SAN JOSE — Meriwest Credit Union unveiled plans to construct two new buildings on the former site of a popular but long-closed restaurant in South San Jose, an expansion that will create a new branch and refreshment spot.
The financial services firm wants to build a new branch and an adjacent retail building on the former site of a now-bulldozed Marie Callender’s pie shop that closed in 2022, ending decades of operations for the popular restaurant.
Construction work is underway for a new Meriwest Credit Union branch and adjacent food and beverage building at 620 Blossom Hill Road in south San Jose, seen on Feb. 12, 2026. (George Avalos/Bay Area News Group)
The project will leave the existing Meriwest Credit Union headquarters in place at its present location in San Jose.
The credit union now operates a branch inside its main office at 5615 Chesbro Ave. The project will create a standalone branch next door at 620 Blossom Hill Rd.
Construction crews have demolished the old restaurant property as a prelude to vertical construction of the new branch and retail building on a 1.1-acre site at the corner of Blossom Hill and Chesbro.
The branch will total roughly 5,600 square feet, and the retail building will total about 2,000 square feet, documents on file with San Jose city planners show.
Meriwest put in motion the endeavor to create an expanded operation at its headquarters site in May 2025, when it paid $9.6 million for the restaurant property.
“Our vision is to expand our long-time headquarters into a Meriwest Campus, allowing us to expand our community engagement, better serve our community and our members, and strengthen our roots in San Jose,” Lisa Pesta, president and CEO of Meriwest Credit Union, said at the time of the purchase.
Meriwest Credit Union’s roots go back to 1961 with the formation of the IBM San Jose Employees Federal Credit Union. In 1975, the name was changed to Pacific IBM Employees Federal Credit Union. In 1999, Pacific IBM became Meriwest Credit Union.
“This would be an expansion of a very successful business,” said Jerry Strangis, a land-use consultant who is helping to steer the Meriwest development proposal through the city review process.