Venerating the Past
With a landmark like The Woolworth’s Building, our raison d’être is to build upon the foundation long since established and shepherd it into a new era.
Woolworth's Renovation
The restoration process lies at the corner of preservation and continuity. From the building’s centerpiece, the Luncheonette, to the rehabilitation of its Late Moderne architectural flourishes, we have managed to bring to light much of what makes The Woolworth’s Building so unique. Throughout the process, we became architectural detectives, uncovering layers of history including unbelievable gems such as the well-preserved terrazzo flooring now on display.
This process has brought us in contact with so many brilliant and insightful minds
Daniel Cater
Architect whose vision for Bakersfield’s future aligns closely with our own.
Wallace & Smith
Local construction firm overseeing the building’s transformation with dedication and care.
Josh Slayton
Project Manager with over 16 years of experience, known for his professionalism and strong leadership on-site.
Phillip LeVassuer
Project Engineer who brings precision, optimism, and technical expertise to every phase of construction.
Dan Aguilar
Project Superintendent with 23 years of hands-on experience and a problem-solving mindset that fosters positivity and high standards.
Purveyor BRanding Co.
Local brand studio with deep roots in Bakersfield, known for bringing big ideas to life through strategy, storytelling, and design.
City of Bakersfield Historic Commission
Local public body that provided additional guidance and community support.
Page & Turnbull
Renowned Bay Area architecture firm that helped us ensure that we meet all criteria necessary for the National Register of Historic Places.
Cecil Brown
African-American writer and educator and a figure present at the 1960 Woolworth sit-ins.
Luncheonette Renovation
Restoring an iconic Woolworth luncheonette was a tall order. It’s part of an unbroken chain of history as the last surviving luncheonette of its kind. Throughout the process, we’ve been met with many unique challenges and have made a number of thrilling discoveries.
It was essential that we preserve and restore as much as possible. While the Bakersfield Woolworth was not the site of the historic Civil Rights-era sit-ins, as the last of its kind, its connection to the larger, national narrative underscores the importance of preserving the building’s legacy.
Original Equipment
We found that the original aluminum and stainless steel equipment was all still in working order and went to great lengths to restore the original hood over the oven, which carried with it over seventy years of use.
Historic Details
Original features of the Luncheonette were painstakingly preserved, including the counter, stools, tile backsplash, and rose-colored mirrors.
Terrazzo Floors
One of the most invigorating discoveries was that of the terrazzo flooring, which remained untouched and hidden beneath late-addition tile work.
Be Part of the Story
Join us in bringing life back to downtown Bakersfield.
National & State Registry
Securing city, state, and national historical registry status means a lot to us, but it was a deeply difficult undertaking. We achieved city historical registry status in early-2022 after working with local officials, but for us to ensure that The Woolworth’s Building achieved state and national status, we had to enlist the help of brilliant minds with years of experience. For that, we turned to Page & Turnbull, a historic architecture firm based in the Bay Area. With their help, we were able to secure state historical registry status in late-2024 as part of a multiyear odyssey of exploration and collaboration which yielded extraordinary results.
