By Sara Beth Williams–
Demolition began on Thursday at a vacant restaurant space on Sunrise Boulevard that had once operated in Citrus Heights for several decades.
“Today, we said goodbye to a true Citrus Heights icon,” Sunrise MarketPlace business improvement district wrote on its social media page on Aug. 28, after the beginning of demolition of the 10,000-square-foot restaurant space that was once home to Marie Callender’s restaurant and bakery.
Sentinel staff was on site early Thursday morning. Aug. 28, and observed as heavy construction equipment began to demolish the roof and the side of the building facing the parking lot. Several community members could be seen dropping by to watch.
The restaurant and bakery, famous for its pies, was built in 1978 and opened in the early 80s, according to Sunrise Marketplace. The triangular roof and familiar restaurant signage were a staple fixture in the community for those driving along the busy boulevard over so many years.
“For decades, Marie Callender’s was a beloved stop along ‘restaurant row,’ where countless memories were made—family dinners, celebrations, and comfort food that always felt like home,” Sunrise MarketPlace said.
During a Planning Commission meeting earlier this year, Sunrise Marketplace Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter said she tried for five years using three different brokers to find another sit-down restaurant to take up residency in the space, but had no luck.
Patterson Properties purchased the vacant property and then submitted a proposal to demolish the property and construct a smaller quick-service restaurant. The plans submitted called for two drive-thru lanes, sparking controversy among community members and at least one restaurant owner.
In a letter sent to The Sentinel regarding the project proposal, prior to the approval by the Citrus Heights Planning Commission, Hector Alcazar, who owns El Tapatio Family Mexican Restaurant and Cantina, said that construction of a new drive-thru restaurant would result in “significant negative impacts” to his business.
In an effort to address concerns, Patterson Properties owner Stephen Patterson spoke with The Sentinel about the complaints regarding the demolition and future of a possible fast food restaurant.
“It’s going to reinvigorate that restaurant row,” Patterson said, adding that increased traffic means more people will see the multiple restaurants that share the spaces adjacent to the old Marie Callender’s bakery.
Alcazar said he was concerned that demolition and construction would create traffic congestion and that the current entrance to the parking lots, which are shared by neighboring properties, serves as a “vital access point for our customers.”
Alcazar also said he was concerned about “limited parking” resulting in frustrated customers ultimately seeking alternative dining destinations.
Patterson said he has heard various concerns from Alcazar before, but noted that he was not personally aware of Alcazar attending the Citrus Heights Planning Commission meeting in June as the project was being considered for approval.
The Sentinel reached out to Alcazar twice in an attempt to ask for further comments following the approval of the project, but calls were not returned.
Patterson said that he does not plan to have any entrances blocked during construction and that six businesses, including an office complex along with multiple restaurants, have a reciprocal parking agreement. The parking lot design was intentional from its creation, Patterson said, and the reciprocal agreement helps to encourage walkability so that patrons can walk between businesses.
Patterson also said once the current, larger building is demolished, the new restaurant space should only be 5,000 square feet, which will create more room for more parking spaces, if necessary.
Rumors of the possibility of restaurants known for bringing a higher volume of traffic coming to the site have been circulating online, but Patterson and Carpenter said no specific restaurant has been confirmed. Patterson explained that the traffic study conducted by the city took into account “worse case scenarios,” so that the site, when constructed, could be attractive to a range of different types of restaurants, including those known to bring higher traffic.
Alcazar also worried that the construction of a new quick-service restaurant would have a “ripple effect” on other already established eateries, and that fast food restaurants “overshadow” other diverse dining options.
Patterson emphasized that he enjoys El Tapatio and has eaten there many times, and that it has its own customer base that is different from patrons who would want to visit a fast food restaurant.
“We’re not competing, we’re cleaning up a mess,” Patterson noted.
Marie Callender’s closed its doors in August 2019 and has since regularly attracted unhoused individuals who have broken into the building and left behind trash and debris, Carpenter said.
