Walk with Weber

Posted on February 17, 2019 by digitalgear

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By Andrew Rocha

Begin the Walking Tour

Downtown Stockton has a rich and interesting past. However, many who work, live, and play in the downtown area are unaware of the history behind Downtown buildings they walk past every day. Fortunately, that history is being preserved for any who wish to learn it with a self-guided walking audio tour, Walk With Weber, scheduled to launch on the DSA website Feb. 17th – Captain Weber’s 205th birthday!

About the Tour

Narrated by retired DSA Ambassador and historian, Manuel Laguna, Walk With Weber will provide users with the historical background of Downtown Stockton’s oldest buildings, including the B&M Building, St. Mary’s Church, the Bob Hope (Fox) California Theatre, and many more. There will be audio clips for over 20 buildings in Downtown Stockton, accompanied with historical photos dating back to the mid-1800s!

Tour Narrator: Manuel Laguna

Certified Tourism Ambassador and former DSA Ambassador, Manuel Laguna, has given historical walking tours of Downtown Stockton for over 11 years. During his time at the DSA, Manuel was devoted to researching downtown’s past in order to preserve the area’s history for the future.

After his retirement, the DSA was determined to develop a way to continue sharing his great work with new generations; the Walk With Weber tour was conceived as the vehicle for commemorating Manuel’s tremendous love for and knowledge of the downtown area.

When approached with the walking audio tour concept last fall, Manuel eagerly agreed to voice the tour, and easily compiled the list of historical buildings along with their accompanying narratives.

All Hands on Deck

The entire DSA team has been working to ensure that this unique project becomes an informative and entertaining resource people will enjoy using for research or simply for satisfying their own curiosity. Courtney Wood, DSA’s Economic Development Coordinator, has been responsible for most of the project’s planning and execution, while Marketing Director Alex McBride and CEO Michael Huber have contributed significantly to design and project promotion, respectively.

Whether you are a first-time visitor or a Stockton native, if you have any interest in history or architecture, check out Walk With Weber to learn something new about Downtown Stockton’s buildings. It’s fascinating to discover how much the area has changed over the years, but also intriguing to see how much it has stayed the same. As time goes on and people come and go, many of Downtown Stockton’s historic buildings still stand. They serve as a reminder that no matter what happens, the city will continue to stand proud.

How to Listen

On your smartphone, open your browser.
Type in www.downtownstockton.org/walking tour
Click the audio clips and start walking!

Market Street

Posted on December 2, 2018 by digitalgear

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By Andrew Rocha

Downtown Stockton is rich with history and culture. You can get a glimpse into Stockton’s past and get a good sense of Stockton culture by visiting a few of the small shops on Market Street, including Frank’s Shoe Shine, Hi-Grade Cleaners, and AirRaid Airbrush. They are very different businesses, but each is a reflection of downtown Stockton and it’s past.

Hi-Grade Cleaners

Hi-Grade Cleaners is located at 47 South San Joaquin Street, on the corner of San Joaquin and Market Street, and it has been around for a long time. The current owner, Kevin Jang, has been running Hi-Grade Cleaners for 16 years, and the previous two owners ran the cleaners for a total of 25 years before him. For over 40 years, Hi-Grade Cleaners has been in business on Market Street providing their services to Stockton residents and employees in the area who need their clothes and uniforms clean and looking their best. They are doing some great and valued work to be in business for so long. Owner Kevin Jang believes that he and Hi-Grade Cleaners will be around for a lot longer. Already, he is investing in new machines and a new boiler to serve his customers, new and old.

