Residents said the storefront felt like an open secret before police closed the business.
GARDEN GROVE, Calif. — A Garden Grove storefront licensed as a coffee shop is now closed after police arrested 17 people in an enforcement action tied to alleged public nudity and other violations, as residents renewed questions about how the business operated for months near a high school.
The case has become a local flashpoint not only because of the allegations inside the business, but also because of its setting. Neighbors and a local news producer said they raised concerns for about a year, pointing to the business’s proximity to La Quinta High School and city rules that restrict adult entertainment near school facilities. The shutdown, which included a city “red tag” posted on the door, has shifted the dispute from rumor and complaint into a formal legal and code-enforcement process.
The business, known as DD’s Cafe, sits along McFadden Avenue in Garden Grove. City records cited in local reporting place it at 10552 McFadden Ave., and another report described it as being in the 10500 block. To many locals, the cafe’s reputation went beyond espresso drinks. Garden Grove resident Anh Nguyen described the talk in the neighborhood in blunt terms, saying people had heard it involved sex work and stripping. The attention widened after a customer posted a social media video describing shock at what she saw after walking in expecting coffee.
“I went to a strip club today by accident,” the woman, Paulina Abena, wrote in a post described by local outlets, adding that she walked in and “everybody’s naked.” The video spread quickly and brought fresh eyes to a place some residents said they had been warning about. The episode also highlighted how social media posts can accelerate scrutiny of a small storefront, especially when claims are easy to understand and hard to ignore.
As the public focus grew, a local television station carried out an undercover visit and described adult-style entertainment inside. The station said hidden cameras captured women described as servers offering lap dances and private dances for cash. The report also said customers were told they could bring alcohol inside for a fee, even though the business was not licensed to sell alcohol. A crew that later visited the storefront said a woman inside told them it was “only a coffee shop,” then asked them to leave. The owner was not available for comment.
Police later announced an enforcement action that resulted in 17 people being arrested. Local reporting differed on the exact timing, with accounts placing the enforcement activity on a Thursday night in early February and describing citations issued the next day. A local report said several people were cited and that some faced misdemeanor nudity allegations. The same reporting said the business itself was ticketed for having alcohol inside without a license. Police have not publicly released names of those arrested or spelled out the suspected roles of each person, such as whether they were workers, customers, managers, or owners.
For residents who said they complained before the raid, the closure brought relief but also new questions about oversight. Mytchell Mora, a former Garden Grove resident and a news producer, said he had contacted the city, a nearby high school, and the school district as he tried to raise alarms about what he believed was happening. “Everyone knows about it, and no one was doing anything about it,” Mora said. He also said he was troubled that the storefront was within walking distance of La Quinta High School and pointed to city rules that bar adult entertainment businesses within 1,000 feet of a school facility.
The location issue matters because city codes often separate adult entertainment from schools, parks, and homes, using distance rules and permit requirements. Even when police investigate suspected criminal conduct, city planning and code offices can play a major role by reviewing licenses, checking land-use compliance, and inspecting buildings for safety. In this case, the shutdown included a “red tag” and a “Do Not Enter” order, steps that indicate the city sees problems beyond the alleged conduct inside. Police said the posted notice cited building violations, including fire hazards and land-use violations.
Those administrative steps can be as decisive as any criminal case. A red tag can keep a business closed until hazards are fixed and inspectors sign off. In some cases, reopening can require permits, building work, and hearings. That means a storefront can stay dark even if prosecutors never file charges, or if charges are reduced later, because the city can still insist the property meets safety and land-use rules before it can operate. Local reporting said a station could not locate contact information for owners while seeking comment, leaving unclear whether the business plans to fight the closure or make changes.
What comes next will depend on decisions made in the days and weeks after the arrests. Investigators can forward reports and evidence to prosecutors, who decide whether to file charges and which counts fit the evidence. Police can also continue fact-finding to determine whether there were licensing violations, illegal alcohol-related activity, or other offenses. City officials can require the business to correct cited hazards and prove it is operating within the limits of its permits. Without public charging documents or a city hearing notice released so far, key details remain unknown, including whether owners or managers will face separate allegations tied to how the business was run.
For now, the storefront remains closed, and the public debate has shifted to accountability: how long neighbors had complained, what officials knew, and how quickly enforcement followed. The next clear milestone is whether prosecutors announce charges and whether the city sets conditions for lifting the red tag and allowing any reopening at the address.
Author note: Last updated February 9, 2026.