Latest news with #Binchoyaki
Forbes
02-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Sacramento Community Shows Up For The Last Day Of Jim-Denny's
Line outside of Jim-Denny's on its last day Jim-Denny's closed its doors today, and Sacramento lined up in 90‑degree heat to say goodbye. The ten‑seat diner on 12th Street sold out of everything but burgers, hot dogs, fries, and onion rings by lunchtime. N'Gina Guyton stood at the front, handing out ice, cold water to beat the heat, calling out 40‑minute waits and alerting the crowd to what was already sold out. Nobody budged. Jim-Denny's Interior Inside, it felt less like a funeral, more like an industry house party. Friends like the owners from Binchoyaki were in the back helping the line. Spirits rep and local photographer Andrew Calisterio batched up a smoky strawberry‑watermelon rum cocktail that kept the line buzzing. Sacramento food photographer Anna Wick was washing dishes. Diana Ditch from Happy Takeout was helping wherever she could. Other restaurant owners dropped off cold beers and quality whiskey to send N'Gina Guyton off in style. N'Gina, staff, and friends The last orders went out by 2 p.m. Guyton, fighting back tears, thanking the crowd: 'I fought to the last hour. And I promise if I can, I will bring Jim-Denny's back. Just like I fought for two f**** years and sold every piece of property I had to bring South back.' Burgers and Fries and Fried Chicken Sandwich Jim-Denny's has been a Sacramento fixture since 1934, known for classic breakfasts, massive burgers, and a tiny counter that made regulars feel like family. N'Gina Guyton brought the diner back last year but got locked in a drawn-out battle with her landlord. Last November, she says he agreed to sell her the building. But in April, that promise vanished when an eviction notice landed instead. Guyton scrambled to pull together investors to buy the property, but the landlord refused to make a deal. This isn't N'Gina Guyton's first fight. South, Guyton's beloved Southern restaurant, built a loyal following with its fried chicken and honest Southern plates before closing in 2022. N'Gina has already promised the neighborhood that South will be back next April — fried chicken and all. Tower Bridge Dinner 2024 She isn't going anywhere. Guyton will be cooking at this year's Tower Bridge Dinner, the crown jewel of Sacramento's Farm‑to‑Fork Festival, cooking for hundreds at the city's biggest culinary event. The neon sign goes dark for now, but today proved that Sacramento shows up for its own; all hands on deck and spirits high.
CBS News
10-04-2025
- CBS News
Multiple midtown Sacramento small businesses hit by break-ins, suspect in custody
SACRAMENTO -- A spike in crime in midtown Sacramento is impacting small businesses. A suspect is in custody and business owners are facing thousands of dollars in damages. On Sunday night, Binchoyaki, Offbeat Coffee, and Oscar's were all targeted by a suspect who broke windows and, in the case of Binchoyaki, went inside the store and caused more damage. Binchoyaki's chef and owner, Craig Takehara, said it was the second time in two weeks the business was hit by a break-in. The first time, at the beginning of April, involved a suspect breaking in through the window and stealing bottles of sake. On Wednesday, there was still a wooden board in the window, and Takehara said he has to fix two doors damaged in the chaos when the suspect got inside. Sacramento police confirmed to CBS13 that the suspect, Isaiah Alston, 21, was arrested on Tuesday and is facing multiple felony charges that include burglary, attempted burglary, and petty theft with two priors. Takehara said the arrest doesn't undo the damage, though he is heartened by the quick response of the Sacramento Police Department. "We are not making a lot of money, we are barely getting by. We are trying to do our best to keep our doors open, every day and every month this is something that a lot of small businesses also deal with," Takehara said. In nine years of the business, he said they have never had back-to-back break-ins like this. Sacramento police set up a surveillance camera on 10th and W streets near Binchoyaki after the first break-in. That, Takehara said, showed the city's support for small businesses and how quickly they moved to put a solution in place. "It's nice to see something is happening. It was nice to see them put up a police monitor here on the corner. Helps everybody feel a little better, helps the guests feel better, helps my staff feel better," Takehara said. CBS13 took these business concerns to Mayor Kevin McCarty. He was aware of the break-ins and said there had been a spike in crime in midtown. In response, he said they are moving police resources into the area more "aggressively." "Things have changed in California. Voters voted in the fall — Proposition 36, an 80% to 20% margin. They want more accountability on the front end when people do break a law, so we're supporting law enforcement," McCarty said. The mayor said he's heard the concerns from small business owners and recognizes that theft or crime only adds to an already challenging time for small businesses. "We hear people. It's unacceptable that people have to show up to find their business vandalized or their car broken into. We see it's a problem. We support public safety here. We're about to adopt a budget and try not to impact core public safety responses," McCarty said. Takehara said this moment could act as a reminder to the community: shopping and eating locally can help small businesses in the community.
