The Downtown Auto Care building at Fulton and Inyo streets in Downtown Fresno will make way for “The Garage.” Photo by Estela Anahi Jaramillo

Downtown Fresno’s Brewery District is growing once again with a new development on the way. The pair behind Sun Stereo Warehouse, Jamin Brazil and Reza Assemi, have purchased what was previously Downtown Auto Care.

The developers plan to bring more businesses downtown with renovation that will include five commercial spaces. “The Garage” will be an extension of Sun Stereo Warehouse nearby. Assemi hopes to fill the spaces with retail, restaurants and bars.

On the southeast corner of Fulton and Inyo streets, across the street from the Tioga Sequoia beer garden, Sun Stereo’s “little sister” is around 5000 square feet and will be the first structure people encounter when visiting the Brewery District. Assemi said they plan to submit plans for the project next week.

“I think it’s going to be a good addition with all the momentum happening there on that street,” said Assemi.

Industrial spaces and warehouses being converted to retail space has been a real estate trend for the last decade. In larger cities, where industrial parks began to join the downtown intercity environment, the buildings were abandoned after new industrial warehouses were built outside the city center. Developers saw this opportunity to create a commercial space for consumers.

Famous spaces like the Chelsea Market in NYC were once the site of the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) factory complex where the Oreo cookie was invented and produced. The complex was later redeveloped in the ‘90s and now features a ground-level retail concourse with office spaces above.

Sun Stereo Warehouse was purchased in 2019. The building, estimated to be over 100 years old, has seen renewed life with weekend flower markets, ArtHop and events like FresYes Fest and the Fulton Street Party.

The building has had many lives—from a car dealership to an underwear and polo shirt manufacturer to a commercial space for different businesses. It dates back to 1918, and the name Sun Stereo Warehouse comes from its use as an automotive shop in the 1960s.

Sun Stereo houses a photo studio, flower shop, aerial arts studio, tattoo parlor and candle bar. The top floor is home to office space for Uspark, Parsec Education and Happie Day Studios.

Assemi began his first project downtown in 1999. Projects that he has taken the lead in include The H Street Lofts, the Vagabond Lofts, The Iron Bird Lofts, and Broadway Studios, as well as recent projects.