Frank’s Shoe Shine

If you are looking for a place where you can really feel and experience the power of downtown’s history while also getting your shoes shined, Frank’s Shoe Shine is perfect. You can find Frank’s Shoe Shine at 231 East Market Street and when you walk in you are just bombarded with history. All over the walls are posters, photographs, and newspaper headlines of everything from famous athletes to popular politicians and activists, all collected by Frank himself. Frank is over 90 years old, and he has been shining shoes since he was in high school. “I didn’t just pick up shoe shining. Shoe shining is an art. When someone walks in that door, you got to know how to shine the man’s shoes.” shared Frank, “If he walk in here with light shoes, you going to put black polish? No. If he walks in here with light tan or dark tan, you got to know this.” Frank is a man who knows what he is doing and is passionate about his work just as much as he is about downtown Stockton. If you are looking to get your shoes shined and for an old school experience, stop by Frank’s Shoe Shine

AirRaid Airbrush

Downtown Stockton is home to many artists, and one of those artists owns and operates his own business right on Market Street. Orlando Lopez is the owner of AirRaid Airbrush located at 233 East Market Street and has been in business for ten years. On how he got into the art of airbrushing, Lopez said, “Always interested in art and given an airbrush, I bought airbrush magazines that had practice drills and I bought sheets from thrift stores and hung them and practiced on them. It takes about a year before you are just okay with an airbrush because there is so much to learn.” From shoes and Christmas stockings, to car parts and Halloween pumpkins, Lopez at AirRaid Airbrush will make something fantastic as long as the paint is able to stick. You can get a glimpse of his work this weekend. Orlando Lopez will be painting shoes on location at Dillards Department Store at Weberstown Mall this Sunday, Dec. 2nd from 5-9pm. You can learn more about AirRaid Airbrush by following them on Facebook.

From dry cleaning to shoe shining to airbrushing, Market Street is overflowing with talent, history, and culture. It deserves more support and recognition from the community. It is definitely a place that should come to mind during times when one needs some clothes dry cleaned, some shoes shines, or a t-shirt that needs a new airbrushed design.

Pioneers of Downtown Stockton

Posted on November 9, 2018 by digitalgear

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By Andrew Rocha

Downtown Stockton has been experiencing a period of resurgence. Businesses are opening and happily accepted by the community! In addition, many people are showing interest in living in downtown. It is an exciting time to be downtown!

But a lot of what is happening downtown would not be possible if not for the time and effort from several figures in the community. Not only have they shown enough interest in the district to use their resources in fostering the downtown area, but their passion for the area is sparking interest and attracting more people to visit downtown Stockton. Growth and new life in downtown would not be possible without their efforts!

Bali Ranchhod

Bali Ranchhod and the S&M Ranchhod Family Trust own several properties in downtown Stockton including, 820/840 East Main Street, 526/530 East Main Street, and 47 North Grant Street. To help support growth and life in the area, Ranchhod explained that,

“We encourage new businesses into our properties in downtown by offering low rents and assisting with establishment as possible…We have recently become involved with the Downtown Stockton Business Watch and their efforts to improve security. Just having tenants in formerly vacant properties and generating some traffic flow is helping keep downtown active and help with its new growth.”

Bali Ranchhod’s father, Shamjibhai Ranchhod, came to Stockton in the early 70’s for a better life than what was available in their home of Zambia. Though it was a struggle, Shamjibhai Ranchhod worked hard for his family and the downtown community. Bali Ranchhod shared,

“He would take over any distressed property and try to make it work. He would get sellers to carry a note with a small amount down and worked hard to keep up with payments, manage tenants and do the necessary maintenance (mostly himself and getting help from the cheapest contractors available). He was a good negotiator and a lot of folk did jobs for him simply because of his persistence and character.”

Cort Companies

Cort Companies is a full-service commercial real estate and development company. They renovate and restore buildings that are integral to the history of downtown Stockton. Cort Companies has been serving the community for 40 years. In that time, around two million square feet of space have been restored. Dan Cort, the president and CEO of Cort Companies expressed that he believes more people will be drawn to the district because of Cort Companies’ hard work and the businesses that have chosen to work with them. It is a community effort that is helping downtown Stockton grow.

Mahala Burns, the senior broker of Cort Companies, mentioned some of the projects that Cort Companies is working on. One of their main goals is to bring new residents to the downtown area. These projects to draw new residents include Tretheway Live+Work Lofts at the historic Tretheway building, a space for those who want an area where they can comfortably live AND practice their business. According to Mahala Burns, more and more people are showing interest in downtown Stockton and overtime life will be thriving like it never has before.

