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Tag: Zachary Swithenbank

  • Citrus Heights News Briefs: SJHS theft, Crepes & Burgers, stolen truck recovered

    Crepes & Burgers Citrus Heights
    Crepes & Burgers, a new restaurant on Auburn Bouleveard, has been delayed again in opening. // CH Sentinel

    Latest local news briefs include an update on the new Crepes & Burgers restaurant on Auburn Boulevard, a $30,000 Christmas Eve theft at San Juan High School, technology aiding in the recovery of a local stolen vehicle, and latest news on Beer Dogs’ plans for expansion.

    Up to $30k in equipment stolen from San Juan High School on Christmas Eve
    San Juan High School received an unexpected visit on Christmas Eve, when thousands of dollars of equipment were stolen from the school’s auto shop. Principal Vanessa Adolphson was quoted on the San Juan High School Alumni Association’s Facebook Page revealing what she described as the “heartbreaking” tragedy, and Police Lt. Chad Courtney said the incident is under investigation.

    Lt. Courtney said police have reviewed surveillance video and believe three or four suspects broke into a locked storage area and stole items valued up to $30,000, including a welder, a go-cart, and other equipment. He described the footage as “kind of grainy film” without identifiable license plates, but said suspect vehicles include a darker 1980’s Honda station wagon or a black or dark purple 1990’s Ford Explorer.

    Crepes & Burgers opening delayed again; owners now target mid-January
    A new crepes restaurant on Auburn Boulevard has once-again been delayed in opening, with owners now targeting a grand opening in January instead of their initial goal to open in July. Chef and co-owner Martin Garcia said remodeling work on the building uncovered more problems than anticipated. He said the most recent two-week delay was caused by a hard-to-find water leak, which was eventually located several feet underneath a section of newly poured concrete. A new website was recently launched for the restaurant, offering a preview of what menu options will be offered. (See website)

    LoJack tech helps recover stolen truck from Citrus Heights
    A stolen 2002 Ford truck from Citrus Heights was recently recovered by police, thanks to the vehicle being equipped with LoJack technology, the Sacramento Bee reported. Sacramento Police found the truck, along with the suspected thief sleeping in the vehicle, near Norwood Avenue on Dec. 22. Lonnie Smith, 39, was arrested on charges of car theft, possession of stolen property and burglary tools, as well as possession of narcotics, police told The Bee.

    According to LoJack’s website, an estimated 10,000 vehicles equipped with the company’s technology are recovered each year in the US. LoJack units are small unmarked radio frequency transceivers that are hidden on customer vehicles and can be activated if a theft is recorded into a nationwide stolen vehicle database, following a police report. Police helicopters are often equipped with technology to receive a LoJack signal, helping law enforcement locate the stolen vehicle. (See SacBee story).

    Beer Dogs says sales exceeding goals; planning four more in region
    The new Beer Dogs restaurant in Citrus Heights, which opened in September at Sylvan Corners, has met or exceeded all of its sales targets for hot dogs on the menu and plans to launch four new locations in 2017, according to restaurant spokesman and senior partner Zachary Swithenbank. Since opening four months ago, Beer Dogs has earned an average rating of 4-and-a-half-stars out of 5-stars by a total of 64 reviewers on Yelp. Swithenbank said the next location to open will most likely be in Folsom, along with three others in the greater-Sacramento region later in the year.

  • ‘Beer Dogs’ in Citrus Heights now serving up gourmet hot dogs, craft beer

    Beer Dogs, Citrus Heights
    Beer Dogs senior partners, Tom Romeo (left), and Zachary Swithenbank, enjoy a beer and a BLT hot dog at the new eatery, Thursday.

    Beer Dogs opened for its first day of business at Sylvan Corners in Citrus Heights on Thursday, with first-time customers taking a seat along a 30-foot bar to chomp down on a 10-inch hot dog or sip on a craft beer.

    “It was good; I’m definitely coming back,” said Joey Cisneros, who was the first customer to place an order after doors opened at 11 a.m. The 20-year-old ordered an “All-American” hot dog meal with tater tots and a soda, commenting that he looked forward to coming back for a beer in January, after he turns 21.

    Cisneros’ selection is one of 10 different hot dog options on the menu, with each featuring names like “The New Yorker,” “The California Dog,” and “The Louisiana Hot.” Each has a savory description on the menu, like the “Great Western Dog,” described as a “signature grilled gourmet 10-inch hotdog on our mouth-watering, hand-baked sourdough bun, topped with chopped crispy bacon pieces, French fried onions, cheddar cheese, and BBQ sauce.”

