{"id":244178,"date":"2026-03-31T00:28:16","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T00:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/244178\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T00:28:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T00:28:16","slug":"owner-of-popular-coffee-shops-in-california-vanishes-without-a-trace-as-friends-are-desperate-to-find-her","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/244178\/","title":{"rendered":"Owner of popular coffee shops in California vanishes without a trace as friends are desperate to find her"},"content":{"rendered":"

By JOE HUTCHISON, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 16:18 EDT, 30 March 2026 | Updated: 19:26 EDT, 30 March 2026 <\/p>\n

The co-owner of a popular chain of California<\/a> Bay Area coffee shops vanished\u00a0 without a trace, sparking a large scale search.<\/p>\n

Amy Hillyard, 52, was last seen near her home in the Cleveland Heights area of Oakland last Wednesday and has not been heard from since.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The mother-of-two, who co-owns Farley’s Coffee with her husband Chris, is at risk due to an undisclosed medical condition, Oakland Police said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A neighbor spoke with KTVU<\/a>, and said they saw Hillyard leave her home with the family dog on the Wednesday that she vanished.<\/p>\n

Her husband then reached out to the neighbor asking if they had seen Amy as she had left her cell phone at home.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On Sunday night over 100 friends and family members who have been hunting for Hillyard gathered for a vigil near where she disappeared.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Footage captured by various news outlets showed loved ones exchanging hugs and wiping tears as they held candles.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Hillyard, <\/p>\n

Hillyard, 52, was last seen near her home in the Cleveland Heights area of Oakland last Wednesday<\/p>\n

\"According <\/p>\n

According to a neighbor who spoke with KTVU, Hillyard was seen walking her dog before she disappeared, the street she was last spotted on is seen here<\/p>\n

Selena Khaira, a family friend, told\u00a0NBC<\/a>: ‘She\u2019s the kind of person that collects people, that brings people together when you have a problem.<\/p>\n

‘Which is why it\u2019s so important for us tonight to come together and help her family in a similar way that they\u2019ve always helped us.’\u00a0<\/p>\n

Family friend Tom Green spoke on behalf of the family and described Hillyard as a ‘staple in this community’.<\/p>\n

He added: ‘She literally feeds the community, she\u2019s fed citizens of Oakland and San Francisco on both sides of the bay through her coffee shop.<\/p>\n

‘We want the community to support her tonight and show her the kind of love we all feel for her, and hope she comes home.’<\/p>\n

In a post to social media, Hillyard’s sister in law Darby posted: ‘Please keep an eye out for my sister-in-law, her family and friends miss her dearly.<\/p>\n

‘Please message me directly, if you’d like\/able to volunteer in the search for her. Thank you and one love!’<\/p>\n

As well as the coffee stores, Hillyard also runs her own consulting practice and has worked with companies including Apple and Gap, her website said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She is also the board president of the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir, which said in a statement: ‘This is incredibly difficult news for our close community.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Join the debate<\/p>\n

What more can communities and authorities do when a beloved local goes missing without a trace?<\/p>\n

\"Hillyard <\/p>\n

Hillyard is seen here alongside her husband Chris, the two own Farley’s Coffee<\/p>\n

\"On <\/p>\n

On Sunday night over 100 friends and family members who have been hunting for Hillyard gathered for a vigil near where she disappeared<\/p>\n

‘Amy is such an important part of our organization, and our hearts are with her and her loved ones as we hope for her safe return.’<\/p>\n

In a statement, Farley’s said: ‘Our hearts go out to Amy and her family and friends during this difficult time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘She has been a passionate and active member of the Oakland community for 20+ years. We hope that she returns safely and we appreciate any information.’<\/p>\n

Oakland Police Department said she was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers with a black stripe.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts are urged to contact the department’s Missing Persons Unit on 510-238-3641.<\/p>\n

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