Instagram story viewer> @comstocksmag> Posts

Comstock's magazine

@comstocksmag

11.8K

followers

2665

following

Comstock's magazine has been covering business, food, culture and more in the Sacramento region for over 35 years. Fresh content every weekday.

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

The September issue of Comstock's magazine is in season! Stay tuned for fresh stories on ag tech, California farmers' most pressing issues, investments in sports infrastructure and more. by @comstocksmag

58

1

a month ago

Build, create & explore! Let your kids discover architecture through hands-on activities, creative challenges, and fun with real architects.

When: October 3rd from 9am-11am
Where: Studio W Architects
Register through the link in our bio.

#BuildCreateExplore #Sponsored #ComstocksMagazine #FamilyFun by @comstocksmag

1

0

5 hours ago

Next month, Sacramento will get a new video rental store. Does that mean physical media is back?

@verygoodvideostore co-owners Jefferson Miller and Chris Emery believe that taking a trip to the video store, bumping into someone you know, and asking the employees for movie recommendations are all important pieces of the film-watching experience.

But that experience is hard to find today. The last remaining video rental store in Sacramento closed eight years ago, and for nearly a decade, @bizarro_world in Davis has been the closest residents of the 916 can come to the Blockbuster heyday of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Then @mycatsvhs, a video rental store open by appointment only, popped up in Midtown this June, and now Miller and Emery are hoping to join them in bringing video stores back from their untimely demise — and the community seems to be behind them.

After announcing the project earlier this year, their Kickstarter campaign quickly reached the $30,000 goal, and community members eagerly donated inventory and shopped at local pop-up events hosted by the duo. In July, they found a location in Oak Park, along Broadway, in a building space that Emery pointed out is rather serendipitously shaped like a “V” — as in “video.” Now, they’re hard at work constructing, decorating and gathering stock to sell when they hold their grand opening Oct. 24.

Until then, we've rounded up some other physical media-focused stores in the 916 where you can take a break from streaming, from bookstores like @crawfordsbooks to record stores @delta_breeze_records and combos like @beersbooks and @kicksville_vinyl_and_vintage.

Read more at the link in bio. (By Sonora Slater) by @comstocksmag

108

12

2 days ago

Can a $597 million water project help refill the aquifer beneath Sacramento County’s farms?

The Harvest Water Program will bring recycled water to more than 16,000 acres of farmland and habitat in southern Sacramento County — giving growers an alternative to pumping groundwater.

But a project this ambitious also raises questions about water quality, agriculture, sustainability and what a recovering groundwater supply could mean for the region’s future.

Read the full story at the link in bio. (By Jason Collins) by @comstocksmag

2

0

2 days ago

Sept. 25 is officially "Dolly Parton Day" in California. Here's a look into how Sacramento-area fans and businesses are paying tribute.

Tuesday, August 25, was a double-whammy of sadness for many worldwide, with the announcement of the back-to-back deaths of pop-cultural legends Dolly Parton and Tim Curry.

On Monday, Sept. 20, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 931 into law, declaring Sept. 25 “Dolly Parton Day” in California. The move was meant to honor Parton’s legacy of charity and kindness and was named after her 1980 hit “9 to 5” — a working woman’s call to arms.

In the days and weeks after Parton and Curry’s loss, a symbiotic “tribute economy” began to take root, including in the Big Tomato. Many independent Sacramento businesses found ways to turn grief over their deaths into honest profit by providing services and products dedicated to the two.

The Crest Theatre in Sacramento hosted a sold-out screening of "Steel Magnolias" Sept. 6, and on Oct. 2, the theater will show Curry’s magnum opus, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

South Oak Park’s Broadway Costumes is ready for customers dressing up as Parton and/or Frank-N-Furter for All Hallows’ Eve. “For Tim Curry, it’s the makeup, the look,” said owner Larry Dockter, gesturing to a large selection of stage makeup. “We serve the drag community quite a lot here.” And for Parton? “Really, for Dolly, it’s the hair,” he stated, showing off a “Country Sweetheart” blonde wig available for $31.98.

The gift store Strapping in Oak Park has long carried Parton merchandise, and owner Susan Stewart says she sold 52 Parton prayer candles in the two days following her death.

“Being a queer store, I think people came here especially to get their merchandise because they’re queer icons,” she added of Parton and Curry. “We needed to mourn, and it’s a big loss.”

Read more at the link in bio. (By @thisishelenhar) by @comstocksmag

98

2

6 days ago

It's your last chance this year to see the elk rut at @pointreyesnps, when males compete with each other for females through dramatic antler fights.

Photographer @brad_branan_photo visited the park earlier in the season to "hunt" elk through the lens of his camera. Read his observations in this month's Out of Office column. Link in bio. by @comstocksmag

18

0

7 days ago

The Capital Region is abuzz with proposals for new arenas and stadiums that have the potential to transform Sacramento County’s sports and entertainment landscape.

These plans span various locations, including Rancho Cordova, The Railyards, Citrus Heights’ Sunrise Mall, Cal Expo’s former horse racetrack and the Bridge District in West Sacramento.

But are there enough investors in the region to support all these projects?

Some, like the stadium for @sacrepublicfc fans, appear on track. Meanwhile, innovative projects like the Cordova Arena and the remaking of Sunrise Mall have passed major hurdles and are moving steadily forward, while other plans, including for a new Sacramento State football stadium and a Major League Baseball expansion franchise, have a ways to go before becoming reality.

“To me, it all represents an opportunity to bring things to Sacramento that we haven’t had here before,” says Mike Testa, president and CEO of @visitsacramento, who has seen the economic value venues like Golden 1 Center, Sutter Health Park and Discovery Park can have on a region. “The more venues we have in this region, the more entertainment you’re going to see for the people who live here.”

Here’s a look at the major proposals that are making news, their various stages of development and funding mechanisms. Link in bio. (By @stevemartarano) by @comstocksmag

324

34

10 days ago

After decades of drawing visitors on scenery alone, Tahoe’s hotels are being asked to deliver an experience that matches the destination’s reputation.

@caesarsrepublic Lake Tahoe, formerly Harveys, completed a $200 million transformation this summer, its largest investment in the property since it was founded in 1944 as a small cafe and gas station with three slot machines. The project touched nearly every part of the resort, from a redesigned lobby and casino floor to new dining and entertainment additions.

A few minutes down the road, @goldennuggetlt has been working through its own transformation since Fertitta Entertainment acquired the resort from Paragon Gaming in 2023, rebranding what had been Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe. Much of the project is already finished, including newly updated rooms and suites in Sunset Tower, a remodeled lobby and registration area and reimagined guest spaces including Rush Lounge, Bean & Bread and the Essentials retail market.

@playparkhotels acquired the former Holiday Inn Express near Heavenly Village for $13.8 million in 2024 and relaunched it in April as @himarktahoe, a wellness-forward property backed by a $4.2 million overhaul the company is rolling out in phases through 2028.

Not far away, @coachmanhotel is taking a different approach. The boutique property traces its roots to a cluster of roadside motels built during the tourism boom surrounding the 1960 Winter Olympics. It completed a full renovation in 2024, and this summer, @rebelhotelcompany took over management with plans to build on that work through expanded programming.

@edgewoodtahoe ’s roots on the South Shore go back to 1896, when the land was first settled for cattle ranching. The Lodge, a 154-room hotel built in the style of old national park lodges, opened in 2017 and is approaching its 10th anniversary. Edgewood announced a redesign of all 154 guestrooms at The Lodge, working with Interior Architects on interiors inspired by the surrounding alpine landscape.

Read more at the link in bio. (By @keylalovesfood, all photos and renderings courtesy) by @comstocksmag

51

3

13 days ago

Five years ago, while scouring the depths of the American River, Karl Bly found a prosthetic leg.

“I see this foot through the water,” the 59-year-old treasure hunter recalls, explaining how he typically dons a snorkel mask and flippers and lies atop his kayak so he can paddle, face in the water, until he observes something that interests him. “I dove down, saw the mechanics of the leg.” He pulled it out of the water and returned to his boat.

Bly runs a volunteer group called @american_river__lost_and_found. He keeps more than a dozen kayaks, canoes and inflatables in his yard, garage and strapped atop his car, along with buckets filled with scores of oars and paddles. He has more than 30,000 followers on Instagram and 64,000 on Facebook.

After his unusual find five years ago, while still in his kayak, Bly posted a photo. By the time he returned to shore a few hours later, he says, more than 100,000 people had viewed the post, and groups around the Sacramento region, including ones that work with veterans, had circulated it in the hope of reuniting the person with their missing leg.