    Located between JB Liquors and the Bearpaw shoes store, where Sylvan Road meets Auburn Boulevard, Beer Dogs spokesman and senior partner Zachary Swithenbank said his new “quick-service” restaurant seeks to fill a void in the region for gourmet hot dogs. He also hopes to draw the over-21 crowd with a variety of regional craft beers, as well as serve families with three different kids meal options and cracker jacks.

    Craft beer choices on the menu feature several selections from regional breweries, including the “Gold Digger IPA” from Auburn Alehouse brewery and a “Golden Eagle Mandarin Wheat” from Loomis Basin Brewing Co. A white zinfandel and chardonnay from a vineyard in Lodi is also featured, but hard alcohol isn’t offered.

    A prominent aspect of Beer Dogs is its “farm to bun” concept, which is advertised on the eatery’s logo and highlighted in bold letters on the back of staff members’ shirts. Swithenbank called the farm-to-bun term a “loose concept” without a firm definition, but he said both his Fresno-based bun supplier and San Francisco-based Evergood Foods have confirmed their ingredients meet “farm to table standards,” and the hot dogs used are non-GMO.

    Emphasizing sustainability, he said the 1,500-square-feet restaurant features mostly re-purposed items inside, pointing out hardware and shelves made of wooden milk crates on the wall, as well as re-purposed metal used at the bar. The industrial-themed interior features dark, polished floors, a dozen seats at the bar, stools along the wall, and another half-dozen chairs in a “horseshoe” seating area.

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    Swithenbank and Bearpaw shoes owner Tom Romeo jointly partnered together to launch the new restaurant and the pair have plans to quickly open several more Beer Dogs locations in the Sacramento region and beyond. According to Swithenbank, the first expansion is scheduled for a mid-2017 opening in Chico.

    “We have quite a few locations already picked out and we’ll expand quite a bit in three to five years,” Swithenbank previously told The Sentinel in a phone interview. “We’re hopeful to take 50 to 100 locations by the end of the 10-year mark.”

    [Also on The Sentinel: Dos Coyotes to open new Citrus Heights restaurant]

    With a background in real estate development and corporate management, Swithenbank said Citrus Heights was chosen as the place to launch the first Beer Dogs due to the area’s demographics and high traffic count at Sylvan Corners. He called the spot “the right place at the right time.”

    The new restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The address is 7032 Sylvan Rd.

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  • Beer Dogs: new eatery to feature gourmet hotdogs, craft beer

    Beer Dogs, Citrus Heights
    Beer Dogs restaurant signs have already popped up at Sylvan Corners, advertising the soon-to-open new eatery in Citrus Heights. // CH Sentinel

    Updated Aug. 5, 7:01 p.m. —
    A new gourmet hotdog and craft beer restaurant is scheduled to open in Citrus Heights as early as next month, with plans to quickly expand to other locations in the region as well.

    Located between JB Liquors and the Bearpaw shoes store at Sylvan Corners, Beer Dogs spokesman and senior partner Zachary Swithenbank said the new “quick-service” restaurant will offer menu selections ranging from tater tots and kids meals to a choice of 10 different hotdog options.

    A preview menu posted on the front window of the new eatery includes names like “The New Yorker” and “The Great Western Dog” — described as a “signature grilled gourmet 10-inch hotdog on our mouth-watering, hand-baked sourdough bun, topped with chopped crispy bacon pieces, French fried onions, cheddar cheese, and BBQ sauce.”

    Craft beer choices on the menu feature several selections from regional breweries, including the “Gold Digger IPA” from Auburn Alehouse brewery and a “Golden Eagle Mandarin Wheat” from Loomis Basin Brewing Co. Hard alcohol won’t be offered.

    Although hotdogs and beer don’t usually come to mind when thinking “healthy,” Swithenbank said Beer Dogs is “trying to make the hotdog healthy and good at the same time.” He said “everything that goes into the bun” will be “farm-to-table concept,” and the restaurant will use hotdogs from San Fransisco-based Evergood Foods.

    Beer Dogs General Manager Jeff Wilkinson described the inside of the restaurant as having an “industrial” look, with a craft beer bar and 30-foot long counter for seating guests. He said there will also be bar stool seating along the wall, and a “horseshoe-shaped” seating area inside.