Melvin Corren

A 94-year old Stockton native, Melvin Corren, leads a class titled “Revitalization of Downtown Stockton” in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of the Pacific. In this class, Melvin Corren and various people from the city government and local organizations suggest ways in which downtown Stockton can return to its former glory.

“My drive for doing all of this has been number one, because I remember when downtown Stockton was such a vibrant place and I would like to see it return to that state.” said Corren.

In 1901, Melvin Corren’s grandfather opened a furniture store on San Joaquin Street in Downtown Stockton. He remembers those old and wonderful times downtown. He also shared some ideas that would benefit the area while paying respect to the area’s rich history. One idea is to compliment the iconic Bob Hope Theater with a Bob Hope Plaza or museum to celebrate the life and work of Bob Hope, perhaps including a film of Alex Spanos dancing with Bob Hope. Such a project would not only give people an incentive to visit and live in downtown Stockton, but also a reason to care and cherish the area.

Downtown Stockton is an area that is on the rise. Members of the community can help support the new life and growth in the area by simply supporting the businesses that are located there and spend time enjoying the atmosphere of downtown’s city life.

Written by Andrew James Rocha

Regal Office Spaces at Cort Tower

Posted on May 6, 2018 by digitalgear

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By Courtney Wood, Economic Development Coordinator

The historic Cort Tower at 343 Main Street is one of the most recognized landmarks in Downtown Stockton. This statuesque building was originally constructed in 1915 and housed the Commercial & Savings Bank. To this day, if visitors look left upon entering the building, they will catch a glimpse of the palatial marble staircase leading down to the former bank’s vaults.

As the second skyscraper ever built in Stockton, Cort Tower is akin to a dependable, well-uniformed downtown sentinel. From its highest floors, tenants and visitors can take in eye-popping views of Stockton’s historic district from every direction.

Although the brick building suffered a fire in 1923, it was subsequently rebuilt to double the size of the original structure. This is why the tower seems narrow when viewed from Main Street, but elongated when viewed from Sutter Street.

From the intricately designed entryway to the high-ceiling ground floor lobby, the leather-seated conference room, and the antique mail chute, this edifice projects quiet elegance and stately professionalism. Throughout its ten floors, Cort Tower harbors abundant office spaces of varying sizes. The Write Place, Third City Coalition, and Cort Companies are just a few notable existing tenants. The building also harbors a substantial number of legal professionals. Perks of being a tenant include access to the shared exercise room, conference room, secure codes required for visitor entry, and a smartphone app which allows you to view visitors. View a video of the Tower here.

At the time of this blog entry, there were 13 offices for lease available at a competitive lease rate of $11.40 per square foot PER YEAR. If you are seeking a space which will radiate competence and assurance to your clients or customers, Cort Tower may be the ideal office location for you! For more information, contact Mahala Burns at 209-235-5321 or visit the Cort Companies website.

Own a Small Piece of Downtown

Posted on March 26, 2018 by digitalgear

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By Courtney Wood

With a brick exterior, quaint wallpaper, antique-style lighting fixtures, and ornate ceilings, the Budd Building is an opportunity for commercial landlords looking to invest in a unique, office space in the historic Downtown Stockton on the 3rd floor at 333 East Channel Street.

Historical Tidbit

The original Budd Building was the home of California’s 19th Governor and Stockton resident, James Budd, born in 1851. He immigrated to California with his family when he was 7 years old, and attended schools in the Stockton area.

Later on, Budd studied law at UC Berkeley, gained admission to the California Bar in 1874, and became a member of the House of Representatives, where he “balanced the budget and cut spending, despite working with a hostile legislature,” according to our Resident Historian Ambassador, Manuel Laguna (Click here for info about Manuel’s free historical tours).

Budd was elected as governor in 1895, and served only one term before returning to Stockton, where he died in 1908. In the Stockton community, “Budd was instrumental in the dredging of the Stockton Channel, which aided shipping to the Port of Stockton.” After Budd’s death, his daughter began using the former home as a boarding house. The charming 3-story brick frontage addition was completed in the early 1900s, and has been used as commercial office space for decades.

