Business Journal: New Placerville Pot Shop; Area Mall Store Closures; Mother Space Filled

1950s Pot Dispensary Planned For Placerville

Chuck’s Restaurant, a former eatery in Placerville, is expected to reopen later this year as one of the town's first cannabis dispensaries. According to the Sacramento Business Journal's Sonya Sorich, the entrepreneurs behind the project say they're looking to market their products to Placerville's senior population and will give the business a 1950s theme.

"The setup currently resembles an old-school diner, consistent with its restaurant past,” says Sorich. “And the operators expect to retain some of those interior features. You might even hear 1950s music playing. Seniors are seen as one of the fastest-growing groups that are purchasing and consuming cannabis."

Chuck's Restaurant closed in 2013. The upcoming business on Broadway will be called Chucks' Cannabis Collective. The entrepreneur's spearheading the project also operate A Therapeutic Alternative in Sacramento.

National Closures Hit Sacramento Malls

Some major national retailers are closing stores as more people shop online, affecting shopping malls throughout the country including the Sacramento area. Fashion retailer Express is closing 100 stores, including a site in Sunrise Mall. Sorich says stationary company Papyrus is closing all its stores, including a location in Arden Fair mall.

"Arden Fair is also losing its GapKids store,” says Sorich. “That's part of Gap's plan to gradually close about 230 locations, which was announced last year. Also, consumer electronics company Bose is closing 119 retail stores, including a site in the Folsom Premium Outlets."

Retail analysts say every closure is different, but the general consensus is that it's an incredibly challenging time for brick-and-mortar retailers, and online shopping is a big part of that. Some mall landlords are filling empty spaces with temporary "pop-up" concepts or making concessions on rents.

Nash & Proper Opening At Former Site Of Mother Restaurant

A new eatery is moving into the space previously occupied by the now-closed Mother restaurant at 10th and K streets in downtown Sacramento. Nash & Proper will fill the space. This will be the business' first brick-and-mortar restaurant. Nash & Proper is known for its food trucks serving Nashville-inspired hot chicken. The location is expected to open in the spring. Sorich says Mother restaurant's former operators are working on something new.

"Some of the people previously involved in Mother are opening a new concept called Jim's Good Food in a space that once was Coconut's Fish Cafe on 16th Street in Sacramento,” says Sorich. “The restaurant will have the atmosphere of a diner, but its menu will deviate from standard diner offerings."

Including items such as seafood, burgers and freshly-made pastas. There will also be a strong vegetarian focus. The new eatery is open in a few weeks.