Historic Woolworth’s building set to reopen as downtown Bakersfield’s revitalization gem

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — For 75 years, the Woolworth building has stood tall in the heart of Bakersfield. Now, the local landmark and luncheonette is set to make a return.

As revitalization continues in Downtown Bakersfield, this building behind me is set to make its long-awaited re-debut to the public, and how soon are they to reopen their doors?

After receiving the thumbs up, the local favorite and tourist stop, F.W. Woolworth’s building, is now part of the National Registry of Historic Buildings. While under new building ownership, the Moneywise team is determined to preserve one of Bakersfield’s long-standing gems.

“The primary jewel of the building is the old historic lunch counter, or the Woolworths luncheonette,” said Moneywise CEO, Owner of F.W. Woolworth Building, Emily Waite. “It’s the last functioning lunch counter in the country. Very special, very important. It’s a 75-year-old building this year, its 75th anniversary. We don’t have many historic buildings in Bakersfield, so it’s really important that we preserve that.”

With the 1952 Kern County earthquake damaging many local structures, Sherod Waite said people haven’t had a chance to acknowledge historic downtown buildings.

“I think that people will be surprised to hopefully be surprised to see the level of quality that has come back to what the building looked like when it opened in 1950,” said Moneywise CEO, Owner of F.W. Woolworth Building, Sherod Waite. “And bringing back that Art Moderne style that is so uniquely American and tells such a unique story about Bakersfield just before the earthquake in 1952 and hopefully tells the story of the past, but also a unique story of the future, going forward, and what the revitalization of downtown can mean for all of Bakersfield.”

Ward 2 City Councilmember Andrae Gonzales said the initiative is seen as a significant step in downtown revitalization, attracting new investments and businesses. The return of the Woolworths luncheonette counter is anticipated to be a major tourist attraction, enhancing Bakersfield’s historic charm.

“I mean, I think the whole community should applaud their efforts,” said Councilmember Gonzales. “The fact that they chose to take on this project when many, many people would decline to take on this project, and they did so because of their love for this city. If I were mayor, I’d give them a key to the city because of their commitment to our community. They’re making it through this investment, they’re making Bakersfield a much better place.”

Woolworth’s is set to reopen by the end of the summer, the Waites said that they put their heart into this building and that the building will help form the community, and they are excited for people to come out and see when the doors are open.