been left vacant due to budget constraints, and the city is slated to direct the remaining funds later this year.
“Coming soon” signage for a new Asian bistro in Citrus Heights can be seen outside the restaurant’s future location at 5450 Sunrise Blvd. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip— After welcoming a dozen new restaurants in 2021, Citrus Heights is slated to get at least a half-dozen more eateries in 2022 — if plans go as expected.
Folsom Palace. After facing delays to open last year, the popular Folsom Palace Asian bistro is now looking at a mid-February kick-off to open its third location at 5450 Sunrise Blvd., next to Dos Coyotes Border Cafe.
Folsom Palace owner Bill Zheng told The Sentinel in a phone call Saturday there have been delays in getting supplies for the restaurant such as coolers and other equipment. “The beverage cooler took 4 or 5 months to build,” Zheng said, adding he didn’t know what caused the delay.
Falafel Corner. Signage for the new restaurant can be seen next to Round Table Pizza in the shopping center at 7700 Sunrise Blvd., near Antelope Road. Falafel Corner has seven locations in the Sacramento area, offering Mediterranean and Greek foods. Interior renovation can be seen underway, and a construction worker at the site said last month that the restaurant plans to open early this year.
Crumbl Cookie. The cookie company has announced plans to to open at 6920 Auburn Blvd., in a new commercial building in front of Walmart. A media representative wasn’t available for comment Saturday, but a spokeswoman said previously that the eatery was initially planning to open at the “end of June/beginning of July” of last year. That date has come and gone, but “now hiring” and “coming soon” signage for the business can be seen in the windows, along with temporary construction tape on orange posts outside the front door.
California Burrito. Signage outside a former Goodwill location at 7858 Lichen Drive appeared in August, announcing a new California Burrito location would be coming soon to the site. Construction fencing is still up at the location, but an opening date has not been announced. Employees at two different California Burrito locations contacted by The Sentinel Saturday did not have any information on the Lichen Drive location.
Firehouse Subs. The new sandwich shop is slated to open in a new building under construction at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Madison Avenue, where a Coco’s restaurant once stood until it was demolished as part of the Sunrise Village shopping plaza renovation project. A spokesperson told the Sacramento Business Journal last month that the company is planning for a 2022 opening date, but a specific date is contingent on construction being completed.
Starbucks. Also coming to the same building as Firehouse Subs, Starbucks is planning to open a new drive-thru at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Madison Avenue. The building is still under construction, and will house three businesses.
Popeye’s. A new Popeye’s chicken restaurant is planning to open in January or February on the 8000 block of Greenback Lane, next to a newly opened Burger King. A recent report by The Sentinel shows the Burger King opened on Dec. 29 after last minute inspections by Sacramento County Health Department and Citrus Heights Building department, narrowly meeting the franchisee’s end of the year timeline.
A sign posted outside Macy’s in Sunrise Mall announces plans for a new Toys R Us inside the store. // CH Sentinel
Sentinel staff report–
Toys “R” Us has plans to return to Citrus Heights with a new, smaller “shop-inside-a-shop” business model in the Macy’s store at Sunrise Mall.
Signage posted outside the Macy’s entrance inside the mall announces the news, with a Toys R Us logo and wording stating “Guess what’s coming to Macy’s stores in 2022!”
Greg Bazarnik, store manager of Macy’s at Sunrise Mall, confirmed in an email Wednesday that the new Toys R Us “will be coming to us in 2022,” but said “we are still awaiting the final details.”
CNBC reported in August of plans to launch 400 new “shop-in-shops” Toys R Us stores inside Macy’s locations across the country in 2022. Macy’s already offers Toys R Us merchandise on its website, as part of an existing partnership.
Specifics of what the stores will look like have not been released, but a Macy’s spokesperson said the company hopes customers will visit Macy’s in search of toys and then purchase clothing or makeup while at the store.
Citrus Heights has not had a Toys R Us store since 2018, when the company’s Greenback Lane store closed after the chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2017. The company was later acquired by WHP Global earlier this year, which vowed to bring back brick-and-mortar stores.
Plans for the new Toys R Us store in Citrus Heights come amid plans for redevelopment of the declining Sunrise Mall property. A plan approved by the city to guide redevelopment of the nearly 100-acre site is expected to take 20 years to be completed, with development likely first occurring in the unused outer parking areas.
City leaders stress that the existing mall is expected to remain open for many years, and encourage shoppers to meanwhile patronize businesses there.
Falling Prices will open next to a BidRL.com location at 6422 Tupelo Drive next month. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
A new store for bargain hunters is slated to open in January to fill the remaining space in a long-vacant building at 6422 Tupelo Drive.
Falling Prices, which has eight locations in the region, has differing merchandise each week. Items start at $6 pricing on Tuesdays, then fall to $4 on Wednesdays, and then drop to $2 on Thursdays, before dropping to $1 on Fridays and then 25 cents for anything left on Saturdays, according to the company’s website.
“We never know what will be in the stores each Tuesday, it could be electronics, small appliances, food, baby items, pet supply, automotive, office supplies, home goods, paper products, cleaning supplies, small furniture, the list goes on and on,” the company says online.
The location at 6422 Tupelo Drive is also home to BidRL.com, which opened in October. Business owners Andrey and Nina Sprikha currently operate the BidRL.com location, and the family also plans to operate the Falling Prices location.
