MADERA – As reported on the Big Valley News Facebook page last July, Dunkin' Donuts is coming to the Madera Walmart location on Cleveland Avenue.  While an official date for the stores opening has not been announced, our sources within the store tells us the restaurant should open sometime in March.

The national donut-and-coffee shop will occupy the former McDonald’s space in the store. McDonald’s did not renew their lease with Walmart making this space available. The former McDonalds has been closed off to the public since June of 2017.

Currently renovations are underway behind large white walls but in  a few months the second Central Valley Dunkin Donuts will be serving their tasty treats. The first Dunkin Donuts in the valley opened at the Hanford Mall in March of last year. Further north, Modesto got a Dunkin’ Donuts in 2014.

Franchisee Aharon Aminpour plans to develop 17 restaurants in Fresno and the surrounding cities including Madera Clovis, Visalia and Tulare. Aminpour currently owns and operates two Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant in Encino and Hanford. Last November Aminpour’s Madison Food Management signed a development agreement for 10 new restaurants in the San Fernando Valley.

Known for its coffee as much as its donuts, Dunkin’ Donuts has 8,500 restaurants in 41 states. Dunkin’ Donuts announced in 2015 that it planned to open as many as 26 new locations in Fresno and San Francisco over the next few years.