New brewery coming to former Goodwill in Citrus Heights

By Sara Beth Williams–
A new brewery is set to take over the former Goodwill Industries location at Sylvan Corners.

The Citrus Heights City Council unanimously voted to approve an $86,000 Business Attraction Incentive grant to DarkHeart Brewing Sylvan Corners. The brewery recently submitted a grant request in early June. The grant funds will be allocated toward assisting the company’s relocation and remodeling efforts. According to the city, the brewery has already signed a lease for the location.

The small business brewing company, owned by Rick and Cynthia Lee, was previously located at 4339 Auburn Blvd. in Sacramento for almost five years, according to their website, and was unexpectedly forced to close “due to circumstances beyond their control.” CBS 13 reported that reason was a rent increase imposed by a new owner.

During a presentation to the City Council, Economic Development and Community Engagement Director Meghan Huber said the small business “checks all the boxes” in respect to grant program eligibility requirements. After visiting the existing brewery location, Meghan Huber said the owners “truly have a heart for community” and described their business as “award winning.” Huber also said the business has a loyal following of customers in house and on social media.

“It’s a win for Citrus Heights, it’s a win for DarkHeart. It’s what we need as a city to be successful,” Mayor Bret Daniels said, adding that the brewing house will bring in more tax dollars, more people, and more business.

Councilmember Porsche Middleton during the meeting said she was “super excited” for the brewery, and Vice Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa said she was “so impressed” with the owner’s description of all the different ways they plan to connect to the surrounding community.

Huber told the City Council that she and city staff had been working with the brewer for the last six months in an extensive search for an appropriate site. Once the site of the former Goodwill location was selected, Huber said the location underwent a “comprehensive” evaluation by multiple city and county organizations, including city Planning, Building and Public Works departments, the Sacramento Metro Fire District, Citrus Heights Water District, and more, to make sure the site was “viable and doable.”

DarkHeart Brewing owner Cynthia Lee said she and her husband have put their “heart and soul” into building not just a building, but a community, and said their previous location held weddings, celebrations of life, and fundraising events. Lee and her husband want to work together with surrounding restaurants at Sylvan Corners to increase business for everyone.

“We are in fact a place without a home,” Lee said, adding that she and her husband appreciate the opportunity to become part of the community.

After twenty years at the corner of Auburn Boulevard and Sylvan Road, Goodwill Industries officially closed Jan. 21, 2024.

The Business Attraction Incentive grant program utilizes federal pandemic recovery funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and is designed to advance economic development by attracting new businesses and industries. The $86,000 funds provided to DarkHeart will be disbursed in phases, according to Huber, as various portions of the relocation project are completed.

The City Council allocated $1 million in ARPA funds to activate the Business Attraction Incentive program. $913,000 in ARPA funds still remain, and after June 30, the balance will be placed back into the ARPA fund for further use when appropriate.