Investment Opportunity

While its architecture and interior design bring to mind the golden days of Stockton’s past, this office building is fully equipped with all expected modern amenities including an elevator. The bottom two condominiums are currently owned and occupied by the law offices of Rafael Carrillo, but the 3rd floor is for sale at a modest price of $275,000 for the entire 3,000 square feet!

Located across from Channel Street Parking garage, a block from the Downtown Transit Center, only a few blocks from the new San Joaquin County Courthouse, and in proximity to the upcoming Medici Apartments, this upper floor office suite is ideal for leasing to a professional services-type tenant, be it a lawyer, accountant, insurance agent, property manager, business consultant, or a bail bond salesman.

For more information about the property check out the DSA’s listing and click here to watch a video, or contact the real estate agent, Andrew Hernandez, directly at 209-765-8568.

For other Downtown spaces for lease or sale, visit DSA’s Real Estate Directory and follow DSA’s #PropertyMondays on Facebook and Twitter.

Historic Downtown Tours

Posted on March 23, 2018 by digitalgear

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By Manuel Laguna, DSA Resident Historian Ambassador, CTA

Since 2006 I have presented the history of Downtown Stockton through various tours I gave to visitors from senior groups, schools, and even Stockton Sister Cities. We have had groups from throughout California, from the Bay Area to Southern California visitors. In general, they have always seemed to have a positive attitude towards Stockton which they saw as a beautiful city with its many waterways and interesting historic buildings. I have never had a tour where at least one person wouldn’t say, “I didn’t know that!”

In October of 2016, I partnered with Kelly Howard for the very first Ghost Tour of Downtown Stockton. A total of 65 people joined us to explore the Hotel Stockton, B & M Building, and finally the Bob Hope Theater. The tour was well received by everyone, except one young lady who became so frightened, she had to leave early. We are looking forward to organizing a ghost tour again in 2018. Call me at 209-888-8636 to be added to the downtown tours contact list.

Every October I am joined by dozens of third grade students from the Stockton Collegiate Schools as we visit the Bob Hope Theater and the San Joaquin County Administration Building. Other local schools bring their students to downtown too. At the end of 2017, we had over 200 students from Kohl Open School join me for a series of brief public art tours! We looked at various street murals as well as one of the Music To Our Ears community pianos affectionately called “Jules” as it reminds people of a time machine from a Jules Verne’s novel. Our tours ended at the Mexican Heritage Center where the students viewed ofrendas, or altars, made for the Dia De Los Muertos celebration.

The Bob Hope Theater was clearly the most requested place to visit last year. Certainly, one of the most fun tours was with former Stocktonian Karl Scott and his photographers. Karl came here to write an article on his memories growing up in Stockton and going to the movies. He even recreated a promo done in the past at the Bob Hope for a Vincent Price movie! During the movie projection, a skeleton was lowered over the side of the balcony to scare theater goers. Karl said that teenagers would throw popcorn at the plastic skeleton as the audience laughed. As we took pictures during the tour, one of Karl’s photographers lowered a skeleton off the balcony.

I also fondly remember the group from Stockton Institute for Continued Learning who came to the DSA office for a talk and tour last year. I dressed in a costume as a fictional Charles Weber employee and after the talk I took over 30 participants on a tour of the B & M Building, Hotel Stockton, and Bob Hope Theater. Later that month, I led “A Walk Through Time” tour of the Stockton Rural Cemetery where I told the stories of the many colorful characters buried there, both heroic and tragic figures of Stockton’s past.

I have several new ideas for history events and tours in 2018. I’m happy to notice that there is a growing interest in local history and historic places in our community. If you want to stay in touch for the upcoming tours, contact me at 209-888-8636 or email.

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About the Tour

Tour Narrator: Manuel Laguna

All Hands on Deck

How to Listen

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Hi-Grade Cleaners <img decoding="async" class=" wp-image-14971 alignright" src="https://www.downtownstockton.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/image3-1.jpeg" alt="" width="230" height="345">

Frank’s Shoe Shine

<img decoding="async" class=" wp-image-14973 alignleft" src="https://www.downtownstockton.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/airbrush-2.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="375">AirRaid Airbrush

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Bali Ranchhod

Cort Companies

Melvin Corren

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Hi-Grade Cleaners

AirRaid Airbrush