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    In a recent phone interview, Swithenbank told The Sentinel he partnered with Bearpaw shoes owner Tom Romeo to launch the new restaurant. He also said the pair plans to quickly open several more Beer Dogs locations in the Sacramento region and beyond.

    “We have quite a few locations already picked out and we’ll expand quite a bit in three to five years,” said Swithenbank, who has a background in real estate development and corporate management. “We’re hopeful to take 50 to 100 locations by the end of the 10-year mark.”

    He said Citrus Heights was chosen as the place to launch the first Beer Dogs due to the area’s demographics and high traffic count at Sylvan Corners, calling it “the right place at the right time.”

    The pair have already hired enough employees to open the first location, but will have a second wave of hiring in a few weeks. Everyone hired in the first wave will go through an in-house management program to learn “every facet of the business,” according to Swithenbank.

    In 6 to 12 months, the goal is to have all hires be prepared to take on positions as general managers of future Beer Dogs locations. “We’re not hiring people that want a job, we’re hiring people that want a career,” said Swithenbank.

    With hiring complete and interior remodeling nearing completion, the new Beer Dogs is targeting an opening date of Sept. 1 or Labor Day.

    The new restaurant’s address is 7032 Sylvan Rd.

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  • Citrus Heights News Briefs: salaries, Beer Dogs, charity

    Latest local news briefs include an update on a new “Beer Dogs” restaurant, details on the city council’s approval of a salary and benefit package for the new city manager, a report from a local food ministry helping low-income residents, and an update on local elections.

    Local food ministry reports helping over 3800 residents
    In a July 28 report to the city council, Sunrise Christian Food Ministry said it had provided five-day supplies of food to over 3800 low-income Citrus Heights residents during the second quarter of this year. Spokesman Rocky Peterson told councilmembers the food ministry has over 100 volunteers and operates five days a week out of location at Advent Lutheran Church on San Juan Avenue.  The ministry is supported by several dozen area churches and also received about $20,000 in grant funding through the City this year.

    Peterson said the group is currently working on a new freezer expansion project that will allow them to keep more fresh produce and dairy products for a longer period. He said the group has already set aside $35,000 toward the project and is ready to apply for a building permit.

    Council approves $255k salary for new city manager
    During their July 28 meeting, city council members approved a $255,000 salary package for the new city manager, Christopher Boyd, who officially takes his seat as manager on Oct. 1 of this year. The council’s agenda packet listed the salary as a “slight increase” over Boyd’s current salary as police chief, and will also include health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance. Under terms of the contract, Boyd will also receive a $500 monthly vehicle allowance. The council voted 4-0 in favor of the salary package, with Vice Mayor Jeff Slowey absent from the meeting. (Agenda Packet with Contract)

    ‘Beer Dogs’ restaurant to open soon in Citrus Heights
    A new craft beer and gourmet hotdog restaurant is scheduled to open in the next 45 days at Sylvan Corners. Beer Dogs spokesman Zachary Swithenbank said the new restaurant will sport a “high-end” look inside, with a bar area and indoor seating, along with several tables and chairs outdoors. Food choices will range from kids meals to the “Great Western Dog” — described on a preview menu as a “signature grilled gourmet 10-inch hot dog on our mouth-watering, hand baked sourdough bun, topped with chopped crispy bacon pieces, French fried onions, cheddar cheese, and BBQ sauce.” Once open, Beer Dogs can be found between JB Liquor and Bearpaw boots, at 7032 Sylvan Rd. (Full story coming Wednesday)

    City council hopeful’s rev up campaigns
    A total of five residents have now pulled nomination papers to run for Citrus Heights city council, with the latest addition being Marcel Weiland. The policy analyst and financial tech specialist held his first kick-off campaign BBQ at Rusch Park over the weekend, drawing about 50 people. Planning Commissioner Rick Doyle, who is also seeking one of the two council seats up for election, held his own kick-off fundraiser at Stones Casino last month and said he picked up the endorsement of Mayor Jeannie Bruins this week.

    On Saturday, former Councilman Bret Daniels confirmed with The Sentinel that he’s planning to run in this year’s race for city council, although he has not yet taken out nomination papers. Other names in the mix are Vice Mayor Jeff Slowey, Construction Appeals Board Member Amor Taylor and resident David Huber — all of whom have taken out papers to run. The deadline to file for the city council race is August 12.

    Also published this week: