<\/p>\n
By Sara Beth Williams\u2013 Sweet Music Studio Cafe took two years to come to fruition, Guizar said, after she acquired the space. The cafe will hold a grand opening on Jan. 23 beginning at 10 a.m., which will include a ribbon cutting and live musical performances throughout the day.<\/p>\n Guizar said she gained a lot of knowledge as she navigated the permitting and music licensing process, and that family and friends helped with construction, which helped offset some of the cost of remodeling. Due to a fire that damaged the inside of the former business, the interior had to be gutted and completely rebuilt, she said.<\/p>\n Square and round tables line the interior, with an open kitchen in the back of the space. Though the walls are bare now, Guizar plans to fill the walls with artwork from local artists.<\/p>\n \u201cThis whole building has some stories,\u201d Guizar said, adding that she and her whole family helped run her parents\u2019 store and restaurant, and that she took her kids to get their hair cut at the salon that once resided in the very space she\u2019s now occupying.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had such an amazing relationship,\u201d Guizar said of the former owner of the salon. \u201cHe still comes by,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The concept for a combined music studio and cafe atmosphere came to Guizar after she and her husband visited an underground jazz club in Los Angeles called The Baked Potato. Another source of inspiration was Nicholson\u2019s, a former music cafe in Folsom, which Guizar called \u201ca real gem.\u201d<\/p>\n Sweet Music Studio Cafe will have live three to four times per week, Guizar said, adding that she also plans to offer one-hour time slots on one day a week for musicians or other artists, who need a place to practice. Patrons will be able to reserve timeslots online. The cafe will not be offering recording services however.<\/p>\n
<\/em>A new cafe featuring live music and food is preparing to open its doors in two weeks in Citrus Heights according to owner Evelyn Guizar. Final hiring and the last finishing touches on the cafe\u2019s decor are currently underway, Guizar said.<\/p>\n