Downtown Merced

  Plant lovers rejoice! Your local plant expert and supplier is the latest artist to join the group of creative artists at Cien Ojos Studio.  Cultivate Merced will officially open its space to locals on Saturday, May 3, with a grand opening planned inside the studio featuring live music, coffee, flowers, and, of course, plants from 11…

The Downtown Merced Property Owners Association announced this week the appointment of Gloria Valdovinos as the group’s first official Executive…

Elected leaders, city officials, contractors, shop owners and curious residents all gathered for a celebration in Downtown Merced on Tuesday to mark…

Nostalgia, creativity, and imagination are the fuel that has kept Luna Luna 209’s magic alive and thriving for the past year.  Nestled on Canal Street in downtown Merced — the same building that once housed the Kreepy Kawaii gallery and Abracadabra store  — this whimsical and lively downtown shop is a beautiful dream come to life—…

Merced Mayor Matthew Serratto and other city officials have been saying the same thing for some time: 2025 is going to be a really big year for the…

When you think of holiday parades, the first thing that will likely come to mind is Christmas, followed by Thanksgiving. However, for many…

In recent weeks, the Times has received several inquiries about the historic and landmark Branding Iron restaurant on 16th Street in downtown Merced. The doors of the restaurant — the oldest and arguably the most famous fine-dining venue in town — have been closed for the past month. Times reader Susan Boykin wrote: “Your paper…

More than 400 residents flooded Bob Hart Square in downtown Merced on Saturday for MERCO's Pizza and Pints event. The special night brought…

This year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade was on time and perfect. Unlike last year’s delay due to heavy rains, the 2024 celebration lived…

Rainbird, located in the heart of downtown Merced in El Capitan Hotel, debuts expanded hours and refreshed menus by newly appointed Executive Chef Evan Morrison on Friday, Jan. 19. The dining destination, which originally opened its doors in February 2022, is transitioning from prix-fixe tasting menus for dinner and brunch to daily…