The winter storms that have battered the San Bernardino Mountains have done serious damage to Crestline’s only grocery store, Goodwin and Sons Market.
The grocery store’s roof collapsed under the weight of snow on Wednesday, March 1.
On Feb. 28, Riverside-based Goodwin and Sons braved the storm and pulled a semi-truck up Highway 138 using a work truck and tractor to restock the grocery store, according to Kaleb Goodwin.
“The community was extremely appreciative and thrilled to be re-stocked on essential groceries,” Goodwin wrote in an email.
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But a week later, the winter weather decisively closed the store.
During early morning hours, the roof of the 43,000-square-foot store “began to cave in the back storage room,” Goodwin wrote. “After careful consideration, we made the difficult decision to call Building & Safety and close our doors to the public, not allowing anyone into the store.”
This screen grab from video shows the entire roof collapsed at Goodwin’s market in Crestline on Thursday, March 2, 2023. (Courtesy of ABC7 Los Angeles)
Kaleb Goodwin’s uncle, David Goodwin, was still in the store as it closed, attempting to grab items for customers before leaving, when he heard loud noises and escaped seconds before the entire roof collapsed, escaping with what Kaleb Goodwin said were only minor injuries.
“We are extremely thankful to God that no one was hurt in the unprecedented catastrophe. The fact that this could happen to our family-owned business during this snowstorm is beyond belief.”
The company opened its first store in Crestline in 1946.
“After 39 years of hard work and saving, my grandfather, George Goodwin, purchased the lakefront land where the store was built,” Kaleb Goodman wrote. “My father, Martin Goodwin, designed and built the store in 1985. My uncle, David Goodwin, and cousin, Mike Johnstone, have been faithfully operating the store for the past 38. It was a dream come true for our family and became the cornerstone of our family business.”
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The store is the only supermarket serving the roughly 10,000 residents of Crestline and the surrounding communities in the Valley of Enchantment area.
The company has other stores in Riverside, Redlands and Chilcoot in Plumas County, but “the loss of our flagship store has left a gaping hole in our community,” Kaleb Goodwin wrote.
“We are exploring all possible options to repair the building, but it appears that the insurance policy will not be enough to cover the significant damage. We are even considering opening a pop-up store temporarily to ensure that there isn’t a lack of groceries for the population,” he wrote. “Our family is committed to serving our community, and we hope to rebuild and reopen our store as soon as possible.”
The company hopes to retain the nearly 200 employees of the Crestline store as they rebuild, he wrote.