NEW BUSINESSES UNVEILED AND MORE PLANNED TO OPEN IN SANTEE

By Mike Allen

September 24, 2024 (Santee) -- The never-ending churn of new retailers continues in Santee, a city where national and regional chains apparently see plenty of opportunity.

Among the new eateries expected to open before the end of this year is The Stand, a Los Angeles-based specialty burger joint. It’s planned to take over the former U.S. Bank site in the Sprouts-anchored shopping center at 9355 Mission Gorge Road.

Founded in 2003, the chain has about a dozen locations in Southern California, including one in Carmel Mountain Ranch. In addition to burgers, the menu offers specialty sandwiches, salads, wraps, and beer and wine.

Habibi Mediterranean Grill, a purveyor of falafels, pita sandwiches and shawarma, opened last month in the Smart & Final shopping center at 9830 Magnolia Ave.

Not far from there, at the strip mall on Cuyamaca St and Mast Blvd, Fruitylicious, a chain specializing in boba teas and other exotic fruit drinks, plans to open soon. The spot was formerly occupied by Cheesy Express.

Another Shell Gas Station opened up about six weeks ago at the corner of Mission Gorge and West Hills Parkway. Rows of gasoline pumps are available, including ethanol (only $3.19 a gallon), and a soon-to-open car wash which will feature a new Wing Factory outlet. The local chain also operates another store in El Cajon and gave no reply when called regarding when it will open.

Pizza parlors are a dime a dozen in most cities, and Santee is no exception. Sizzling Pizza made its debut here recently at 10769 Woodside Ave.

Craft breweries are another known staple to Santee, and a new one sprouted at the corner of Olive St. and Prospect Ave., called Sunny Grove Brewing. It’s at the same site formerly occupied by Pacific Islander Beer Co., which operated there for about nine years.

New owners Scott and Tess Christian revamped the brewery by expanding its footprint. They initially wanted to open a brewery in Lemon Grove, but faced city zoning issues before setting their sights on Santee that’s scheduled to open in June. Sunny Grove joins BNS Brewery and Three Frogs Brewing in this category.

Santee could be getting its first winery later this year if things fall into place for fledgling vintner Del Hanson. He purchased a site off Town Center Drive two years ago with plans for producing wine made from grapes grown on his 25 acres in Alpine. Horsethief Canyon Vineyards, which did a public tasting at this year’s Santee Street Fair, makes Italian wines, including Trebbiano, Teradalago and Primitivo.

While Trader Joe’s enjoyed a ton of publicity for the Monrovia-based chain’s opening in Santee in August, less has been noted of the other businesses taking over part of the old Best Buy store in the same strip mall as Discount Tire and Navy Federal Credit Union. That’s ULTA Beauty, an Illinois-based cosmetics purveyor with several other stores in the county. Santee says ULTA will use some 11,000 square feet of the Best Buy footprint, while Trader Joe’s has about 15,000 square feet. The remaining 4,000 square feet will be up for grabs.

Moving down from Mission Gorge Road to the strip mall anchored by Wells Fargo Bank and Grocery Outlet, Dollar Tree takes over for its former tenant, 99 Cents Only, a similar concept but much better organized.

Further down the same main street, Popeye’s is underway at 10308 Mission Gorge Road, not far from the Santee Auto Center that’s under construction also. The project entails two car dealerships, including Chevrolet, a car wash and an auto body shop.

Finally, just what every city needs, yet another Starbucks outlet is under construction at the corner of Cuyamaca Street and Prospect Avenue. This one will be a drive-thru only, just like the one at Magnolia Avenue. It’ll be the eighth Starbucks in the city.