KERNVILLE, Calif. (KERO) — A new store is taking up space that has a long history.
- The Westerner is a new store in Kernville that opened up this year. The mercantile takes its name from an old western wear clothing store.
- On Saturday November 16 there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony held outside the store at 10 AM.
- To learn more, you can head to their website here.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“The Westerner sign that you see here was actually on a building a couple of doors down from us, The Westerner was an old western wear store,” said Rod Cervera.
Husband and wife duo Rod and Carol Cervera bought The Westerner sign from the owner of the building that used to be home to the westerner clothing store. The owner was initally hesistant.
“He thought that maybe we would buy the sign and sell it but I said no no, we want to buy the sign and use it.”
The sign has now found new life above their newly opened retail store -
“Everything that is in here I really enjoy and love so I’m just happy to share it with people,” Caroal Cervera told me.
The store itself emphasizes local goods -
“We can start with the jewelry, this is actually a local artist: Rose and Shine. She lives in Bodfish.”
Cervera said they wanted the store to fit into Kernville’s Western aesthetic, while also providing something unique –
“I found that there was kind of a lack of menswear and men's clothing in Kernville.”
Cervera says he believes the building was built in 1953 and was one of the first in Kernville after it moved due to the creation of the dam.
“What we were really surprised to find is that there was almost no change to the building in its seventy-five year existence.”
It’s a Quonset hut, a type of building developed by the U.S during the first world war as a cheap and quick way to erect a building.
“It doesn’t really have insulation, it’s an all-steel structure.
Cervera told me it has primarily been used for industrial purposes. They re-did the facade, put up some walls, tore other walls down.
“We wanted to make the inside a little more beautified while keeping some of the architectural interest of the Quonset hut itself.”
They said they hope to one day expand the space to utilize the back.
Currently, a large part of the building is still warehouse-like with a steel exterior. They hope to find a use for it.
“Something like an art gallery or social space in the back.”
And you may recognize their logo as well, painted by local Jerry Moffat and inspired by a sign that used to be in the interior of the old Westerner store – that sign now lives in the history museum down the road.
“So it carries on that tradition of Kernville signage and Kernville history"
And this Saturday there’s a ribbon-cutting and celebration 10 am.
“We’re just really glad to have had to have had the opportunity to sort of bring this building back to life and be part of the community.”
TAG: THE RIBBON CUTTING WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 16TH HERE AT 10 AM
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