May brought a steady drumbeat of activity to the Fresno-area retail and restaurant scene, with high-end dining debuts, multiple closures, a chef\u2019s health scare, a luxury home market that crested past $5 million and a Clovis brewery sweeping national hard seltzer awards. Here\u2019s a roundup of top retail stories from May covering openings, expansions, rebrands and the changing face of dining, drinking and shopping across Fresno, Clovis, Visalia and surrounding communities reported by The Fresno Bee.<\/p>\n
Here are The Fresno Bee\u2019s top retail stories from May to catch you up ![\"Falafel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_0633.jpeg\" "\\"IMG_0633.jpeg\\"")
Falafel bowl, pink hummus and pink dragon fruit lemonade at Hummus republic in Fresno located at 2424 Tulare St in Fresno. By: Hummus Republic \u2018Closed until further notice.\u2019 What\u2019s up with this Fresno-area franchise?<\/p>\n
All three Hummus Republic restaurants in the Fresno area posted \u201cClosed until further notice\u201d signs<\/a> by May 15, and the Visalia location shut down April 30 after about five years. The Visalia owner cited a negative franchise experience and an expiring lease, while Hummus Republic franchisees nationally must invest between $207,500 and $659,000 plus a 6% weekly royalty.<\/p>\n Fresno\u2019s \u2018most high-end restaurant\u2019 and the childhood in Mexico that inspired it<\/p>\n Tabachines Cocina in north Fresno was voted the area\u2019s most high-end restaurant<\/a> in a Fresno Bee poll, narrowly edging Trelio. Owner Consuelo Alvarado opened the spot in Los Angeles in 2014 and moved it to Fresno in 2018, building a menu inspired by her mother Elena Maravilla\u2019s seasonal cooking in Guadalajara.<\/p>\n A $444 steak? What\u2019s the most expensive meal at a Fresno-area restaurant? The area\u2019s priciest meal tops $2,135 at The Elderberry House<\/a> in Oakhurst, a total that includes a $1,960 bottle of wine. Sukai at Table Mountain casino offers a $444 A5 Kagoshima Wagyu New York strip steak, with a full meal reaching $772 alongside a $300 pour of whiskey.<\/p>\n See the 5 most expensive homes nestled in Fresno neighborhoods currently for sale<\/p>\n The most expensive home currently for sale in Fresno is listed at $5,295,000<\/a>, a gut-renovated residence reimagined by AD100 designer Billy Cotton along the San Joaquin River. The property last sold for about $1.75 million in 2021, and buyers would need a gross annual income of at least $500,000 to finance most of the city\u2019s top luxury listings.<\/p>\n Chef closes Fresno restaurant after health scare, returning home from hospital Chef Eddie Sixayratransy closed his Fresno restaurant My Guy Market<\/a> to focus on recovery after undergoing heart surgery at UCSF in April. The chef, who introduced Fresno to chopped cheese sandwiches over four years on Belmont and Roosevelt, was readmitted to a Fresno emergency department this week, his current condition unclear.<\/p>\n Restaurant scene is hopping in Fresno: Openings, closures + what\u2019s coming soon<\/p>\n The Fresno-Clovis dining scene saw a wave of openings and closures over the past month<\/a>, with newcomers including EggBred, Tacos El Franc, Bulle and Tengu Ramen & Sushi. Closures hit Araz Bakery, Doll\u2019s Kitchen, two KFCs, Incinerati Brewing Co. and Teazer World Tea Market, while Yosemite Falls Cafe and Tacos El Cabezon reopened.<\/p>\n This Clovis brewery is gaining a reputation for one thing \u2013 and it\u2019s not beer<\/p>\n Crow & Wolf Brewing Co. in Clovis swept the hard seltzer category at the 2026 Brewers Cup of California<\/a>, taking gold, silver and bronze for the second time in three years. The brewery\u2019s top seller is Dark Wolf, a boysenberry and vanilla seltzer designed to taste like sorbet, and it ranked No. 3 nationally in 2024 and 2025.<\/p>\n Coffee roaster opening two new eateries, including at a prominent Fresno corner<\/p>\n Fabiano Coffee Roasters is opening a new Mediterranean cafe<\/a> at Alluvial Avenue and Fresno Street, targeting an end-of-June debut. Owner Hamed Alghazali, a Yemeni immigrant and U.N. policy advisor who bought the business in 2023, also opened Rumi Baklava on May 1 at 2767 W. Shaw Ave., featuring Syrian pastries by chef Anas Hamad.<\/p>\n What\u2019s happening at West Coast Sourdough? Restaurants rebrand in Fresno, Clovis<\/p>\n Franchise owner Raj Singh began rebranding West Coast Sourdough locations as Cali Rays Sourdough Deli<\/a> in March, affecting restaurants in Porterville, Visalia, Fresno and Clovis. Founder Kay Uppal sued his business partners in late February over alleged breach of fiduciary duties and asset diversion, while Singh blamed rising food costs and weakening company support for the rebrand.<\/p>\n NY flavor can\u2019t stop Fresno restaurant closure after 4 months. Road work took toll<\/p>\n Big Apple Platters NYC, a New York-style halal restaurant in Fresno, closed after just four months despite 27 five-star Google reviews<\/a> and a March award as the area\u2019s top fast food restaurant. Owner Shaan Singh blamed street construction on Herndon Avenue that blocked entryways to the 76 gas station hosting the restaurant, prompting delivery services to drop it and eliminating foot traffic.<\/p>\n The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/FRS_BulleOpen_01.JPG\" "\\"FRS_BulleOpen_01.JPG\\"")
The bar at Bulle in northwest Fresno is shrouded with ornate lighting and mirrors while offering unique cocktails. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com <\/p>\n![\"Eddie](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/FRS_Belmontrestaurants_02.JPG\" "\\"FRS_Belmontrestaurants_02.JPG\\"")
Eddie Wutangsy runs the My Guy Market sandwich shop on the west end of Belmont near Palm Avenue. CRAIG KOHLRUSS ckohlruss@fresnobee.com <\/p>\n