Although the winter snow damage to Jensen’s roof was not apparent from the outside, the Blue Jay store was closed for a few weeks after portions of the roof were found to be unsafe. One damaged area was the stockroom in the back of the store, and they were able to work around the temporary loss of that area, but the other one was in the front of the building, causing the store to be closed for several weeks. The damaged section was temporarily shored up and re-configured to allow the store to be opened with a portion of the produce and floral section bypassed.
Store manager Eric Lee and owner Matt Zack felt a sense of urgency to reopen as soon as possible after the damage caused by Snowmageddon had been diagnosed, especially because the roof of Goodwin’s in Crestline had collapsed and necessitated its closure. The reconstruction of Goodwin’s is making progress and aims to make the building better than before, but it is still nowhere near ready for restocking shelves and providing groceries for the local population.
Eric lives in Highland—so near and yet so far when Highway 18 was closed. He convinced the CHP officers monitoring the traffic at the bottom of Highway 18 to let him proceed as the provider of an essential service to the mountain community. He was needed “to feed the neighbors,” he insisted. The first of the crippling winter snowfall started on February 22, and Eric was able to get back up the mountain on Thursday March 1. Eric estimates that the store was able to reopen around March 27, shored up and functional. People came on snowshoes with backpacks to fill, pulling sleds to transport groceries, or whatever they could manage. The repairs were done by Logan Construction. Eric said store owner Matt Zack knew all the right people to call from the county permit issuers to the construction work providers. The store was finally able to re-open the part that had been under repair since winter on October 26.
As every homeowner knows, one repair usually leads to another. Now Jensen’s is gradually upgrading the checkout stands after repairing a severed electrical line. Gavin Brabeck, Floral Manager, is delighted to again have some elbow room for floral arrangement and display. The produce department has been able to spread out again into its previous space. More remodeling is in the works, and the in-store Starbucks (whose sign on the outside of the building Eric refers to as “The Big Green Stop Sign”) is due for a remodel soon as well.
Fortunately Jensen’s is now fully open and ready in time to provide its customary holiday offerings in food, floral design, gift baskets, and prepared meals to make holiday entertaining easier. A special two-week Thanksgiving ad will showcase holiday items, including a special Thanksgiving breakfast menu. With just one delivery truck, Jensen’s provides delivery for a $15 fee as far away as Green Valley.
