By Sara Beth Williams–
Black Friday typically ushers in the holiday shopping season and significant deals draw crowds of people to shop online, at big box stores and national chains, as well as small business, thanks to the push of Small Business Saturday awareness in some jurisdictions.
Several national chain tenants are still operating, including anchor store JCPenney, Famous Footwear, Shoe Palace, T-Mobile, Torrid, and Lids. National retailers Claire’s and Hallmark closed during the spring and summer.
Many stores are offering special deals such as buy one get one half off and buy one get one 20 percent off. Kay Jewelers is offering jewelry at 40 percent off, and Torrid is offering 50 percent off on select merchandise, according to signage posted in front of store entrances.
Independently owned Royal Stage Theater is also still operating and just completed two full productions. Auditions for future musicals are typically held in January with productions happening in the spring. The theater will be holding a winter showcase in December featuring current students’ performances.
Other independently owned stores still open include California Basics, Image, a retailer offering clothing and gifts, Perfumes Luxe, which offers men’s and women’s perfume and cologne, T & Z Toys and Top’s Men’s Fashion.
Tenants Breakout, M&M Couture, a formalwear shop, and Aria Furniture left in October, according to another store owner inside the mall.
La Estetica Hair Salon, which opened in 2021 along with hair salons inside JCPenney, still remains operational, along with multiple jewelry stores, including Kay Jewelers, Infinity Jewelers. Ron’s Jewelers and Sam’s Jewelers have combined into one store.
Since the beginning of 2025, multiple stores have shuttered within the mall in quick succession, including both Macy’s Men’s and Women’s, which were closed along with over 60 other underperforming locations, nine from California alone. Hot Topic also closed its Sunrise Mall location in March, while Masterboy Streetstyle relocated to Folsom Premium Outlets, according to two handwritten signs posted on the storefront.
All eateries have also vacated the mall just within the last three years, with several closing in early 2024 and the last eatery closing unexpectedly in November 2024.
What’s next for Sunrise Mall?
The Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan, which was approved by the City Council in 2021, was developed at a cost of over $1 million to the city, including an extensive Environmental Impact Report in an effort to make the property “shovel ready” and as attractive as possible to developers.
The plan envisions creating a walkable “21st Century Main Street,” with five key ideas guiding the plan: creating an economic engine, livable neighborhoods, streets for people, connected green spaces, and making the site a “community and regional destination.”
The four-phase plan is projected to take 20 years to be fully completed, with the first phase likely being to develop unused parking areas. However, the city does not own the property, so the plan requires the involvement of private developers to become a reality.
The city says the second phase is expected to incorporate office space, retail, dining, and an extended-stay hotel. The third and fourth phases include redeveloping the existing mall into a “21st Century Main Street.”
During an annual strategic planning retreat held March 26 of this year, Economic Development and Community Engagement Director Meghan Huber said the Economic Development team has been in contact with the property owner of the parcels, and “deal-making conversations” are being had regarding a possible hotel. A deal has yet to be announked.
Most recently, the city council also approved a $178,000 grant that will go toward infrastructure planning for the Sunrise Tomorrow Plan.
The planning grant will fund preliminary engineering for underground infrastructure, including capacity analysis, phasing, and other technical studies. Grant funds must be completely utilized by June 30, 2026. The proposed scope of work includes an assessment of on-site trunkline infrastructure needs, capacity, and phasing required to support full buildout of the Specific Plan.
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