Tag Archives: Local Business

Sacramento Small Businesses Get Relief Loans

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Nearly the entirety of Sacramento’s $89 million of federal coronavirus aid has been allocated. The city’s council recently voted on how to spend the last iteration of funds, including a few subcategories for small business assistance, tourism, culture and the arts, employment growth, and services for the homeless. 

From the beginning of the pandemic, Sacramento Mayor Darell Steinberg indicated his intention of using the aid to help the city’s disadvantaged and underserved populations.  He also shared his interest in helping nonprofits that had been in line for Measure U sales tax funding. 

“It’s a significant achievement what we have done thus far to intentionally decide we’re going to spend this money on and in our community and then to execute it in the way we have,” Steinberg said. 

The category with the largest allocation of $22 million is small business assistance, with most of the money being distributed in the second round of funding for 1,347 Sacramento businesses. Assistant City Manager Michael Jasso reported that this round of funding saw a diversified pool of applicants than the original round of loans, which mostly went to businesses in the center of Sacramento.

The Weird and the Wacky of Sacramento

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Over 7,000 new residents moved to Sacramento last year alone, making it the fastest growing Californian city. These newcomers are likely enjoying cheaper rents and warmer temperatures alongside all the funky, good old-fashioned weird stuff Sacramento has to offer.

As the city’s director of tourism, Nick Leonti, says “Sacramento is about 80% weird stuff.” So whether you are on your way in or out of Sacramento, you should definitely check these out:

Home of the Martini– just a few miles out of Sacramento, you’ll hit Martinez, the birthplace of the classic cocktail, the Martini. Cheers.

Jelly Belly Factory– located at 1 Jelly Belly Lane, this place is wall-to-wall jellybeans of the most delicious kind. Once you have donned your paper hat, you can walk along the factory floors to watch the magic happen and hear the fascinating history of the Jelly Belly craze.

Jelly Belly jelly beans

Osaka-Ya has been making manju and mochi since 1963; they are one of the three remaining manju shops in Northern California. But it is also a snowcone heaven. The storefront is a tiny shop tucked away near the freeway on 10th Street. From a small window next to the shop’s entrance, they sell snow cones that run from “extra small” (about as big as your face) to “extra large” (major brainfreeze potential).

Leonti explains that the city’s “history” of weird, stems from the gold rush, when scrappy adventurers from all over the world arrived in droves. Today, that quirk remains alive and well.

$15m Plan to Revive Old Sacramento’s Business Scene

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Old Sacramento may be getting a $15 million revamp thanks to riverfront project manager Richard Rich’s plans to boost tourism and local business in the area. In an effort to make a new name for the historic district, Rich proposed a wide range of improvements at a recent City Council meeting, with everything from a new Ferris Wheel or other landmark to upping local artistry and encouraging a new startup scene amongst the upper floors of old buildings.

 

Rich’s vision extends beyond just flashy cosmetic improvements. He stated that he hopes to draw attention to Old Sacramento’s entertainment scene as well as its historical position by restructuring the pedestrian experience, mainly by fixing up the K Street pedestrian tunnel under Interstate 5 and turning it into a dramatic, interactive light show. He also hopes to draw visitors of the California State Railroad Museum into the district by enhancing access to the River, adding barges and building a themed waterpark to entertain both locals and tourists.

 

Downtown Sacramento Partnership executive director Michael Ault believes Rich’s plans “would be a great addition to Old Sacramento and would enhance the entire city.” It will also boost local businesses and attract new companies to the area, doing wonders for the city.