By Sara Beth Williams–
The steady exodus of businesses from Sunrise Mall has left five standing: JCPenney, Royal Stage Theater, Perfumes Luxe, T&Z Toys, Kay Jewelers and Tops Men’s Fashion.
JCPenney: The Citrus Heights location stands as the last remaining anchor, having endured decades of economic rises and falls, multiple owners, its own company downsizing nationally, and the steady exodus of dozens of tenants. Still, JCPenney remains, offering customers everything from clothing for all ages and occasions, to family photos, a hair salon, and jewelry and makeup sections inside their store.
JCPenney has over 600 stores left open across the United States and Puerto Rico, including its Citrus Heights location, and one in Roseville and Sacramento. The company operates a much smaller footprint today compared to its peak of over 2,000 stores in 1973 or the 846 locations it had before filing for bankruptcy in 2020.
Kay Jewelers: Along with JCPenney, Kay Jewelers was one of the original businesses to open inside Sunrise Mall in the 1970s. Recently, the store has survived two jewelry heists in July and August, and persevered through the exodus of dozens of other businesses over the last several years, including the closure of Sears, Macy’s, and more recently, the other remaining jewelry stores in 2025 and early 2026, excluding JCPenney’s jewelry counter.
Kay Jewelers staff say the store has many return customers and a strong loyal customer base, and that the location reportedly continues to show strong sales numbers.
T&Z Toys: Management from T&Z Toys said that foot traffic has definitely slowed down since their opening in 2022, but that they plan to attempt to stick around through the ownership transition currently taking place. T&Z Toys sits just across from Perfumes Luxe, which is also still open for business.
T&Z toys sells a myriad of big and small toys, backpacks, plushies, and remote control cars for toddlers, to both regular customers and retailer stores through their wholesale program, management said, adding that T&Z’s goal is to provide high quality, name brand toys that are not “fake.”
The store is open six days a week from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and closed on Sundays.
Though traffic has been very slow, management said they are hopeful that upcoming changes, such as the proposed sports center, and other indoor adventure and family entertainment parks, will bring in new businesses, as well as maybe some former businesses, back to the mall.
“It’s been a long time that they promised a lot of things,” management said, adding that they hope changes come soon before the rest of the businesses “get tired and leave.”
Royal Stage Theater: Despite the mall’s decline, the community theater company continues to offer summer camps, seasonal classes, and year-round theatrical productions amid the tumultuous circumstances surrounding Sunrise Mall. Located between the old Zumiez and vacant Macy’s Men’s, the theater has an outside entrance.
The theater’s mission is offer safe, encouraging classes and camps for both men and women, and to “build up girls and women to understand that they are true royalty,” the nonprofit’s site says.
The theater is hosting productions of Music Man, beginning on Aug. 20 and running through Aug. 23. There are also upcoming play auditions, and fall classes that residents can register for on Royal Stage’s website here.
In the past, Royal Stage Theater founder Tamara Warta has said she would like to stay as long as it is feasible to remain and “loves” the theater space. During a City Council meeting in March, dozens of community theater enthusiasts petitioned the city and City Council through dozens of written comments to ask that the theater be able to remain during any future construction projects, specifically surrounding the proposed Sunrise Sports Center project.
Perfumes Luxe: Perfumes Luxe, which sells luxury perfumes, cologne and body sprays, is still open. Kevin Cadinha, owner of Perfumes Luxe, said he has been a resident of Citrus Heights for 30 years and wants to see the area revitalized.
Cadinha has been a vocal opponent against the Citrus Heights City Council’s decision to reject real estate mogul Ethan Conrad’s proposal for redeveloping Sunrise Mall in 2025. Cadinha has also been an advocate online encouraging support for small businesses, especially those inside the mall. He has said in the past that feels small businesses at Sunrise Mall are being ignored by multiple entities involved with the mall’s future and business along the Sunrise Corridor.
Cadinha launched the luxury perfume store several years ago during COVID after spotting the small, vacant storefront inside the mall. Within the last year he has also expanded to selling merchandise online as well as snacks inside his store due to the closure of all eateries inside Sunrise Mall.
Perfumes Luxe is open daily.
Tops Men’s Fashion: Due to lack of foot traffic, the men’s clothing store has reduced its hours and generally is open between 1 and 7 p.m., an employee of the store said last week. However, frequently the store is observed to be closed during multiple visits to Sunrise Mall by Sentinel staff.
The men’s fashion store sells suits for $99 along with multiple other men’s formal clothing and accessories. Management was not available for comment before press time.
