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Tag: Business

  • Citrus Heights Applebee’s opens Dec. 23, raises $1,941 for charity

    Applebee's Citrus Heights
    A new Applebee’s along Auburn Boulevard will open on Wednesday, according to a company executive. //CHSentinel

    Updated Dec. 27, 2:04 a.m.–
    A new Citrus Heights Applebee’s restaurant in front of the Auburn Boulevard Costco store opened its doors to the general public for the first time on Wednesday with 806 diners served, according to a company spokesperson.

    An invitation-only fundraiser held the day prior to the official opening reportedly raised $1,941 for a childhood cancer research foundation, according to an Applebee’s news release issued Wednesday. Marketing Coordinator Donna Malmlov said select diners were invited to come try out the menu “on the house” Tuesday, with a suggested $5 donation benefitting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

    “We are absolutely thrilled with the result of our event,” said Megan Biagi, the new Citrus Heights Applebee’s general manager. “It surpassed what we had hoped for, so this is really great…this will help a lot of sick kids!”

    Although originally planning for a November opening, and then a Dec. 21 opening date, Apple NorCal Director of Operations Cas Banaszek told The Sentinel via email Monday that the date was pushed to Dec. 23 due to construction delays. He also said “rain didn’t help.”

    Apple NorCal, a franchise operating several dozen Applebee’s restaurants in Northern California, selected Citrus Heights for a new restaurant due to the city’s “excellent demographics,” according to a company spokesperson in February.

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    Banaszek said standard daily operating hours for the new restaurant are 11 a.m. to midnight, but doors closed early for Christmas Eve and remained closed for Christmas Day.

    As previously reported on The Sentinel, Applebee’s takes up one of 10 new commercial pads in the zone along Auburn Boulevard referred to in City plans as the “Auburn Commerce District” or Stock Ranch Plaza. According to Citrus Heights Planning Commission documents, the remaining area in front of Costco and Walmart is designated for eight retail spots and one more restaurant.

    As of last month, City Senior Planner Casey Kempenaar said no other businesses are confirmed to be locating in the Plaza’s remaining commercial pads — although there has been interest from several “nationally known” restaurant chains and a bank, according to a planning commission report earlier this year.

    New construction in the commercial-zoned district is governed by the Stock Ranch Guide for Development, passed by the city council in 2001 and most recently updated in 2015. Development of the area began with Costco in 2003 and Walmart in 2005, followed by city council approval in 2008 for a 14,000 square feet Fresh & Easy store — but those plans fell through when Fresh & Easy’s parent company “announced withdrawal of its development plans in the United States,” according to the City.

    Further development in the Stock Ranch Plaza remained dormant until April 2015, when the City gave approval for Applebee’s to begin construction.

    Applebee’s “neighborhood bar & grill” markets itself as a casual-dining, family-friendly restaurant, and has grown to almost 2,000 locations since launching nearly 30 years ago.

  • Local nonprofit offers small biz owners free classes, mentoring

    Small Business Administration sign in Citrus Heights. Photo by Luke Otterstad
    The Citrus Heights-based chapter of SCORE meets in the Small Business Administration’s offices at the corner of Sylvan Road and Stock Ranch Road.

    Updated June 5, 7:46 a.m.—
    Calling itself “the premier small business mentoring service,” a nonprofit association of volunteer advisers has been training entrepreneurs and small business owners through its 300 chapters nationwide – including one based in Citrus Heights.

    With a goal of helping entrepreneurs launch or grow their business, the SCORE Association says it has helped over 10 million entrepreneurs since 1964, offering free courses on everything from Quickbooks training to writing a business plan and developing effective marketing strategies.

    By entering a name, email and zip code on SCORE’s website, entrepreneurs and business owners can gain immediate access to a diverse range of free online workshops – with top-viewed trainings like “10 Things Every Website Must Have to Drive Sales,” and “Social Media 101: Raise Awareness and Engage Customers.”

    Seeking to be a “one-stop source” for small business mentoring & training, SCORE’s website also allows business owners to search for a mentor with expertise in a relevant field, ask questions, sign up for a local workshop, access business tools and templates, register for a webinar, make an appointment for a face-to-face talk, or sign up for the Association’s business eNewsletter.

