The Fresno area’s retail and dining landscape has seen plenty of action this month, with new openings, sudden closures and a contentious Clovis city council vote.
This roundup covers the top retail stories shaping the central San Joaquin Valley, including a craft brewery shutting its doors, a Korean fried chicken chain expanding and a downtown restaurant fighting to survive High-Speed Rail construction. Barnes & Noble is also heading to Clovis, and Dutch Bros keeps growing.
Here’s a look at Fresno Bee retail stories from April
Fresno eatery braces for High-Speed Rail disruption. ‘Fighting to keep doors open’ • Downtown Fresno eatery Libelula is bracing for what owner Chef Ian Cookson calls its greatest challenge as High-Speed Rail construction closes Fresno Street for more than a year. A nearby state-owned parking lot already closed, reducing sales, and Cookson said he learned of the street closure only weeks in advance. The restaurant posted on social media that it was “fighting to keep our doors open.” Click here for full story.
Why a family-run bakery in Fresno doesn’t fear Randy’s Donuts opening next door • Lodéi Bakery & Cafe, a family-run Armenian bakery at Palm and Bullard avenues, isn’t worried about Randy’s Donuts opening next door. The Keymetlyan family actually hopes the famous chain will drive foot traffic to their tucked-away spot, which serves elaborate pastries, macarons and Armenian favorites. “It’s different things,” said 17-year-old Arpi Keymetlyan. “They have their thing. We have ours.” Click here for full story.
Mercedes flexes $4M in upgrades at Fresno car dealership. ‘First class,’ mayor says • Mercedes-Benz of Fresno unveiled $4 million in renovations at its Palm and Herndon avenues dealership, featuring a more interactive showroom with digital kiosks and an expanded service department. The loaner fleet grew to 120 vehicles. Mayor Jerry Dyer called it “a first-class dealership in Fresno.” Click here for full story.
Another Fresno-area brewery closes. ‘I’m just sitting there by myself for hours’ • Incinerati Brewing Co., a Clovis taproom on Tollhouse Road, is closing - with its last day set for April 26 or when the beer runs out. Owner Mike Sumaya said the taproom never generated enough business to quit his day job, and the off-the-beaten-path location made it hard to draw customers. The closure follows a string of craft brewery shutdowns across the central San Joaquin Valley as the industry faces rising costs and declining consumption. Click here for full story.
Fresno restaurant along Blackstone Avenue deals with challenges but keeps thriving • Shobu Japanese Cuisine on Blackstone Avenue has weathered the pandemic, homelessness challenges and its owner’s retirement but continues to thrive. Voted No. 1 Japanese cuisine in the Fresno area in the 2025 Fresno Bee Best of Central California awards, the restaurant is known for its sushi and a fusion dish combining Japanese broth with Vietnamese pho noodles. Manager John Chang said inflation and fewer diners eating out have created uncertain stretches. Click here for full story.
Popular national bakery chain closes Fresno cafe. It’s not first in area to shut down • The Corner Bakery Cafe in northeast Fresno has permanently closed after nearly 10 years, with workers seen removing kitchen equipment. The closure follows the same owners shutting down the chain’s Visalia location in September 2024, leaving no Corner Bakery cafes in the central San Joaquin Valley. A previously planned Clovis location at Loma Vista Marketplace remains uncertain. Click here for full story.
Yet another Dutch Bros Coffee opening in Fresno? Yup, here’s where and when • Construction is underway on a new Dutch Bros Coffee on East Kings Canyon Road near Clovis Avenue, aiming for a late summer or early fall opening. The Fresno area now has 13 Dutch Bros locations in Fresno and Clovis - up from just two 20 years ago - with additional spots in the works for Sanger and Shaw Avenue in Clovis. Click here for full story.
International chain bucks Fresno fried chicken trend, opens new restaurant • Korean fried chicken chain bb.q Chicken is opening a second Fresno-area location near Kings Canyon Road and Clovis Avenue, set to open around the start of May. The expansion bucks a local trend of fried chicken restaurant closures, including multiple KFC shutdowns across the area. The chain, founded in Korea, operates over 3,500 locations worldwide across 57 countries. Click here for full story.
Barnes & Noble will open its first bookstore in Clovis at former JoAnn site • Barnes & Noble will open its first Clovis bookstore on April 29 at the Clovis Crossing Shopping Mall, in the former JoAnn Fabric and Craft store space at Herndon and Clovis avenues. The 18,000-square-foot location will be the chain’s third in the Fresno area and will include a cafe serving Starbucks coffee. New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy will appear at the grand opening for a ribbon-cutting and book signing. Click here for full story.
Clovis OK’s controversial plan for vacant Shaw Ave. lot. ‘A betrayal to residents’ • Clovis City Council approved a controversial self-storage facility on a Shaw Avenue lot that has sat vacant for nearly 50 years, despite strong opposition from nearby residents. The 3-2 vote allows 750 to 800 storage units on a 2.45-acre parcel originally designated for office use. Councilmember Lynne Ashbeck called the decision “a betrayal” of city policies and neighbors, while supporters said the lot’s long vacancy reflected insufficient demand for office space. Click here for full story.
Original stories by Fresno Bee reporters Bryant-Jon Anteola, Bethany Clough, Erik Galicia and Leqi Zhong.
This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence based on our own originally reported, written and published content. Before publishing, journalists reviewed this content in compliance with McClatchy Media’s AI policy.