While BidRL.com relies on an online bidding model where the price increases with each bid, Falling Prices lists items at a starting price that continually drops until the item sells.
Nina Sprikha told The Sentinel Wednesday that business has been steady. Sprikha said the business saw between 150 to 200 people Wednesday. Their slowest day since opening saw about 75 customers come through the doors, she said.
Falling Prices and BidRL.com are both channels of Sacramento-based RL Liquidators, which also operates “That’s Cheap!” discount stores.
RL Liquidators was founded in 2006 by Ryan Babineau and Larry Morgan, according to the company’s website. Their business model relies on returned items from Amazon and other large retailers for their stock. Customers bid on items displayed on the BidRL website and pick them up at a warehouse. Payment can be made online or at the pick-up location.
A new Burger King opened its doors on Dec. 29 in Citrus Heights, at 8034 Greenback Ln. // M. Hazlip
By Mike Hazlip—
A new Burger King restaurant opened Wednesday at 8034 Greenback Lane, following last-minute inspections and a tight timeline to open before the end of the year.
Signage announcing “we’re open” could be seen outside the location on Wednesday, along with a sign announcing the location is hiring. A manager said the restaurant saw around two-dozen vehicles come through the drive-thru during the first four hours of being open the first day.
Franchise owner Sunny Ghai opened the Burger King after spending several months remodeling. He also plans to open a Popeye’s next door, sometime in January.
The location was previously a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, with a Burger King next door. The former Burger King closed during the pandemic for unknown reasons, but online reviews had given the location a low rating of 1.5-out-of-5 stars on Yelp.
In a phone call to The Sentinel last week, Ghai said he faced a few last-minute inspection hurdles that made him concerned he wouldn’t meet a deadline to open by year end.
Ghai said he had ordered a food shipment last week after being given the green light from a Sacramento County health inspector to stock food, but was subsequently told by a Citrus Heights building inspector that employees could not enter the building to stock the food without an occupancy permit being issued first.
“I don’t know why each one has to rely on the other,” Ghai said, expressing frustration over the weekend. “What do I tell the guy, throw away the food? It’s already on the way on a truck from Southern California.”
However, in a phone call on Tuesday, Ghai said the restaurant had passed building inspection, ahead of the county’s final health inspection, allowing him to open the restaurant on Wednesday.
Ghai owns a number of Burger King and Popeye’s locations throughout Northern California through the Livermore-based Ghai Management Services. Burger King and Popeye’s are owned by the same parent company, Restaurant Brands International, which purchased the chicken restaurant chain in 2017.
The franchise owner said he has spent more than $3 million to remodel and reopen the two Citrus Heights restaurants.
File photo. Kitchen staff at Fukumi Ramen’s Citrus Heights location prepares orders for to-go customers. // M. Hazlip
Sentinel staff report–
New businesses opening in Citrus Heights over the past year included nearly a dozen restaurants, several coffee shops, a new plant nursery, and more.
Below is a list of 21 businesses that opened in Citrus Heights in 2021, which The Sentinel covered stories on during the year. The list is not meant to be comprehensive.
Inferno Chicken. The restaurant opened this summer, offering boneless wings and tenders in seven levels of hotness. Inferno Chicken replaced the former Armenian Grill House at 5925 Birdcage Centre Lane — although it is run by the same restaurateur. See prior story for more: The story behind Citrus Heights’ newest hot chicken restaurant
‘Yummy’ Tummy. The new American and Greek food restaurant opened in December in the Grand Oaks shopping center, taking up a space formerly home to Bella Cocina Mexican restaurant. See story for more: New Greek food eatery opens in Citrus Heights shopping plaza
Sushi Star. The new restaurant opened last month at 7777 Sunrise Blvd., offering traditional Japanese sushi and various hibachi grill entrees. See prior story for more: New sushi restaurant opens in Citrus Heights
Venice Nail Studio. The 3,000-square-foot salon opened in June at 8489 Auburn Blvd., offering manicures, pedicures, facials and waxing. See prior story for more: New Italian-themed nail salon opens in Citrus Heights
Green Acres. The plant nursery opened in April at 6128 San Juan Ave., featuring various plants, trees and gardening supplies. See prior story for more: Green Acres plant nursery opens in Citrus Heights
Starbucks. The new Starbucks drive-thru opened in the spring at 7056 Sunrise Blvd., taking up a spot in a newly constructed commercial building at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Sungarden Drive. (See prior story)
Love Laundry. The new full-service laundromat opened in February at 6201 Greenback Ln., and offers drop-off service for washing, drying and folding clothes. See prior story for more: New laundromat with drop-off service opens on Greenback Lane
Burger King. A new Burger King opened on the 8000 block of Greenback Lane on Dec. 29, just barely making the franchisee’s goal to open before the end of the year.
Fuego Mexican Kitchen. The first restaurant to open in 2021 features a menu of burritos, bowls, tacos, and more. The restaurant is located at 7800 Sunrise Blvd. See prior story for more: Citrus Heights welcomes new restaurant amid pandemic shutdowns
La Estetica. The new salon opened around October inside Sunrise Mall and offers hair cuts and styling. The shop is located near the JCPenney store.
Bebesitas Boutique. The new boutique opened earlier this year at Sunrise Mall and offers women’s clothing and cosmetics.
More restaurants and businesses have already announced plans to open in Citrus Heights in 2022. To follow local business news, sign up for The Sentinel’s free, twice-a-week email editions.
