Keith's Market

Last summer, I completed a small market in a remote corner of California.  The market is called Keith’s Market and it is located in the small town of Covelo.  This picture was taken about a week prior to the grand opening last Summer.

Before you get your maps, let me explain where Covelo is located.  It is about 13 miles north and 30 miles East of Willits.  Willits is located about 20 miles North of Ukiah on Highway 101.  OK, now would be a good time to get your map.  Basically it is about 160 miles north of San Francisco, as the crow flies, as they say.

My client was a wonderful man, named Brian Hurt.  I really enjoyed working for him.  He knew what he wanted, was ready to move forward, hard working, and was very honest.  My kind of guy.

It was a very interesting project because of its remoteness.  Covelo is located in a large beautiful valley called Round Valley.  Brian’s family had been there for over 100 years.  Brian’s main occupation was forest product support, but he also owns the only grocery store in town.

Since the town was so small, Brian had me include a plaza area next to the building and right on the street.  This plaza made his building the center place of the town.  Any parade, or other outdoor gathering will take place on his plaza. 

This photo is looking South, out of town.

In an effort to conserve, I reused the existing store, which was a pre-fabricated metal building, as the backroom and prep areas.  This also allowed easier construction, in that the existing building was able to remain open while the new store was built.  When the new building opened to the public, the old store was cleaned out and the backroom organized. 

These are photos of the interior and the ribbon cutting, which was held a few days before the official grand opening.

Project: Keith’s Meat Market, Inc., Covelo, California

Structural Engineer: Whitchurch Engineering, Fortuna, California

Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical Engineering: Sacramento Engineering Consultants, Sacramento, California

Contractor: Danco Builders, Arcata, California

I was referred to Brian by the Owner of another market I had completed several years earlier.  Mr. Michael Braught hired me to do his store, in Laytonville, California, which is on Highway 101, about 30 miles North of Willits.  Michael was also a wonderful client, just like Brian.  A photo of his store is above.  Thank you both for allowing me to do these projects.

Now one final comment.  When I first started Brian’s project, he took me aside and said, “Now Jerry, when you come here, don’t take any side trips.”  “Don’t have a flat tire and don’t stop along the way.”  I asked why and he said, “this is part of the Golden Triangle and there are “Marijuana Grows” (this is what they call the secret places where marijuana is grown) in these hills and some people don’t like outsiders snooping around.”  Luckily, I never had a flat or a break down on my trips to Covelo.