BY BRANDY TUZON BOYD
THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz
updated 7/25/2012 at 5 p.m.
Two Denny’s restaurants are slated to open in Sacramento, including one in Straw Hat’s old Natomas digs.
The Denny’s corporate website already advertises plans for new 24-hour eateries at 4441 E. Commerce Way in Natomas and 300 Bercut Drive in the River District.
Franchisee Anil Yadav, president and CEO of Central Valley Diner Inc. and franchisee of more than a dozen Denny’s in the Sacramento area, said he expects both locations to open by the end of 2012 – if not sooner.
“We are very excited to bring new jobs and new dining choices to the area,” said Yadav, reportedly the largest Denny’s franchiser in California. “Denny’s offers great food 24 hours a day, with breakfast, lunch and dinner available around the clock. We are confident in the strength of the Sacramento economy and look forward to welcoming our first guests in the coming months.”
Construction work is already under way at the Bercut Drive location and plans are to start accepting employee applications for that restaurant within the next 30 days, Yadav said. Both locations will employ 75 to 80 people each.
Permits are still needed before work can start on the Natomas restaurant, Yadav said. Plans have been submitted to the city for plan review, one source confirmed last Wednesday.
Denny’s representatives have been in touch with Sacramento officials to ask what planning approvals are needed for the Natomas location, the city’s Current Planning Manager Greg Bitter confirmed Tuesday.
“They only need staff approval for any exterior modifications,” said Bitter of the existing built-out restaurant space in Natomas.
Straw Hat Pizza closed in December 2011.
The 6,375 square-foot restaurant on East Commerce Way and .89 acres on which it sits was listed for $1.1 million according to a CB Richard Ellis brochure, but the bank-owned property sold to Akaashaman LLC of Fremont, CA for $663,500, reports commercial real estate website LoopNet. Akaashaman LLC’s ownership of 4441 E. Commerce Way was effective June 15, according to Sacramento County Assessor records.
City Department of Finance records show Akaashaman LLC the business at 300 Bercut Drive. That 1,126 square-foot freestanding building, vacant for several months, originally operated as a Lyon’s Restaurant and more recently as Stonebrooks.
Akaashaman LLC is an affiliate of Denny’s franchisee Yadav.
According to Multi-Unit Franchisee magazine, Yadav oversees 227 Jack in the Boxes, 30 Denny’s and is the broker for Marco’s Pizza in Northern and Southern California markets.
“Natomas continues to be a place that draws business to the Sacramento region,” Vice Mayor Angelique Ashby said. “The recent news of several restaurants looking to locate in our community is welcomed and will provide both jobs and dining opportunities for Natomas families.”
Yadav said he is using local contractor Steve Ward for all construction work at both restaurants.
[…] Denny’s is scheduled to open July 21 – nearly a year after plans for the 24-hour eatery were announced. […]