Circa
45130 Main Street, Mendocino — A blue-and-white Main Street building housing an independent clothing boutique that has served women and men for nearly fifty years.
Last updated: November 9, 2026
Overview
Circa is an independent clothing boutique for women and men in a blue-and-white building on the ocean side of Main Street in Mendocino Village. It is owned and run by Mary Jewett Ricard. Residents also mention the vacation rental upstairs, homemade pie from years past, and a possible appearance on Murder, She Wrote.
According to the earlier website history, a current Visit Mendocino County listing describes Circa as a high-end clothing retailer that has sold men's and women's apparel on Main Street for about 49 years. That would place its start in the 1970s. The shop carries women's clothing and accessories along with men's shirts, graphic clothing, and outerwear.
Location
The shop faces the ocean side of Main Street, near the headlands, inns, and restaurants. The building has blue siding and a steep front gable, with a white-railed balcony across most of the second floor and large display windows on either side of the door.
History
According to the earlier website history, public property information lists the parcel at about 5,050 square feet. When the building was built, what it housed before Circa, and the shop's exact opening year have not been established. One resident says the shop's owner and operator is a sibling, Mary Jewett Ricard. Two residents note that the top floor is a vacation rental, and one calls the upstairs apartment lovely.
Community Memories
One resident calls Circa great for both women and men and says Mary carries the best quality and will help customers shop or place orders. Another calls it a favorite shop in the village and describes Mary as sweet. A visitor stops in on every trip to Mendocino. The visitor's husband loves the Old Guys Rule T-shirts. The same visitor recognized the building from Murder, She Wrote, though whether it appeared in the series has not been established.
One resident shopped there many years ago. Another remembers the best homemade pie being sold there, but whether that was before Circa has not been established.
Why It Matters
Circa is one of the long-running independent shops that keep Mendocino Village a working Main Street. For nearly fifty years it has dressed locals and visitors in a classic village building on the ocean side of the street.
For more local history, photographs, and archived articles, explore the complete Fort Bragg History collection.
See the full archive: www.infortbragg.com
Sources & Original Research
This article blends verifiable historical records with personal recollections shared by longtime Fort Bragg residents. Much of this information comes from community memory and is not available in any published source.
Original Buildings and Businesses on the Mendocino Coast, California — With History posts and photographs, Gee Bee's Adventures.
Earlier InFortBragg.com article, which cited the Visit Mendocino County Circa business listing, local retail directories and customer descriptions, public property information for 45130 Main Street, and Mendocino County Recorder information.
Facebook community recollections from: Maria Gemionite McMillan, Kellee Taresh, April Hawkes, Barbara Chedister Cowan, Charlene Shaw, Blythe Bennett, Rus Jewett, India Gingell, and Terri Maki-Swartz.
