The Last One Standing
Chef Richard Yoshimura reopens the Woolworth’s counter with care and conviction — honoring Bakersfield’s history while serving up simple, unforgettable classics.
At the corner of 19th and K in downtown Bakersfield, history smells like sizzling burgers and freshly polished terrazzo. The Woolworth’s Building Luncheonette (closed for years but never forgotten) is reopening under the guidance of chef Richard Yoshimura. It’s not just the last of its kind. It’s the last one standing.
Restoring a mid-century lunch counter might sound like a simple gesture of nostalgia. But for Yoshimura, it’s a full-circle moment — personal, political, and deeply felt.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Yoshimura is the son of a Japanese immigrant mother and a Japanese-American father who was interned as a child at Manzanar during World War II. “My grandparents lost everything,” he says. “But it’s important to acknowledge those tragedies. If we don’t, we can’t move forward.”
That weight of history — the opportunity to be part of something bigger than a menu — drew him back to the Central Valley after years of working in some of Los Angeles’ most respected kitchens. He cooked under Joachim Splichal at Patina, launched Moo Creamery with Jessica Pounds in Bakersfield, and developed a reputation as both a pastry whiz and a chef with heart. But it was the vision of Emily and Sherod Waite, the building’s new owners, that pulled him in for good.
“They weren’t just renovating a space, they were honoring a story.”
The story is layered: the last intact Woolworth’s luncheonette; a site connected to (though not directly involved in) the Civil Rights sit-ins that defined an era; a place where locals once gathered for milkshakes after school and family meals on birthdays. Even owner Sherod Waite has a personal connection — his mother, pregnant with him in the ‘70s, once sat at that very counter.
The restoration effort has been meticulous. Original aluminum equipment was cleaned, repaired, and revived. Rose-colored mirrors and tile backsplashes were left intact. Beneath the layers of modern flooring, workers uncovered pristine terrazzo, a literal foundation of the past waiting to be revealed.
“This isn’t a museum. It’s a living space. The goal is to preserve history without freezing it.”
His menu bridges that gap — classic Woolworth’s staples like burgers, fries, and sundaes, reimagined with care. “The burgers have to be simple, but simply good,” he notes. “Like biting into a memory.”
Yoshimura sees the Luncheonette as more than a restaurant, he sees it as a social engine. A gathering space. A reflection of Bakersfield’s past and its potential. “This building represents family, community, and belonging,” he points out. “That’s what I’m here to serve.”
Soon, guests will once again slide onto those familiar stools, order a burger, and feel — if only for a moment — that they’re part of something bigger. Because they are. The last Luncheonette is open again. And it’s just getting started.
