Local Business Spotlight

Tule Coffeehouse - Where Elk Grove Actually Slows Down

Tule Coffeehouse has quietly become one of Elk Grove’s unofficial meeting points. Not because it’s loud. Not because it’s trendy. But because it feels intentional.

The coffee is dialed in with smooth espresso's, balanced drinks, no burnt aftertaste. You can taste the care. But what keeps people coming back isn’t just what’s in the cup.

It’s the pause.

You walk in and no one’s rushing you out. The space is open but warm. Natural light. Clean lines. Enough room to work, talk, think. It feels like a place built for staying, not just transacting.

In a city that’s growing fast, that kind of space matters.

Elk Grove needs places where:

• Business ideas get started

• Friendships get strengthened

• Study sessions turn into scholarships

• And ordinary Tuesday mornings feel a little more grounded

Tule is becoming that spot.

If you haven’t been yet, don’t just grab a drink and leave.

Go in. Sit down. Stay 30 minutes.

You might leave with more than caffeine.

Planet Fitness Announces Grand Opening

Planet Fitness, one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers with more members than any other fitness brand, on Jan. 16 announced the grand opening of its new Elk Grove club located at 8457 Elk Grove Blvd.

New members can join now for just $1 down, then $15 per month or $1 down and $24.99 a month for a PF Black Card®, with no commitment through the end of the year.

To commemorate the newly opened club, Planet Fitness will be hosting a Grand Opening Celebration at the new location on Feb.11 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event will feature local snacks, giveaways and will be open to the community.

The new club will be open and staffed 24/7 and have the following features and amenities: Best-in-class strength equipment including free weights, expansive strength machines and plate-loaded bench presses, hack squats, glute trainer, leg press and a seated calf machine; More than 50 state-of-the-art pieces of cardio equipment; Free fitness training included in all memberships; Functional training room; Dedicated mobility and stretching space; Black Card Spa® for PF Black Card® members; HydroMassage Loungers, Massage Chairs, Recovery Loungers and Salon Grade Hybrid Tanning Beds as well as a Total Body Enhancement machine featuring Red Light Therapy; Free WiFi; Full locker rooms with day lockers, showers and personal changing stalls; and televisions with wireless connections to all cardio equipment.

“Planet Fitness is the gym for all fitness levels, and we are excited to welcome the community in to grow stronger together at this new location,” said Tim Kelleher, chief executive officer of Taymax Group, LP, a Planet Fitness franchise division.

“Planet Fitness offers a high value membership and believes that everyone can get strong no matter where they are on their fitness journey. We encourage the local community to come check out our new Elk Grove location and see what our unique, non-intimidating, and Judgement Free environment is all about," Kelleher added.

Every Planet Fitness membership includes free fitness training with a certified fitness trainer and access to strength and brand-name cardio equipment, and the free Planet Fitness App featuring hundreds of on-demand digital exercises.

The balanced mix of cardio and strength equipment ensures members of all fitness levels have everything they need to meet their fitness goals, all in a comfortable, non-intimidating environment. Many clubs are open 24 hours for added convenience.

The PF Black Card® membership includes additional amenities, such as the ability to bring a guest every day at no additional charge, access to the Black Card Spa® and access to 2,700+ Planet Fitness locations across all 50 states, among other benefits.

Adopt-A-Pet

Parents Night Out At D-Bat

Ages 6-12 and $45 per child includes pizza and drinks and drop off time is 5 PM to 9 PM

Amazon To Close All Amazon Fresh And Amazon To Go Stores

In a blog post, the company said, "The customer experience wasn't unique enough to be profitable on a large scale."

Some of the closed locations will be converted into Whole Foods Markets, although Amazon has not specified which stores will undergo this transformation.

An Amazon spokesperson told KCRA 3 each location is being evaluated on multiple factors before a decision on which would be converted to Whole Foods.

Many workers will have opportunities to continue within the company while others would receive severance packages, the company said.

Amazon said that overall it planned to open more than 100 new Whole Foods stores over the next few years

Horn Barbeque Closes Permanently

By all appearances, Horn Barbeque restaurant on Railroad Street in Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen's tourist destination development, Old Town-Historic Downtown Elk Grove, has gone out of business. A visit to the establishment today had a notice displayed on the front door, as seen in the image above, saying "NO ENTRY. CURERNTLY [sic] UNDER BUILDING OWNER'S POSSESSION.

A few workers inside the structure were observed cleaning and seemingly removing property from the structure.

This development comes after several weeks of speculation on various social media platforms about the future of the eating establishment. Even though the restaurant operators claimed they were temporarily closed, many social media posts said the barbecue, started by noted chef Matt Horn, was permanently closed.

Interestingly, the Railroad Street location has received substantial attention from the City of Elk Grove and is a keystone to Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen's plan to transform the Old Town-Historic Downtown Elk Grove into an entertainment district on par with San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. Horn took over the restaurant after another City of Elk Grove-hyped operator, David Hargis, and his Slow and Low barbecue restaurant opened in May 2024.

Hargis lasted barely six months before closing at the end of 2024.