New downtown Merced food truck plaza aims to revive vacant corner
An empty corner of Downtown Merced at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and 16th Street, is being transformed into a new food truck plaza that developers say they hope will become a popular community gathering spot.
The plaza named “Downtown Grubs” will take over the site that developers said has become an eyesore, after previously serving as home to a KFC fast-food restaurant. Ernie Ochoa, commercial leasing manager with Keller Williams Commercial who is overseeing leases and promotional efforts said the site has remained vacant for several years and developers hope the spot will become a vibrant part of the community.
The food truck plaza will occupy just over a half acre on parcels owned by local Keller Williams Broker and developer Moe Jawad.
Plans call for resurfacing and restriping the area where the food truck plaza will be located. New lighting will be added to the location and customer parking will be located nearby. Ochoa said the city approved the project last year and the plaza is expected to be operational sometime in August.
Ochoa said the food trucks will be arranged in a circular pattern, surrounding a central area with tables and shaded seating. Parking will be located nearby as well as a building that will house restrooms for vendors.
Currently, six vendors have committed to the space, and will offer various coffee beverages, Asian cuisine, seafood, fresh fruit juices and Mexican cuisine. Ochoa said the site will be open 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily.
Ochoa said developers have received interest from various food vendors for the remaining spots.
“We want to focus on having a variety of vendors so I would love to have someone who does barbecue, burgers, Indian food, I would love like a Thai food vendor,” Ochoa said.
Ochoa said that decision to develop the site into a food truck plaza came after the developers saw a demand for food street vendors. Wanting to add value and vibrancy to the downtown area, developers wanted to be part of the growth in Downtown Merced.
“We decided that we wanted to provide a better option,” Ochoa said. “An option with vendors that are going to follow all the health and safety guidelines of the City of Merced and follow all the business license requirements.”
The food truck plaza also aligns with efforts by the Downtown Merced Property-Based Business Improvement District, in revitalizing the downtown area. Developers hope Downtown Grubs will complement the downtown’s existing restaurant scene while offering a safe welcoming environment.
“We’re really excited,” Ochoa said. “I think we’re going to be a good addition to the restaurant scene in Downtown Merced and we’ll be able to provide a lot of good quick, fast and healthy food options.”
All vendors located at the food truck plaza will be required to have a City of Merced business license, liability insurance and will be required to comply with all health and safety regulations, said Ochoa.
This story was originally published July 6, 2025 at 5:00 AM.