Soon afterward, the owner, a dockworker in Oakland, contacted Bly. He had walked to the river, gotten into his raft, taken off his leg and wedged it into an attached supply raft, then watched in horror when it fell overboard amid the rapids. Bly was only too happy to return the prosthesis, as a new one can cost tens of thousands of dollars. He doesn’t charge for his services but is sometimes remunerated by donations or services in kind. (One recent client, a garage door repairman, now fixes Bly’s garage door for free.)

Diving for lost items has been Bly’s passion for more than half a century. Read more about it -- and see if you recognize one of his finds -- at the link in bio.

(By Sasha Abramsky, photos by @gabrielteague) by @comstocksmag

101

0

14 days ago

As Comstock’s reports in our September agriculture-themed issue, it’s getting harder to run a family farm in the Sacramento region. However, a hardscrabble bunch of both young and generations-old farms are still working to keep the region fed. One of the best ways to find and support them is to visit a local farmers market. Here's a roundup of some standouts. Which one is your favorite?

@midtownfarmersmarket
Saturdays, 8 a.m.–1 p.m.; opens at 9 a.m. November–February
1050 20th St., Sacramento

@sacramentofarmersmarket
Sundays, 8 a.m.–noon
State parking lot beneath Highway 50
Sixth and W streets, Sacramento

Capitol Mall Farmers Market
Wednesdays, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
April 29–Oct. 28
600 Capitol Mall, Sacramento

@ardenfarmersmarket
Saturdays, 8 a.m.–noon
Country Club Plaza
2405 Butano Drive, Sacramento

@florinfarmersmarket
Thursdays, 8 a.m.–noon
Florin Light Rail Station
3001 Florin Road, Sacramento

@meadowviewfarmersmarket
Sundays, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
May–October
Meadowview Light Rail Station
3501 Meadowview Road, Sacramento

@carmichael_farmersmarket
Sundays, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Carmichael Park
5750 Grant Ave., Carmichael

@fairoaks_farmersmarket
Tuesdays, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Fair Oaks Park
11549 Fair Oaks Blvd., Fair Oaks

@orangevalefarmersmarket
Thursdays, 4–8 p.m.
May–October
Community Center Park
6826 Hazel Ave., Orangevale

@historicfolsomfarmersmarket
Saturdays, 8 a.m.–1 p.m.
Historic Folsom Plaza and Light Rail Station
915 Sutter Street

@ranchocordovafarmersmarket
Saturdays, 8 a.m.–noon
Sunrise Light Rail Station
11164 Folsom Blvd., Rancho Cordova

@onenatomasfarmersmarket
Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
May 30–Sept. 26
2501 New Market Drive, Sacramento

@elkgrovefarmersmarket
Saturdays, 8 a.m.–noon
Laguna Gateway Shopping Center
8245 Laguna Blvd., Elk Grove by @comstocksmag

255

27

15 days ago

A look back at an inspiring two days at WIC 2026 in Sacramento!

Proud to support the women shaping the future of construction as a Media Sponsor.

#WIC2026 #WomenInConstruction #ComstocksMagazine #Sponsored by @comstocksmag

39

2

16 days ago

At first the light flaring up outside Camelia Enriquez’s home in rural Newcastle seemed harmless — maybe headlights casting a glare in the window or someone goofing around. Then she saw the truth, burning clear and bright under the California sky: Her family farm’s packing shed, the heart of their operation, was going up in flames.

It was devastating — the loss of the facility where they packed peaches and other stone fruits, the financial hit, the generations of memories. It was also the start of a transformation.

“Innovation comes, sometimes, just out of desperation,” Enriquez, 48, says.

Since that 2020 fire, @twinpeaksorchards, which has been around since 1912 and favored by farm-to-fork chefs across the region, has been the site of constant innovation, from installing a new irrigation system to changing how they pack their harvest. Whether born of desperation, aspiration or both, Sacramento’s Capital Region is emerging as an international zone for agricultural innovation.

The cutting-edge technological research, industry evolution and hardscrabble on-farm practices like those at Twin Peaks offer rare solutions for family farms in tough economic times and fuel Sacramento’s status as “America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital.” The question is just how many farms this innovation can save before it’s too late, with family farms and food systems in deep peril after decades of farm loss and modern crises like the war in Iran raising the stakes.

Read the full story at the link in bio. (By @brian.reisinger.3, photos by @gabrielteague) by @comstocksmag

36

0

16 days ago