File photo, Big Lots is located at 8525 Auburn Blvd., in Citrus Heights. // CH Sentinel
Sentinel staff report–
After first opening three years ago in a portion of the former Kmart building on Auburn Boulevard, Big Lots will reportedly be closing its Citrus Heights store in January.
ABC 10 first reported on Thursday about the store’s closure, citing a statement from Big Lots spokesperson Josh Chaney, who did not specify a reason for the closure. Chaney said Big Lots reviews its stores on a routine basis “and sometimes decide, for a variety of business reasons, to close or relocate.”
The location at 8525 Auburn Blvd. first opened in April 2019, the same month that a Smart & Final store at the same center closed. ABC 10 said there has been assertions about high crime and theft contributing to the closure, but the news outlet reported a police commander said the location has not had “an unusually high amount of theft” over the past year.
The Citrus Grove shopping center, where Big Lots currently operates, has seen several changes in recent years. A 49,000-square-foot Studio Movie Grill originally planned to open next to Big Lots, but the theater chain pulled out of those plans during the pandemic.
Last year, three new businesses joined the center, including a new nail salon, a cafe and a discount wholesaler. The future of the former Studio Grill Site remains unconfirmed, although a leasing brochure dated Sept. 22, 2022 shows plans for a theater and does not list the site as available.
A new Big Lots store is slated to open April 26, 2019 in Citrus Heights. // CH Sentinel
Sentinel staff report–
Citrus Heights will soon be home to a new Big Lots store, located in a renovated portion of a massive 90,000-square-foot building on Auburn Boulevard that was once home to Kmart. A grand opening has been announced for April 26, 2019.
Studio Move Grill is also planning to open a new theater in a section of the old Kmart building, next to Big Lots. The 49,000-square-foot theater will take up roughly half the old building and is currently being renovated.
Signage outside and a leasing brochure from the Red Mountain Group indicates there is also a divisible 5,000-square-foot space available for lease between Big Lots and the theater, as well as another divisible 4,500-square-foot space for lease to the right of Big Lots.
The Ohio-based Big Lots, Inc., has over 1,400 stores nationwide that feature a wide range of products, including electronics, food and home furniture. The new Citrus Heights store will be a showcase for a continued roll out of a new design and store layout, according to a news release from the company.
“We are excited to introduce our new store format to Citrus Heights,” said Steve Haffer, senior vice president chief customer officer of Big Lots. “It brings to life our new brand traits and showcases our product assortments of affordable solutions in Furniture, Seasonal, Home, Food, and Consumables.”
A ribbon cutting ceremony for the store’s grand opening will take place at 8:30 a.m. on April 26. The company says the first 50 shoppers on April 26 and April 27 will all receive “a reusable shopping bag filled with tasty treats.”
The company will also launch a donation program benefiting Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento. From April 26 through June 8, the local store will donate $5 to Habitat for Humanity “each time a BIG Rewards loyalty member redeems a reward at the Citrus Heights store.”
The new store is located at 8525 Auburn Blvd., on the northern end of Citrus Heights. Signage in the front window of the store says the company is currently hiring and directs those interested in applying to visit careers.biglots.com.
PizzaRev is one of at least six new businesses that have announced plans to open in Citrus Heights this year. // Image courtesy, PizzaRev
Yogurt. Coffee. Pizza. Southwestern food. What do all of these have in common? They’re all menu options at new restaurants slated to open in Citrus Heights by the end of 2017.
Restaurants and businesses already opened this year include Tres Hermanos Taqueria on Greenback Lane, Black Bear Diner at the corner of Madison Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard, Crepes & Burgers at 8000 Auburn Blvd., and a new raw pet food store near the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Old Auburn Road. Here are six more on tap to open this year:
Dos Coyotes Border Cafe — A new Dos Coyotes restaurant, known for its southwestern food and “humongous salads,” is slated to open this year on Sunrise Boulevard next to Nation’s Giant Hamburgers. Owner Bobby Coyote previously told The Sentinel his new restaurant would open sometime in 2017, following the completion of an extensive remodel of the Alta Sunrise strip mall. The property is owned by the Cordano Company, which estimates the new restaurant will open by the fourth quarter of 2017, according to representative Jim Cordano.
PizzaRev — A new “craft your own” pizza restaurant is slated to open at 5450 Sunrise Blvd, in the same shopping strip as Dos Coyotes and Nation’s. The Southern California pizza franchise originally anticipated opening late last year, but a company spokeswoman confirmed this week that an opening date for the new PizzaRev is now expected in the third quarter of 2017. Remodel work at the site is estimated to be completed in May or June of this year, according to the project’s architect.
Yellow Yo Yogurt — A new yogurt shop at Sylvan Corners is listed as “coming soon,” according to the city’s First Quarter 2017 business newsletter. The new Yellow Yo Yogurt, at 7086 Auburn Blvd., will be situated next to Chase Bank and across from the new Sylvan Middle School.
Big Lots — A new 35,000-square-feet discount retail store will take up a portion of the former Kmart building on Auburn Boulevard. Architect Mark Marvelli told The Sentinel earlier this year that construction on the former Kmart lot is expected to commence this summer, with the new Big Lots open for business by the end of the year.
Rebounderz — Along with the new Big Lots store, a massive 55,000-square-feet trampoline facility is expected to open by the end of 2017 in a portion of the former Kmart building on Auburn Boulevard. The new Rebounderz facility is planned to feature several different trampoline play areas for both children and adults, party rooms, an obstacle course, and a seating area for parents. Plans also include the sale of food, beverages, and retail items. (Read more)
Human Bean Coffee — A new coffee drive-thru is planning to open on Sunrise Boulevard near the corner of Old Auburn Road, after receiving unanimous approval from the city’s planning commission on Jan. 11. Owner Amie Wallace previously told The Sentinel her new Human Bean Coffee drive-through was targeting an opening date in early 2017, but construction at the site has yet to begin and several messages left with Wallace were not returned.
Several additional new business projects are also currently under review by the city’s planning department, including a 3,400-square-feet Quick Quack Car Wash. The proposed location is at 7882 Lichen Dr., in the Antelope Crossing Shopping Center, according to the city’s website.
A proposed ARCO gas station and car wash at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Sungarden Drive is also under review and has drawn criticism from vocal area residents.
