By Sara Beth Williams–
A new cafe featuring live music and food is preparing to open its doors in two weeks in Citrus Heights according to owner Evelyn Guizar. Final hiring and the last finishing touches on the cafe’s decor are currently underway, Guizar said.
Sweet Music Studio Cafe took two years to come to fruition, Guizar said, after she acquired the space. The cafe will hold a grand opening on Jan. 23 beginning at 10 a.m., which will include a ribbon cutting and live musical performances throughout the day.
Guizar said she gained a lot of knowledge as she navigated the permitting and music licensing process, and that family and friends helped with construction, which helped offset some of the cost of remodeling. Due to a fire that damaged the inside of the former business, the interior had to be gutted and completely rebuilt, she said.
Square and round tables line the interior, with an open kitchen in the back of the space. Though the walls are bare now, Guizar plans to fill the walls with artwork from local artists.
“This whole building has some stories,” Guizar said, adding that she and her whole family helped run her parents’ store and restaurant, and that she took her kids to get their hair cut at the salon that once resided in the very space she’s now occupying.
“We had such an amazing relationship,” Guizar said of the former owner of the salon. “He still comes by,” she said.
The concept for a combined music studio and cafe atmosphere came to Guizar after she and her husband visited an underground jazz club in Los Angeles called The Baked Potato. Another source of inspiration was Nicholson’s, a former music cafe in Folsom, which Guizar called “a real gem.”
Sweet Music Studio Cafe will have live three to four times per week, Guizar said, adding that she also plans to offer one-hour time slots on one day a week for musicians or other artists, who need a place to practice. Patrons will be able to reserve timeslots online. The cafe will not be offering recording services however.
To find out more information and look for updates, visit the studio cafe’s website. Company news and updates can also be found on the studio’s Instagram page.
The music cafe will also serve sandwiches, salads, pastries, coffee, beer and wine, Guizar said, adding that it’s not your typical quiet coffee shop atmosphere, because there will be live music more often than not.
Hours of operation for the music cafe are listed as Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. The cafe will be closed to the public on Mondays.
Sweet Music Studio Cafe is located at 8040 Greenback Ln., suite G.
