These new restaurant owners still believe in Downtown. Do you?

Happy Friday, LinkedIn community. When was the last time you ate in Downtown Sacramento?

The restaurant scene in Sacramento's core was hit especially hard by the pandemic. Many office workers still haven't returned to Downtown Sacramento on a regular basis, and retail vacancies remain.

Nonetheless, several restaurateurs are pursuing new projects in the area. They say they're encouraged by factors such as the Sacramento Kings' recent playoff run.

However, in an already challenging industry, Downtown is still a gamble.

In our latest cover story, reporter Jacob Abbott looks at new restaurants that are planned in Downtown Sacramento, why they're opening, and the challenges they might face. Read more

The article includes insights from business operators such as Kevin McBride and Ryan Royster , as well as broker David Herrera .

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More restaurant news

From a notable Midtown closure to a franchise chain's expansion plans, here are some of this week's other big stories on the restaurant beat.

First: Chando's Cantina has permanently closed in Midtown Sacramento, as its operator seeks to focus on other aspects of his business. Read more

Also: A few days after holding its grand opening in Elk Grove, new-to-market dessert franchise The Dolly Llama has been ordered to temporarily close by the city due to alleged health and safety code violations. Read more

Also: Fast-casual restaurant franchise Teriyaki Madness is expanding in the Sacramento area and has its sights set on two store openings in 2024. Read more

Big project on Sacramento's Broadway is about to start

Sacramento's Broadway corridor is on the verge of a massive overhaul expected to change not only its traffic pattern, but also its feel for people who aren't in cars.

A complete streets project for Broadway is set to kick off mid-month, after the city awarded construction contracts in July.

"We're doing a lot on this corridor to make it way more friendly to pedestrians and bike riders," said Philip Vulliet, a senior civil engineer with the city.

Read more in this article by Senior Reporter Ben van der Meer .

Nation's largest electric truck?charging?station coming to SMF

WattEV, Inc. of Long Beach will be building the nation’s largest electric big rig truck charging station next to Sacramento International Airport.

The $34 million electric charging depot will be solar powered and occupy about 100 acres just south of the airport next to Interstate 5, and just a few miles north of Interstate 80.

In this article , reporter Mark Anderson explains what to expect from the new charging station.

City Council's latest plan to help tackle homelessness

The city of Sacramento is going to make another attempt at setting up sanctioned campsites where people without homes are allowed to sleep without running afoul of city codes or law enforcement, Emily Hamann reports.

On Tuesday night, after more than six hours of debate, the Sacramento City Council narrowly voted to hand City Manager Howard Chan authority to identify properties and set up new safe ground camping sites in the city. During the same meeting, City Council approved enforcement protocols that will broaden the number of existing, unsanctioned encampments that city staff can devote a higher level of resources to mitigating. Read more

Thanks for reading our Weekly Edition, which was compiled by Managing Editor?Sonya Sorich . Send feedback and news tips to [email protected].