In the early afternoon on August 12, I drove to Sutter Creek to walk around Main Street before it got too hot and too smoky. I found a few things that may interest you, and I’ll start from the north side of Main Street and work my way south.

New Starts

Home Inspired 85 Main Street Sutter Creek CALast month, I talked about a new fictitious business name statement for Home Inspired at 85 Main Street. Today, the business is one step closer to opening as the owners have put up a coming soon banner in front of the building. Home Inspired does not have an online presence yet, and the banner doesn’t provide a concrete opening date.

Buffalo Chips at 76 Main Street reopened on August 11 after being closed for almost two weeks. In the meantime, the restaurant has changed owners. Earlier this month, a fictitious business name statement was filed by R&M Hospitality LLC for Buffalo Chips. The LLC was formed in June and is owned by Robert and Michele Ritzman of Sutter Creek.

Jumping Frog Games Sutter Creek CAI talked about Jumping Frog Games at the end of June when I walked about Main Street Jackson. Jumping Frog Games was located at 162 Main Street in Jackson but moved to 60 Main Street, Suite 6, in Sutter Creek. Jumping Frog Games is now in that location, and you can’t miss them—the store faces you as you enter the Sutter Creek Plaza courtyard.

COVID-19 Precautions

A note of appreciation goes to the owners of The Music Box Company at 64 Main Street. The business was closed when I walked by, and I saw a handwritten note posted on the front door window. The note said that owners Mark and Lisa Baker were exposed to COVID-19 sometime during the first week of August and that the business would be closed until they received negative results.

Sutter Creek Music Box CompanyThe note also said that the Bakers were showing no signs of illness, but they closed their business so they wouldn’t potentially infect anyone else. If you need to reach the Bakers, you can call them at 209-267-5317 or e-mail them.

Blank Space

The restaurant space at 37 and 39 Main Street has seen various restaurants come and go including Chatterbox Café, a taqueria, and most recently Kintaro Ramen. Since Kintaro Ramen closed earlier this year, there are no for rent or lease signs on the windows. Instead, brown paper covers the door window at 37 Main Street and black tarps cover the window door on 39 Main Street. Tarps cover the inside of the windows at both properties, too.

37 and 39 Main Street Sutter Creek CAThe building that includes 37 and 39 Main Street was sold in December 2020 for $875,000, and the purchase may have caused Kintaro Ramen to depart. Does that mean that the new owners have new restaurant plans for 37 and/or 39 Main Street? We’ll keep an eye out for you.

Need Outdoor Stuff?

Sierra Mountain Outdoors at 33 Main Street has a banner next to the sign on the awning advertising a clearance sale. The banner states everything in the entire store has discounts from 20 percent to 50 percent off. The Yelp page for the site says the store sells outdoor and travel clothing, camping and backpacking gear, flyfishing and hunting supplies, and kayaks.

Sierra Mountain Outdoors Sutter Creek CAThe banner doesn’t state if the clearance sale means the location will be closing soon. Sierra Mountain Outdoors has a second location on Main Street Placerville. Unfortunately, the company doesn’t have any online information because the Sutter Creek Facebook page hasn’t been updated since 2012. And the website link only shows an empty directory listing page.

Offers in Hand

The building at 6 Main Street that currently houses the EPCO Emporium home décor store and E. Peterson Company print shop may be changing hands soon. Safeway built the building in 1936 for a grocery store, and today Eric Peterson owns the building.

6 Main Street Sutter Creek CAListing agent Becky Melville of Keller Williams Realty said there has been plenty of interest in the site, with about 40 brochures taken and many tours given. Melville said she currently has two offers for the property, and EPCO Emporium has moving sale signs in the window. There is no sign if E. Peterson Company will remain in the back of the building.

The brochure states that the building has 16-foot ceilings, 4 offices, 2 bathrooms, and a breakroom. With these amenities, the brochure suggests it’s a great location for a restaurant or tasting room. The property also includes a small vacant lot to the south of the building that could be developed for parking or outdoor gathering space. The property is listed for $1,599,000.

And a Bonus!

National Hotel Jackson CAIf you’re wondering why the National Hotel in Jackson hasn’t opened back up, the hotel is now for sale. Owner Stan Lukowicz remodeled the hotel in 2012, and the hotel has 36 rooms decorated in historic Victorian style as well as a restaurant, on-site bar, and event space.

The Sperry Commercial Global Affiliates office in Pleasanton is listing the property for $3.5 million. I’m working to get an interview with the broker and perhaps with Lukowicz, and I hope to have a follow-up article with more information soon. Watch this space.

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