Retail Roundup: What's Opening and Closing in Elk Grove

It just got easier to buy baby clothes and inexpensive bed sheets in Elk Grove, but more challenging to get a pie, browse the bookshelves or rent a movie.

While the retail and restaurant scene in Elk Grove is still struggling, with , and exiting, some stores and eateries are making inroads into the marketplace.

Anna’s Linens, the discount bedding retailer, opened its first Elk Grove store July 7 at 9163 E. Stockton Blvd., #360, the former Fashion Bug clothing store. The 9,300-square foot store employs 14 sales clerks, said Amber Costantino, marketing coordinator for the Costa Mesa-based retailer.

Costantino said the Elk Grove store, which is leased, was a positive move for the chain, as there are only two Anna’s Linens stores in the Sacramento area.

“We look at the demographics of an area before moving in, including age, ethnicity and income levels,” she said. “The area fits in with the needs there, and it’s not a place that is highly populated with other Anna’s Linens stores.”

The opening is part of a growth strategy for the chain, which has outlets in 18 states nationally, Costantino said.

“We’re seeing lots of growth,” she said. “Our goal is to open around 30 stores this year, and we’re staying on track with that. We’re on a roll.”

Carter’s, the largest branded marketer of baby and children’s clothing, also opened its doors May 26 at 7617 Laguna Blvd., near the store. The 4,250-square-foot shop is one of more than 400 company-owned retail stores, and sells the Carter’s and OshKosh B’gosh brands, according to its web site.

Another nationwide children’s retail chain, , is also preparing to open nearby at 7621 Laguna Blvd. The store, owned by Bed, Bath and Beyond, Inc., will go into the vacant Linens ‘N Things store, a space of more than 31,000 square feet.

Heather Ross, Elk Grove’s economic development coordinator, said TGI Friday’s restaurant may soon reopen at its former site, 7101 Laguna Blvd. It’s been sitting vacant since September 2009, when the corporation withdrew franchise licenses for TGI Friday’s in the Sacramento region after the franchisee couldn’t make financial obligations.

The restaurant retained its signage, Ross said. The building now has a “coming soon” sign, but corporate officials would not confirm the reopening or give any details.

This activity is encouraging for retailers and shoppers alike, she said.

“These openings put a positive vibe out there,” Ross said. “It’s always good to have vacant space filled up. When others see businesses investing in Elk Grove, they may get the idea to do same thing.”

Some of the entrants into the Elk Grove market are discount retailers, which Ross noted is a sign of the tough economic times.

 “This is a consequence of the economy and our economy becoming more diverse,” she said. “It’s a natural evolution, that while we become a more diverse economy, with a range of household types, there’s more diverse shopping and eating choices.”

On the other hand, closures of national chains are occurring in the Elk Grove community. Marie Callender’s Restaurant & Bakery at 9134 E. Stockton Blvd. and Blockbuster Video at 7221 Elk Grove Blvd. both closed recently and Border’s bookstore at 7415 Laguna Blvd. this summer.

Gregg Mason, vice president of Jackson Properties Inc. and a board member of the city’s Economic Development Corporation, pointed out that many of the recent shutdowns are national chains that are slumping all over the country.

“Marie Callender’s and Borders filed bankruptcy nationwide, not just in Elk Grove,” Mason said. He said Borders is the victim of print media being challenged by online news and books. Meanwhile, the restaurant industry needs to change quickly to adapt to new tastes.

“When it comes to restaurants, people are fickle,” he said. “People’s tastes change, and you have to re-invent yourselves every couple of years. You need new food and décor. People want to be eating trendy food at trendy places.”

Mason said TGI Friday’s will reportedly sport an updated interior when it reopens.