Remote Surveillance Trailer in Merced, CA

Another Starbucks is brewing in Merced.

A new location is underway, and curious residents have already noticed.

In a recent Reddit post, site user No-Problem-9181 asked, “Does anyone know what’s being built next to the ampm on Yosemite and El Redondo? Looks like it’ll have a drive thru.”

Here’s what we know so far about the upcoming Starbucks in Merced:

Starbucks is a Seattle-based coffee company founded in 1971, according to the company’s website.

“At Starbucks, we make sure everything we do honors that connection — from our commitment to the finest quality coffee, to the way we engage with our customers and communities to do business responsibly,” the company said.

The popular coffee chain is known for its handcrafted coffee drinks, signature pastries and branded merchandise including mugs and tumblers.

The beverage menu features a variety of hot and cold coffee drinks, including espressos, lattes, mochas, cold brews and macchiatos.

Baked goods for sale range from danish pastries and croissants to loaves, cakes and muffins.

Starbucks also serves breakfast and lunch items, including bagels, sandwiches, wraps, egg bites and protein boxes.

Other items on the menu at Starbucks include refreshers, teas and blended beverages.

According to city documents, the new Starbucks is slated to open in North Merced next to the ampm convenience store at the crossroads of West Yosemite Avenue and El Redondo Drive.

As of Wednesday, June 4, an official opening date for the new Starbucks location had not yet been announced.

Construction on the site was still in progress.

If you’re searching for the closest Starbucks in Merced to you, here’s where you can stop:

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. —

Video above from past coverage.

The Monterey County District Attorney's Office reports that an illegal food vendor network operating on the Central Coast has been traced back to Merced County.

The district attorney's office states that this illegal operation generates around $100,000 in cash per month for the Merced kingpins. Despite these profits, it appears that workers at these stands do not make minimum wage.

"These unpermitted roadside food stands are easily recognizable by their blue and red tents covering tables, grills, and vertical rotisseries," said Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni. "Food sold at the stands in Monterey County is reportedly prepared in Merced and then transported over two hours across the Central Coast, including Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Santa Clara."

Pacioni highlighted that the primary concern with these stands is the lack of refrigeration or coolers in the transportation vans, which compromises the safety of the meat and condiments. This creates conditions conducive to the growth of E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria.

Since September 2024, Merced authorities have uncovered large-scale unsanitary food preparation sites in warehouses and garages.

"They found vertical rotisseries with raw and partially cooked meat, some of which were unrefrigerated, as well as other perishable foods left uncovered and unrefrigerated. The equipment seized matches that used at Monterey stands, along with the unsafe food," said Pacioni.

Since late 2024, the Monterey County Environmental Health Department has confiscated unsafe food from stands in Pajaro, Royal Oaks, Castroville, North Salinas, Fort Ord, Soledad, and Greenfield.

As recently as Thursday, District Attorney investigators and Environmental Health inspectors impounded food, equipment, and a vehicle from an illegal food stand near Highway 68 and Canyon Del Rey, close to Del Rey Oaks, and another stand at 348 San Juan Grade Road.

All these stands have been traced back to Merced County.

"At these sites, health inspectors have found that the unpermitted vendors do not meet even the most basic food safety standards – meat is not kept at safe temperatures, no hand-washing stations are present, and cross-contamination risks are high," said Pacioni.

The district attorney's office is continuing to gather evidence against the leaders of this enterprise, clarifying that their focus is not on the workers at these stands.

The district attorney's office urges the public not to support these illegal establishments.

Get ready, Merced. A wave of new businesses is coming to town.

From restaurants to retail shops, several places are preparing to open their doors to the community.

Here’s a look at what’s set to open in Merced, as of Friday, May 16:

In 2023, Merced city officials confirmed that popular fast food chain Chick-fil-A is coming to town.

The new restaurant is set to open near 15th Street and Martin Luther King Way, just off Highway 99.

As of early May, city and company officials said there is no projected opening date for the Merced location.

A Poki Bowl restaurant is coming to Merced, bringing build-your-own seafood bowls with an Asian twist to local diners.

On its website, Poki Bowl said the new Merced location is “coming soon.”

However, the San Jose-based restaurant chain didn’t provide a specific address or opening date.

As of Tuesday, May 13, Merced city officials said they had no additional details to confirm, and the company had yet to respond to a request for comment.

A new family-owned coffee shop rooted in Yemeni coffee and Arabic culture is coming soon to Merced.

Sahara Coffee House is set to open at 1459 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Suite 9, later in May or in early June.

The shop will feature Arabic coffee and espresso drinks, Turkish coffee, specialty teas and a variety of traditional sweets.

Those include Dubai chocolate, Arabic cakes and honeycomb bread filled with cream cheese and drizzled with honey.

Bae Tea Coffeehouse is also joining Merced’s growing coffee scene.

The Yemeni-inspired coffee shop recently announced its upcoming location in The Hub at the intersection of Yosemite Avenue and McKee Road.

While an official opening date hasn’t been announced, the shop promises a menu that includes traditional Yemeni coffees and teas, along with a variety of smoothies and milkshakes.

A new Hilton Garden Inn is set to open in Merced by August or September.

The $36 million, five-story hotel will feature 133 rooms and will be located at the southwest corner of Campus Parkway and Coffee Street, within the growing Campus Parkway Plaza.

The 44,224-square-foot project will include landscaped parking, two kitchens — one for the hotel and another for a banquet facility that can host up to 350 guests — a full-service bar, an outdoor seating area with a fire pit and plans for a projection TV near the bar.

Raising Cane’s, the popular fast food known for its chicken fingers, is coming to the Marketplace at Merced.

The Louisiana-based restaurant will take over the former Big Lots space at 665 Fairfield Drive.

While an opening date has not been announced, the fast food chain signed a 15-year lease for the location.

Crunch Fitness is also joining the Marketplace at Merced.

The popular gym will share the former Big Lots location at 665 Fairfield Drive.

The gym will offer members personal training, group fitness classes and a wide range of workout equipment.

An opening date has yet to be confirmed.

Ethan Conrad Properties, which purchased the Marketplace at Merced in June 2024, has announced several new businesses set to open at the revitalized shopping center.

According to the company, here are some of the upcoming mall additions: