One of Folsom’s longtime residents and business owners was honored Tuesday evening by Folsom City Council during its regular meeting in the chambers of City Hall.
For more than 35-years, Chris Corda has called Folsom home. For a little more than 32 of those years, Corda has successfully operated the iconic Hacienda Del Rio restaurant that sits perched on the hillside where Historic Sutter Street meets Riley Street.
As 2022 came to a close, Corda turned out the open sign for the final time as he headed into retirement and passed the torch to his beloved Hacienda to local restauranter Michael Sanson, who purchased the establishment and has since been remodeling it to make it his own.
Tuesday’s council meeting opened with Folsom Mayor Rosario Rodriguez presenting Corda with a resolution of commendation after operating the Folsom businesses for more than three decades.
“As Mayor of the City of Folsom, on behalf of the Folsom City Council and the residents of this community, (I) hereby thank Chris Corda for being a part of the fabric of Folsom and congratulate him on his retirement and his 32 years as owner of the Hacienda Del Rio,” read the commendation presented by Rodriguez.
Those present Tuesday evening learned that Corda developed his interest in the restaurant industry when he was a teenager. His first interest came during a career planning assignment in high school. After attending community college he continued to pursue his interest in the interest when he chose to major in hospitality management while attending Cal Poly Pomona.
Tuesday’s presentation noted that under Corda’s ownership, the Hacienda Restaurant became a well-known landmark in the Folsom Historic District, a place that Corda has long described as, “always feeling like home.” During his longtime at the wheel of the establishment, Corda was known for often donating back to the community to support various local causes.
During his 50-year stint in the restaurant industry, Corda spent time in many community roles. Among those, included serving as the President of the Sacramento Chapter of the California Restaurant Association and as the treasurer and president of the Sutter Street Merchants Association.
As he closes the chapter of his restaurant career, Corda indicated he is looking forward to retirement. He especially looks forward to having weekends and holidays off and spending time with his partner Sherri, his children Cameron, Candice and his five grandchildren.
Under new ownership, the Hacienda will continue as a Mexican restaurant, according to Sanson. A grand re-opening date is soon to be announced once his finishing touches have been completed.
Read more on the new ownership in the Feb. 7 Folsom Times article at: https://folsomtimes.com/new-ownership-takes-reins-of-folsom-hacienda/. See secondary article reporting on additional City Council business.
