Electric bikes and egames: Old Sacramento Waterfront attracts tech entrepreneurs
Sacramento (Wednesday, May 11) Inside a 19th Century storefront on the Old Sacramento Waterfront, Rumble Motors sells sleek electric bikes and motorcycles that could help usher the city into a more climate-friendly future.
Next door In Velo Veritas peddles active transportation, with high-quality bicycle brands that owner Kevin Robinson believes will draw customers from throughout the region.
These are two of the new, future-forward businesses that have opened in the Old Sacramento historic district in the past year. Entrepreneurs and artists are increasingly drawn to the character of Old Sacramento, the birthplace of the Transcontinental Railroad. Retail businesses such as Rumble Motors also see promise in the throngs of visitors and locals who stroll along the district’s wooden sidewalks on evenings and weekends.
“One hundred fifty years ago, Old Sacramento was the pulsing heart of innovation in our city, and I’m happy to see that people are choosing it as a good place to plant their start-up companies today,” said Mayor Darrell Steinberg.
Rumble Motors CEO RJ Khademi said he chose old Sacramento because of its draw as a visitor attraction. “We knew we had the opportunity to meet people from all over the country,” Khademi said. said “Everyone visits Old Sac when they come to Sacramento. It’s the heart of Sacramento.”
Webconnex, a developer of fundraising and event planning software, relocated to Old Sacramento from the Capitol Mall. The company is currently renting space for the 40 employees who work in its Old Sacramento headquarters but will soon move into a 27,000-square foot building it is renovating at 914 Second St.
“We have this vision of seeing a tech row in Old Sac,” said Ashley Mellott, chief operating officer for the company, whose workforce is mostly millennials. “As some of these buildings get rehabbed, we think we can be the frontrunner in attracting more tech talent down here.”
Sacramento game developer Mark Otero, who ten years ago sold his former company, Klicknation, to gaming giant Electronic Arts Inc., this year launched Azra Games on the third floor of an Old Sacramento building on the corner of K and Front streets. The company has attracted significant local and Bay Area investment and has 22 employees.
The exposed brick walls, high ceilings and working windows of many Old Sacramento buildings are a good fit for tech companies with young employees, said David Scurfield, who has owned and managed property in the district for the past 25 years.
“People don’t realize there’s some pretty nice office space in Old Sacramento, Scurfield said.
Those offices sit above storefronts with big windows like the one at J and Second streets where Khademi opened Rumble Motors’ Old Sacramento showroom in February.
Each of the company’s electric bikes, scooters, and motorcycles are cut and welded by hand, with models reaching a battery range of up to 130 miles per charge. The removable battery on the e-bike means it can be recharged at home or in the office. Currently, it takes 5 hours to charge – Rumble Motors is working on developing a new fast-charging battery, with the hopes of debuting the new technology this summer.
Khademi, originally from Sweden, said he plans to expand Rumble Motors by opening a manufacturing plant in West Sacramento in 2023.
Just a few feet away down the weathered wooden sidewalk, In Velo Veritas is bringing specialty equipment and services to Sacramento’s cycling community. Stocking only the highest quality brands such as Pinarello, OPEN Cycles, and Ritte, In Velo Veritas also offers specialized bike fitting and repair services.
Owner Kevin Robinson is a life-long bicycle enthusiast. He opened Velo Veritas in March.
“It’s convenient to get here, it’s right off the freeway, and there’s plenty of parking,” Robinson said of the Old Sacramento Waterfront. “It’s walkable, there’s bike traffic from the American River trail – there are all sorts of advantages to this location.”
Visitation to the Old Sacramento Waterfront fared well during the pandemic as people sought outdoor activities, said Chelsea Evans, who recently took over as manager of the historic district for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. Evans herself last year opened a store year at 111 K St. called Warehouse Creative that specializes in handmade goods from Sacramento to the Bay Area.
A new neon sign will soon great drivers on I-5
“Old Sacramento got a bit of a revival during the pandemic because it was an outdoor space,” Evans said. “People came down and said, ‘Old Sac is really cute. There are a lot of great shops.”
A $40-million plan championed by Mayor Darrell Steinberg to revamp the waterfront with a new park and family-friendly features is temporarily on hold because the pandemic shutdown caused hotel tax revenues to fall. But that doesn’t mean the district is static. The Downtown Sacramento Partnership has installed attractions such as a Ferris Wheel and social-media-friendly focal points like the heart arch that forms a popular backdrop on Valentine’s Day.
DSP has also introduced more performances and events, including a country music festival on July 31 headlined by Grammy-nominated Jimmie Allen and a Sip and Shop Wine Walk on the last Wednesday of every month.
The City Council voted in January to allocate $4.2 million to install security cameras and additional lighting in the Old Sacramento Waterfront, which like many other parts of the city has experienced incidents of gun violence. New streetlights will replicate the gas lanterns of the 19th century. A new, light-up sign funded by private donations from the late restaurateur Lloyd Harvego and others will greet drivers on I-5 by this summer.
“When people are driving by they are going to see this really cool, iconic sign,” Evans said.
