Mall news: It may not officially be an anchor at the emerging Elk Grove Promenade, but Dick's Sporting Goods will be a pretty visible tenant at the million-square-foot lifestyle center, a company official said.
Elk Grove and Manteca, of all places, will be among the first new stores in California for Dick's, which has 370ish sporting goods stores and 83 Golf Galaxy stores in 38 mostly Eastern states.
Greg George, vice president for real estate in the western region, said last week that Dick's is planning a two-level, 70,000-square-foot store in the Promenade that should open with the rest of the center in the fall of 2009.
"We are excited about the opportunity to be part of that project," he said.
Pittsburgh-based Dick's is one of the biggest sporting goods retailers in the country, with 2007 sales of $3.9 billion. The company moved into California last year when it purchased Chick's Sporting Goods, a 15-store Southern California chain that will be converted to Dick's stores over the next 18 months, Greg said.
Commercial broker Bob Nolasco, a senior vice president at Grubb and Ellis who represents Dick's in this area, said he expects to see five or six stores in the capital region – EG, Folsom, Natomas, Arden et al – in the next couple of years.
Meanwhile, I guess I should avoid Manteca jokes from now on. Along with a sparkling Big League Dreams complex of softball/baseball fields – greatly envied by kid leagues all over – that gritty San Joaquin County town is getting Dick's and a mammoth Bass Pro Shops superstore, which has been penciled in approximately forever for Sacramento's downtown railyard. …
Pancake circus: Imagine a bunch of elected officials and city staff members actually serving the public.
Well, on Saturday morning, instead of dishing out the usual political stuff, Elk Grove City Council members, staff and new City Manager Laura Gill will be dishing out coffee, juice, pancakes and sausage.
The "Flapjack Forum," 8 to 11 a.m. at City Hall, is a chance for residents to meet and talk with Laura and the council about a variety of topics.
And to get a free breakfast.
For more information, but not to make any special pancake orders, call Teresa Evans at (916) 478-2201.
Cheers. …
Maxing out the (auto) mall: Turns out that adding CarMax, the nation's biggest used-car retailer, to the Elk Grove Automall is not such a far-fetched notion after all.
The Richmond, Va.-based company, which had $8.2 billion in sales last fiscal year, has superstores in Roseville and Modesto, and reportedly has been scouting the area in between those stores for a while.
And Mark Nelson, co-developer of the 127-acre mall, said the Elk Grove dealers could vote to change the guidelines to allow a used-car operation.
John Driebe, owner of Nissan of Elk Grove and Infiniti of Elk Grove, told my colleague, Loretta Kalb, that he would welcome CarMax to the mall.
Maggie Tadlock, general manager of Elk Grove Honda and president of the mall dealers' association, said she also has heard the talk about CarMax.
"They haven't approached us yet," she said. "But I think most everybody would be open to listen."
Let's see. CarMax would add jobs, sales tax and traffic to the auto mall. Stay tuned.
Call The Bee's Bob Walter, (916) 478-2860. Back columns, www.sacbee.com/walter.
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