Racine’s

Overview

Racine’s — archival photograph, Fort Bragg, California

Racine’s was part of downtown Fort Bragg life for generations.

The store became known for an unusual mix of merchandise: art and office supplies, stationery, paint, toys, sporting goods, model airplanes, HO trains, bicycles, baseball gloves, archery equipment, BB guns, gifts and countless practical things people needed for school, work and home.

For children, it was especially hard to resist. Many remember spending their allowances there, looking through toys and models, or dreaming about a bicycle they hoped would someday be theirs.

Adults remember Racine’s just as strongly as the place that seemed to have the exact pen, paper, art supply or office item they needed.

Location

Racine’s was located at 344 N. Franklin Street in downtown Fort Bragg.

The history of the Racine storefronts is somewhat complicated. Longtime residents do not all remember the earlier locations and neighboring businesses the same way.

Some remember an earlier Racine’s south of the alley occupying two storefronts. Others remember Sprouse-Reitz nearby or in space later associated with Racine’s.

Those different memories may reflect years of businesses moving, storefronts changing, adjoining spaces being combined and rebuilding after a major fire.

History

The Racine name became closely associated with downtown Fort Bragg through generations of local shopping.

The store combined several kinds of businesses under one roof. Art supplies, office supplies, toys, sporting goods, bicycles, model trains, gifts and everyday necessities all shared the same space.

Everett Racine is especially remembered in connection with the sporting-goods side of the business, including bicycles and archery equipment. Residents also remember his Volkswagen van parked near the little alley beside the store.

A major fire became an important dividing point in the building’s history.

Residents recall the building being badly damaged or destroyed and later rebuilt. Some remember the rebuilt store as wider than the earlier structure, suggesting adjoining storefront space may have been incorporated during reconstruction.

Wooden flooring remained part of the store afterward, helping preserve some of the familiar Racine’s sound and feeling people remembered.

The exact sequence of earlier storefronts still needs additional documentation to completely untangle.

Community Memories

For many residents, the building itself is as memorable as the merchandise.

People remember the creaking wooden floors, the smell of paper, paint and old wood, merchandise seemingly everywhere, and an upper storage area that could be seen but was off limits to customers.

Children spent allowances on toys and models or dreamed about bicycles. Families bought sporting goods. Artists came for paper and paint, and local offices relied on Racine’s for everyday supplies.

Even when memories differ about the exact arrangement of the earlier storefronts, the recollections of Racine’s itself are remarkably similar.

It was one of those stores where people often stayed longer than they intended simply because there was always something else to look at.

Why It Matters

Racine’s mattered because it was more than a store selling merchandise. It was one of those downtown businesses woven into ordinary Fort Bragg life.

A child could buy a toy or model airplane there. A student could find school supplies. An artist could pick up paper and paint. A business owner could buy office supplies, while someone else might leave with a bicycle, baseball glove or fishing and sporting equipment.

That wide mix made Racine’s useful to nearly everyone.

The creaking floors, crowded shelves and seemingly endless assortment of things also gave the store a personality people still remember decades later.

Stores like Racine’s helped make downtown Fort Bragg a place where people did not just shop. They browsed, talked, discovered things and built memories.

That is why Racine’s remains such a strong part of local memory even after the business itself disappeared.