Revitalizing a Landmark and Reinvigorating Our City
What’s in a name? Story. The Woolworth’s Building is something greater. It’s timeless. It’s a vision of our future in conversation with our past. From its design origins in the 1930s to the present day, The Woolworth’s Building stands alone as a Bakersfield landmark of singular importance.
Great Expectations
Industry! Opportunity! A new day dawned for America at the close of the 19th Century and Frank Winfield Woolworth was there to capitalize. Founded in 1879, the F. W. Woolworth Company was the first of its kind, a true five-and-dime located in Utica, New York. This concept was revolutionary –– self-service, fixed prices, no bargaining.
A Rising Tide
By 1911, the F. W. Woolworth Company formed a corporate trust, merging 586 stores across the U.S., Canada, and Europe under a single entity. Woolworth’s vision culminated in the construction of the Woolworth Building, a 60-story Gothic Revival skyscraper, which boasted the title of tallest building in the world at the time of its completion. Their groundbreaking business model and international ambitions symbolized both the company and America’s prosperity and innovative spirit.
As the Great Depression swept across the United States, the F. W. Woolworth Company adapted, maintaining its appeal as a budget-friendly shopping destination. The stores also began to incorporate their now iconic luncheonettes, offering quality meals at low prices, bolstering their position as America’s most popular shopping destination.
The Times They Are A-Changing
America’s post-war economic boom saw the company expand both domestically and internationally with the luncheonettes serving as iconic gathering spaces. But by 1960, with the winds of change in force, a Woolworth’s in Greensboro, North Carolina, became the setting of a definitive moment for the Civil Rights Movement.
The Greensboro Four, a group of young, African American men, undaunted, staged a sit-in at their local Woolworth’s luncheonette to protest segregated lunch counters. It was a spark that lit a fuse which ignited an historic eruption of change throughout the segregated south leading to boycotts that eventually saw the abandonment of segregation policies.
The End of An Era
By the 1970s and 80s, competition emerged in the discount retail space with the rise of Walmart and Kmart. Despite efforts to diversify, the F. W. Woolworth Company was unable to compete, with the company closing its last remaining general merchandise store in 1997.
Although the Woolworth name is no longer synonymous with retail hegemony, Woolworth-branded stores remain in operation in some countries, including Mexico and Germany. The company’s legacy as a retail pioneer, however, endures through its contribution to modern shopping practices and its historical significance.
From National to Local
In 1994, Kern County local Mark Sheffield’s childhood nostalgia led to an unexpected new chapter for his family. Growing up in Taft, Mark had fond memories of visiting five-and-dime stores like Woolworth in Bakersfield. One day, while driving downtown, he noticed that the Woolworth's building was boarded up with a “For Sale” sign adorning its exterior. Driven by curiosity, he arranged to see it, and by the end of the tour, he was captivated. Without a clear plan, he made an offer, closed the deal, and suddenly found himself the owner of a piece of his, and our, past.
Unsure of what to do with the space, Mark and wife Linda considered several ideas before settling on an antique mall. Inspired by Linda’s love for antiques and their shared antiquing excursions, they spent months renovating the long-neglected building. Before long, the Woolworth’s building had been revived, with Jeremy Tremell and his brother taking over operations of the beloved luncheonette, transforming it into a local favorite. The demands of running the antique mall, operating the luncheonette, and tending to the building’s regular maintenance, coupled with the inconveniences of the pandemic, saw both the Sheffields and the Tremell brothers step away.
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The Past is Prologue
In September 2021, longtime Bakersfield residents Emily and Sherod Waite made the bold step to purchase The Woolworth’s Building. During the 90-day escrow period, the antique shop vendors began transitioning out of the building, relocating to various antique stores around town. Many of them found a new home at In Your Wildest Dreams Consignment.
Over the next two years, Emily and Sherod, along with their devoted partners, worked on the design and planning process, collaborating with the National Historic Registry through the guidance of architect Daniel Cater. While these plans were underway, they kept The Woolworth's Building active through a variety of pop-up events. These events included live music performances, performance art shows, art exhibitions, and a series of recording sessions, all which were shared through their Instagram as The Woolworth Sessions. This period of creative programming helped maintain the building’s culture significance and connection to the community as the Waites laid the groundwork for the tastefully revitalized Woolworth’s Building.
Building History & Significance
The Woolworth’s Building in Bakersfield was designed in the late-1930s, just as a number of other locations were being built during a period of intense growth for the F. W. Woolworth Company. Construction, however, would not begin until after World War II. As a byproduct, it retains a stunning Late Moderne aesthetic while benefitting from the structural integrity of post-war architecture. The original Woolworth closed its doors in 1994 as the retail behemoth began its slow descent toward bankruptcy.
In the intervening years, ownership changed hands, but the beloved luncheonette, the last of its kind in the U.S., remained in operation. Now, under new ownership, The Woolworth’s Building stands as a model of what can be –– a revitalized downtown Bakersfield in continuity with the past.
Step Inside History
Learn more about our renovation journey, the Luncheonette, and exciting updates in our community.