The Bank of Willits
Now a source for scrumptious food, music, art, and the making of spontaneous friendships, the Brickhouse Coffee shop has changed hands and identities many times.
Beginning in 1911, the site housed the Bank of Willits. (See the story of the Savings Bank of Willits, which reports on that bank’s illustrious history.)
Left: Bank of Willits pictured across intersection of Main and Commercial Streets, sometime after 1914. Photo by H.H. Wonacott, Parkins Collection, Mendocino County Museum.
Former city planner Frank Howard could tell it was “one of the better constructed buildings at the time in Willits” because of the fine craftsmanship in how the bricks and the mortar were laid. In the 1950s, a second story was added.
The building’s cropped corner makes it distinct in any old photo of a Willits streetscape. Inside, customers have a wide vantage point for watching all the activity at this central intersection.
After the bank departed in 1968, leaving behind its vault, the building subsequently served as a deli, the headquarters for an ambulance service, and the Willits Recreation Program office. Other cafés sought their fortune at this spot, including the colorfully named Escape from San Francisco and Mendonesia.
Brickhouse owner Tom Mann arrived in Willits in 1972, looking for the “magic of Mendocino,” meaning an opportunity to live more freely. He believed that his café, with its comfy couches and friendly service, should be a fount of kindness in town. “People can come in here grouchy but should leave happy.” The building now banks on a community exchange of happiness and creativity.
May the Brickhouse live long and prosper.
Right: Contemporary photo of Brickhouse Coffee by Steve Eberhard, courtesy of Steve Eberhard.
Created in collaboration with Kim Bancroft and Judi Berdis and based the 2016 Mendocino County Museum exhibit "Main Street Willits: Then and Now. "Text prepared by Kim Bancroft and select photos prepared by Judi Berdis. We are grateful for their ongoing efforts to preserve our local history.
Special thanks to Kiersten Hanna for project support and assistance.