Feraud General Merchandise Store facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Feraud General Merchandise Store
|
|
 |
|
 Location in California
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 2 and 12 W. Main St., Ventura, California |
|---|---|
| Built | 1903 |
| Architect | H.A. Giddings |
| NRHP reference No. | 86000109 |
| Added to NRHP | January 23, 1986 |
The Feraud General Merchandise Store, also called the 1903 Building, is a historic place in Ventura, California. It was built way back in 1903. A man named Jules Feraud started a bakery and grocery store here. His family kept the bakery going until 1944.
This brick building is special because it shows what stores looked like around the year 1900. It was built during a time when Ventura was growing fast. This growth happened after the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks reached the city. The Ventura City Council officially named it Historic Landmark Number 35 in 1978. Later, in 1986, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historic sites across the United States.
Contents
What Was Inside the Feraud Building?
The Feraud building was first home to a general store and a bakery. Jules Feraud, who came from France, ran these businesses. He moved to Ventura in 1875 and became a partner in a bakery. Eventually, he owned the bakery all by himself.
By 1890, Jules Feraud had moved his bakery. It also included a grocery store and a place where people could get drinks. In 1903, he built the new, bigger brick building we see today. In this new space, he sold groceries, baked goods, and even animal feed. His sons, Anselmo, Frank, Charles, Ernest, and Anthony, helped him run the store.
Jules Feraud retired in 1927 and passed away in 1929. His son, Frank Feraud, continued to run the store for many years.
Later Uses of the Building
From the mid-1940s until 1970, the building changed. It became a center for cars, offering automotive services.
Today, the main part of the building, at 2 West Main Street, is a bar. Another part, at 12 West Main Street, became a barbershop in the 1940s. A famous barber named Phillip E. Marquez, known as "Phil the Barber," worked there for 63 years. He retired in 2010 at 96 years old and passed away in 2011.
Phil was a local hero. He cut hair for many generations of Ventura families. The Mayor of Ventura even declared June 5, 2011, "Phil Marquez Day." The store at 12 West Main Street now sells soaps and bath items. But it still has photos of Phil, shared by his family, on display. There are also two other entrances to the building on Ventura Avenue.
Historical Area Around the Building
The Feraud General Merchandise Store is located near other historic spots. The Mission San Buenaventura is about two blocks east of the building. This area was once the main business district of Ventura.
Another old building nearby is the Arcade Building. It is just west of the Feraud building. These buildings are just outside the Mission Historic District. That district is on the other side of Ventura Avenue, to the east.
Gallery
-
It's a very long L-shaped building.
-
2 W. Main St. currently operates as a bar.
