Central Roasters closes Bullard cafe, will focus on North Fresno flagship

Central Roasters, one of Fresno's longest-running independent coffee shops, will close its Bullard Avenue location at the end of the month, founder Erin McMahon confirmed Monday. The Bullard cafe, near West Marks, opened in 2016 and became a go-to for morning commuters heading downtown on Highway 41. McMahon said the lease was up and the landlord proposed a 34% rent increase that "just wasn't going to pencil out." The company's larger flagship on Nees Avenue at Cedar will remain open, and McMahon said she is scouting a second location closer to the Tower District. All eight Bullard employees have been offered positions at Nees. "We're not going anywhere," McMahon said. "This is just us being smart about where we put our energy."