Genesis and Brent Wilson (center in the black coats) are joined by their Trayla Properties team in Kerman for the groundbreaking of the shopping center in November 2023. Photo by RPM PR

Kerman is one of the region’s fastest growing cities, and that reputation holds true with a new retail development from the team behind Fresno’s Dutch Bros stores.

A groundbreaking for the 6,742-square-foot Kerman Marketplace was held Tuesday. It’s being developed by Trayla Properties, a commercial development company owned and operated by Brent and Genesis Wilson, franchisees of the Dutch Bros Coffee Fresno locations.

Christensen Construction Inc. of Clovis will complete construction next year.

The center will feature Kerman’s first Dutch Bros and a new T-Mobile retail store. There are three additional spaces available for lease. 

Trayla Properties has experience with development, building some of the Dutch Bros Coffee Fresno locations from the ground up. But this will be the first full retail center.

“We saw the opportunity to bring more than just us to the community. We know the community wants more, and we want to help bring more, so we thought what a better way to put our stamp on the map with the new retail center that’s going to have some fun tenants,” said Brent Wilson. 

Dutch Bros Coffee launched in Fresno in 2006 and has expanded to 11 Fresno/Clovis locations under the Wilsons’ franchise, as well as Madera and Sanger. Since the first Dutch Bros opened, lines of cars have continued to swarm each site for new drinks and monthly sticker drops. 

The idea of developing a full retail center arrived a couple of years ago, with intentions toward meeting the retail needs of smaller communities. They looked at Sanger as well, but ultimately went with Kerman.

The biggest obstacle Trayla Properties encountered on the project was navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. As everything came to a halt, Kerman city offices shut down. Brent said the City of Kerman did a good job trying to reach out and help when offices were closed.  

“It was just a long process. And it was a new process. We’re learning along the way, and we have a lot of great people on our team,” he said. 

Genesis Wilson said Kerman Marketplace  will bring jobs to the community. The Dutch Bros Coffee location alone will hire an additional 40 employees, and later on, there will be employees for T-Mobile and other tenants. 

“Kerman is a place where we see a lot of commuters, a lot of people that live here but commute to Fresno, especially with our younger generation. So I’m really excited to see these types of places coming into Kerman that open up opportunities for our youth to work,” said Maria Pacheco, mayor of Kerman. 

The Kerman Marketplace is set to be completed and open for business in the summer of 2024. Trayla Properties is actively seeking retailers to fill the three remaining spaces in the center.