    Promising “personalized answers in 48 hours or less” via its no-cost email mentorship program, the Association has recruited over 11,000 volunteers and actively seeks to recruit working or retired business owners, executives and managers who are willing to volunteer their time, talents and expertise to help small business owners.

    “The most fulfilling part of volunteering is helping people,” said Sacramento SCORE District Director Jeff Hendy, commenting that small business owners often live day-to-day rather than being goal-driven. “Helping them set a goal and then helping them achieve it feels really wonderful.”

    Although holding regular workshops and events at the Small Business Administration’s offices in Citrus Heights, local Business Counselor Ryan Latham clarified that SCORE is a separate, private entity – but enjoys some perks through a working relationship with the SBA.

    The Citrus Heights-based SCORE chapter was formed in 1978 and serves the counties of Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer and Yolo. A calendar of local events can be accessed on the Chapter’s website.

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    On the Net:

    Sacramento SCORE website: http://sacramento.score.org/

  • For-profit donation center benefits local non-profits

    ReUseIt, donation, center, station, citrus heights
    Large signs and sleek logos seek to drive donors to the Citrus Heights “ReUseIt” drop-off center near the intersection of Auburn Boulevard and Antelope Road.

    Originally published April 19, 2014
    Updated April 25, 11:42 p.m. —
    You’ve probably seen them near the corner of Auburn Boulevard and Antelope Road – big green and black signs with huge white letters advertising a donation drop-off center.

    The “ReUseIt” donation center in Citrus Heights was the first location the company opened back in 2012, according to Stuart Bassett, who’s worked at the Auburn Boulevard location since its grand opening.

    A big emphasis for the company is its support of local charities, as indicated by its mission statement and the hard-to-miss “LOCAL” written in capital letters on almost all of the company’s marketing material.

    “You know where your money’s going,” said Bassett, seeking to distinguish his company from the competition by highlighting the local support.

    Although it turns out “local” includes the greater-Sacramento area, ReUseIt has hosted donation drives for Pet Owners Of Citrus Heights and Holy Family Catholic School, and welcomes other local nonprofits to explore partnership opportunities in organizing a donation drive.

    On a typical weekday, Bassett says he’ll see about 10 cars roll in to drop off donations, with about 30 on weekends. Accepting standard items like usable clothing, shoes, toys, books, and small appliances, he said donors should just be sure not to drop off cans or bottles, as well as large furniture and mattresses – all of which are items they’ve chosen not to accept, or that state law restricts them from handling.

    As with all business, ReUseIt faces a competitive market with various organizations trying to attract customers who will donate their unused items.

    Goodwill Industries is one such competing organization, with several locations in Citrus Heights. Registered as a nonprofit with the Internal Revenue Service, Goodwill Industries of Sacramento Valley and Northern Nevada, Inc. appears to be doing well — reporting total revenue of $47 million in 2012, according to public tax documents filed with the IRS. The local Goodwill also reported paying six of its executives over $100,000 to oversee its 26 regional stores in 2012, with its CEO reporting total compensation over $480,000.

    As a for-profit business, ReUseIt is not required to file similar public tax documents — but according to the company’s website, a minimum of 50 percent of all net profit is donated to local charities.

    In May, the company has organized several drives with parent organizations at Citrus Heights schools, according to ReUseIt.org.

  • HD Supply, Stein Mart Open this Month in Citrus Heights

    HD Supply, Stein Mart Open this Month in Citrus Heights

    October marks the opening of two large businesses in Citrus Heights, with Stein Mart opening its doors for the first time today in the Marketplace at Birdcage, and HD Supply scheduled to open the 15th on Greenback Lane near Sunrise Boulevard.

    HD Supply coming to Citrus Heights October 15
    HD Supply is set to open in Citrus Heights on October 15 in the old Circuit City building on Greenback Lane.

    Stein Mart’s new location across from Sunrise Mall takes up the 34,000 square feet building once home to Linen ‘N Things, and is one of three new Stein Mart stores scheduled to open this fall in California, according to a news release.

    As part of its 2014 expansion, the nationwide discount retailer says it identified the Citrus Heights location as a “key growth market” to bring its selection of clothing, home decor and other accessories.

    HD Supply’s Citrus Heights location will be the fourth store to open in northern California and will compete with Lowe’s and Home Depot in providing home improvement and construction supplies to area consumers and contractors.

