A virtual kitchen planned near California State University Sacramento has signed two well-known local restaurants to come aboard.
Owners of East Sacramento sushi restaurant Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine and hot chicken outlet Nash & Proper are planning to offer delivery and takeout options out of The Line, planned at 6415 Elvas Ave.
"The overall response from prospective tenants has been very positive and very encouraging," said Tyler Girimonte, a partner at The Line developer Sutter Capital Group, in an email. "Most of our marketing thus far has been targeted and word of mouth as we try to curate the right mix of product offerings at The Line."
Planned to open in the first quarter of 2022, The Line will offer 11 commercial kitchens in a 5,045-square-foot building at 6415 Elvas. The building is near the southwestern entrance to Sac State, and the site is planned for both on-site dining and takeout and deliveries.
Cecil Rhodes, Nash & Proper's co-owner, said he got interested in the concept after talking with Sutter Capital Group about a virtual or "ghost" kitchen in first-floor space they have at the MAY building in Downtown Sacramento, near one of his brick-and-mortar locations.
"I think ghost kitchens are the next thing in the food movement," Rhodes said, adding The Line spot will serve the same hot chicken he's offering elsewhere. "The location on Elvas is right in the middle of a great neighborhood."
Rhodes said he also plans to continue operating out of a ghost kitchen site on Northgate Boulevard in Sacramento, and is looking at a third possible option. "It's got to be the right spot in the right space in a neighborhood with a lot of third-party delivery," he said.
In a news release, Kru founder and chef Billy Ngo said Covid-19 forced his restaurant to adapt to providing takeout and delivery options that it never had before.
"It made me realize the demand for takeout and the large population of unserved customers," he said. "We're not able to support takeout and dine-in simultaneously in our current space, so the concept of having a kitchen dedicated to producing takeout orders is perfect!"
Ngo said The Line will also let him offer new food concepts without building out a new space to make them.
Each kitchen station at The Line will have gas and electrical hookups, commercial hoods and ventilation. There will also be walk-in chilled, frozen and dry storage, and pickup and lounge areas for delivery drivers.
Girimonte said Sutter Capital hasn't finalized the cost of renovations. In addition to Kru and Nash & Proper, he said, the partners are in talks with both existing restaurants and food trucks about possibly leasing space at The Line for takeout, delivery and food prep.
"It is our goal to be fully leased by the time construction is complete," Girimonte said.
Sutter Capital bought the property in May for $1.425 million.
