Marketplace at Merced Restaurant Space for Lease
A Rare Restaurant Opportunity in One of Merced’s Largest Retail Destinations
Restaurant operators searching for restaurant space for lease in Merced CA now have the opportunity to secure space inside one of the Central Valley’s most established shopping destinations.
Marketplace at Merced, located at 851 W Olive Avenue in Merced, California, is currently undergoing a major redevelopment focused on bringing in stronger entertainment, dining, and experience driven tenants to increase foot traffic and customer engagement throughout the property.
This leasing opportunity is specifically positioned for restaurant concepts looking to establish themselves within a high traffic retail environment surrounded by national retailers, major residential growth, Merced College, and some of the strongest retail traffic drivers in the region.
For restaurant groups looking to enter the Central Valley market, Marketplace at Merced offers one of the strongest opportunities currently available for upscale casual dining, sushi restaurants, sit down concepts, specialty dining, and entertainment driven food operators.
Ideal Restaurant Concepts for This Location
The available restaurant suites are best suited for:
• Sushi restaurants • Japanese dining concepts • Korean BBQ • Hot pot concepts • Upscale casual dining • Olive Garden style family restaurants • Asian fusion restaurants • Ramen concepts • Seafood restaurants • Specialty dessert concepts • Modern sit down dining • Entertainment driven food operators • Elevated quick casual concepts
The ownership group is strategically focused on bringing in complementary restaurant uses that strengthen the overall shopping experience and diversify the tenant mix.
Available Restaurant Spaces at Marketplace at Merced
Suite 200 | Exterior Restaurant Space
3,321 SF Second Generation Restaurant
Suite 200 is one of the premier restaurant opportunities currently available in Merced. Positioned on the exterior portion of the shopping center with approximately 35 feet of frontage, this second generation restaurant space is designed for operators seeking visibility, dine in traffic, and long term positioning within a dominant retail center.
The suite includes valuable existing restaurant infrastructure and FF&E components including:
• Type 1 hood • Type 2 hood • Walk in cooler • Walk in freezer • Fryers • Wok burners • Flat top grill • Dishwasher • Booth seating • Existing kitchen infrastructure
The space significantly reduces startup costs and buildout timelines for restaurant operators entering the market.
This location would perform exceptionally well for sushi concepts, modern Asian dining, family sit down restaurants, or entertainment driven food operators looking to capitalize on the center’s increasing foot traffic.
Suite 700 | Food Court Restaurant Space
2,271 SF Second Generation Restaurant
Suite 700 is located directly within the Marketplace at Merced food court and offers a rare large format food court opportunity with existing restaurant infrastructure already in place.
The suite includes:
• Existing Type 1 hoods • Walk in cooler • Walk in freezer • Existing kitchen layout • Existing restaurant utilities • Strong visibility within the food court
This space is ideal for operators looking to enter a regional shopping destination with built in customer traffic generated by surrounding national retailers and entertainment uses.
Concepts such as ramen, poke, sushi, Korean bowls, modern Asian street food, seafood boils, or elevated quick service concepts would fit exceptionally well within this environment.
Suite 707 | Former Subway Location
975 SF Food Court Space
Suite 707 is a former Subway location positioned within the food court area of the center. The smaller footprint creates an excellent opportunity for quick service restaurant concepts, dessert concepts, tea operators, boba concepts, poke counters, or specialty food uses.
Why Marketplace at Merced Is Positioned for Restaurant Success
Marketplace at Merced is not simply a traditional mall environment. The property is actively being repositioned into a stronger entertainment, dining, and lifestyle focused shopping destination designed to drive repeat customer traffic and increase consumer dwell time throughout the center.
The property already benefits from a powerful mix of national anchors and surrounding retailers including:
• Target • Kohl’s • JCPenney • Vallarta Supermarkets • Raising Cane’s • Crunch Fitness • Boot Barn • Shoe Palace • Michaels • Burlington • Starbucks • CVS • Ulta
The surrounding retail ecosystem creates consistent daily traffic throughout the property and positions Marketplace at Merced as one of the strongest restaurant leasing opportunities in California’s Central Valley.
Strong Demographics and Traffic Counts
Marketplace at Merced serves a large trade area throughout California’s Central Valley and continues benefiting from significant regional growth projections.
According to property demographics:
• 114,508 people live within a 5 mile radius • Average household income exceeds $93,000 within 5 miles • W Olive Avenue sees approximately 25,000 vehicles per day • R Street sees approximately 15,000 vehicles per day • M Street sees approximately 17,000 vehicles per day • The property recorded approximately 3.66 million annual visitors in 2023
The center is also located near Merced College and dense residential neighborhoods, creating strong lunch, dinner, and weekend dining demand.
Restaurant Space Designed for Growth
Second generation restaurant space is becoming increasingly difficult to find throughout California. Existing hood systems, kitchen infrastructure, grease interceptors, and restaurant layouts can save operators hundreds of thousands of dollars in upfront construction costs.
Marketplace at Merced provides restaurant operators the opportunity to enter a rapidly growing Central Valley market with existing restaurant infrastructure already in place while positioning themselves inside a redeveloping retail destination focused on long term growth.
For restaurant groups exploring expansion opportunities throughout California, Merced continues emerging as a strategic market because of population growth, increasing consumer spending, and the continued development occurring throughout the region.
Leasing Information
Restaurant suites currently available range from approximately 975 SF to 3,321 SF with lease rates ranging from approximately $2.95 to $3.25 PSF NNN. Estimated NNN costs are approximately $1.05 PSF.
To schedule a property tour or discuss restaurant opportunities at Marketplace at Merced, contact:
Joey Chiurazzi
Vice President
Office & Retail Properties
Office: (916) 779-1000 x215
Cell: (916) 996-5539
[email protected]
CalDRE #02123466