    The location at 7999 Greenback Lane was originally home to Circuit City, but most recently occupied by Wise Buys, which closed its doors in 2012.

  • Auburn Blvd Night Paving to Close Lanes

    Lane Closed on Auburn Boulevard in Citrus HeightsIf you travel on Auburn Boulevard between 7:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., you may want to consider using another route this week, in light of night paving work that will limit traffic to one lane in each direction.

    The paving work is part of the Auburn Boulevard Complete Streets Revitalization Project, and will affect traffic on Auburn Boulevard from Sylvan Corners to Sycamore Drive.
    A press release sent out by the City of Citrus Heights said the night paving work is scheduled to take place between the night of Tuesday, June 10, to the morning of Friday, June 13. The release also said that patience is appreciated from those affected by the work.
    Questions or concerns about the project can be directed to the City’s General Services Department at (916) 727-4770.

  • Auburn Blvd Construction Nears Completion of Phase 1

    Temporary signs put up during construction, hope to encourage shoppers to still visit stores.
    Temporary signs put up during construction hope to encourage shoppers to visit businesses on Auburn Blvd.

    The first phase of a revitalization effort for Auburn Boulevard is on schedule for completion this summer, with sidewalks scheduled to be done by the beginning of June, and plans underway for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

    Authorized in 2005, the Auburn Boulevard Complete Streets Revitalization Project envisioned a revitalized and enhanced section of Auburn Boulevard, from Sylvan corners to Interstate 80. The nearly 2-mile long project was broken into two phases, with Phase 1 covering the section from Sylvan corners to just beyond Antelope Road, and Phase 2 covering the remaining section up to Interstate 80.

    According to the City’s website, the project is “the largest capital improvement project the City has undertaken,” with segments two and three of Phase 1 running about $21 million to complete.

    Although hardest to obtain, funding isn’t the only challenge the City has faced in the project.

    “The revitalization of Auburn Boulevard is one of the City’s most challenging projects to date,” said Development Specialist Devon Rodriguez, explaining the difficulties of designing and engineering, environmental work, and acquiring right-of-way with property owners – all of which must occur before starting construction.

    Although hoping for a boost in business when complete, the construction work necessary to get there has caused a decline in customers for many of the 200 local businesses on Auburn Boulevard.

    “It’s killing our business,” said Norca Army Navy Surplus Assistant Manager Vanessa McGuire about the construction outside her Auburn Boulevard store. “People don’t wanna come down this street because traffic’s so bad – they want to avoid it.”

    On the positive side, she’s happy that the project undergrounded electrical utilities in front of her store, and expressed relief that business would pick up once construction finishes – although she’s skeptical the project will stay on schedule.

    The City acknowledges the problem construction poses for businesses in a 3-page “Toolkit” produced for Auburn Boulevard businesses, calling it a “temporary inconvenience.” The flier stresses, however, that it will “ultimately result in a vastly improved business corridor.”

    In addition to construction signs announcing that businesses are open during construction, the City also held weekly “coffee meet-ups” to discuss concerns and needs of business owners affected by the project, but meetings were discontinued this month due to the project nearing completion.

    Phase 2 recently receiving grant funding to begin preliminary work, but Rodriguez said construction isn’t likely to begin until 2018, depending on available funding and negotiations with property owners.

  • Business Expo to be Held in City

    Jobs_SearchA business and career expo is promising to bring together local employers, educators and job-seekers at the Citrus Heights Community Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today.

    “It’s an event that’s aimed to create jobs, promote local business and advance education,” said Olga Ivannikov, who helped organize the 5th annual Multicultural Business and Career Expo. “Anyone who’s looking for a job, anyone who’s thinking about education — anywhere from K to 12 to post-graduate — and anyone who has their own business can be our guest.”

    An ad for the event says job-seekers will be able to meet local employers, learn about open positions, and get familiar with the job application process. Attendees might even want to bring a few copies of their resume as well, since there could be opportunities to “submit your resume right at the spot,” according to the Expo’s ad.

    The event is organized by Russian-American Media, and has gained the support of the Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce and former Senator George Runner.

    The Expo will be held at 6200 Fountain Square Dr. in Citrus Heights. Admission and parking are free.