Out of This World

Some Mendocino buildings have lived more than one life, and this corner has gone from early Chinese commerce to banking to science toys, telescopes, games, and the kind of shop that makes adults act like curious kids again.

Overview

Out of This World occupies the historic former bank building at 45100 Main Street, at the corner of Main and Kasten Streets in Mendocino village.

The store has been serving science-minded shoppers since 1988 and specializes in educational and science-themed toys, games, puzzles, gadgets, science kits, robotics, telescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes and other optics. The company describes itself as the largest binocular and optics retailer in Central and Northern California.

Out of This World did not begin in this particular building, however. Independent reporting on the store says it moved into the former bank at Main and Kasten in 1998.

Location

The building stands at 45100 Main Street on the north side of Main Street at Kasten, overlooking the Mendocino Headlands and Pacific Ocean.

It is one of Mendocino's historically documented commercial buildings. The California Office of Historic Preservation identifies the property as the Bank of Commerce / Bank of America at 45100 Main Street and records a construction date of 1908. The Historic American Buildings Survey also documented the structure under the name Bank of Commerce, preserving photographs of its Main Street front, side and rear elevations.

History

The corner was active long before the present bank building appeared.

Kelley House Museum research identifies a Chinese laundry at Main and Kasten before the Bank of America and Out of This World years. The laundry was operated by Chung Kow, making this corner part of Mendocino's important early Chinese history as well as its later commercial history.

The banking chapter began in the early twentieth century. Historical records identify the building as the Bank of Commerce. California's historic-property inventory gives 1908 as its construction date, while an older Mendocino County coastal inventory describes a Bank of Commerce building from about 1905. The slight difference in dates may reflect the bank's establishment, an earlier location or differing historical records, but the surviving building at 45100 Main Street is firmly documented as an early twentieth-century bank.

The Bank of Commerce initially operated elsewhere on Main Street before establishing itself at this corner. The building later became Bank of America, a use that lasted long enough to become an important part of local memory.

Out of This World itself dates to 1988. Its official website still proudly uses the line "Serving your science needs since 1988," and the business eventually moved into the former bank building in 1998.

The Building Today

The old bank did not surrender all of its secrets when the tellers left. The original steel vault remains inside the building. Out of This World uses the former bank vault for storage, giving customers a direct physical connection with the building's banking years even while they are surrounded by telescopes, science kits and toys.

That move turned out to be an especially good match. The large windows and ocean-facing location make the building useful for a store specializing in optics. Out of This World encourages customers to try binoculars, spotting scopes and telescopes from its Main Street store while looking toward the Pacific coastline and Mendocino Headlands.

The merchandise reaches well beyond optics. The store carries educational toys, chemistry and science kits, puzzles, robotics, crafts, games, books and gadgets — essentially a hands-on curiosity shop for children and adults.

Why It Matters

Today the progression of this corner is remarkable: an early Chinese laundry, the Bank of Commerce, Bank of America, and eventually a store devoted to helping people look through microscopes at the very small and telescopes at the very large.

For a building that spent much of its life guarding money inside a steel vault, Out of This World has given it a very different job — guarding curiosity.

Community Memories

One resident remembers opening a first checking account here at Bank of America around 1968. Another remembers coming to Mendocino on weekends during the early 1980s and using the bank to cash work checks.

Another particularly useful community memory recalls that contractor Don Bruce remodeled the building during the 1980s specifically to give it the appearance of an old-fashioned bank again.

Community replies about the store itself are warm and short. One reply simply calls it a "Great Store," while another says the selection is almost as wonderful as the people who work there.

There was also some discussion in the replies about "Dostel's." Community members ultimately remembered that Dostel's was across the street in the building associated with Gallery Bookshop rather than at 45100 Main Street. That distinction helps keep the histories of these neighboring Main Street commercial buildings from becoming mixed together.

Timeline

Before the bank years - Chung Kow operates a Chinese laundry at Main and Kasten.

c. 1905–1908 - The Bank of Commerce building is established at the corner; California's inventory records 1908 construction.

Mid-twentieth century - The building operates as Bank of America.

c. 1968 - A resident opens a first checking account at the bank.

1980s - Contractor Don Bruce remodels the building to restore an old-fashioned bank appearance.

1988 - Out of This World is founded.

1998 - The store moves into the former bank building at Main and Kasten.

Present - The original steel vault is still used for storage inside the store.

Sources & Original Research: Kelley House Museum research identifying Chung Kow's Chinese laundry at Main and Kasten; California Office of Historic Preservation inventory identifying the Bank of Commerce / Bank of America building at 45100 Main Street and dating it to 1908; Historic American Buildings Survey documentation of the Bank of Commerce; Mendocino County historic-property records; Out of This World's official website and business history; Golden Gate Bird Alliance reporting on the store's 1998 move into the former bank and continued use of the old vault; community replies supplied by Teresa Warmke, Clancey Kennedy, Nancy Fereira, Steven Taylor, Candi Baird, Jay McMartin-Rosenquist, Michael Duffy, Karen Hamilton and Ira Dahm; original post text, photograph and research compilation provided by Gee Bee.