These three buildings were occupied by the Cravea family as a shoe store from 1906 through its closure in 2002. These buildings and their neighbors comprise one of the last False-Front commercial districts in California. The character-defining features of this style include its rectangular plan and symmetrical façade, horizontal wood clapboard siding, moderately pitched front gabled roof with a rectangular parapet and coping, and wood display windows with a recessed entry for a storefront.

300-A: This Western False-Front style building was built around 1870.

304: Constructed in 1883, the building it is known historically as the Joe Cravea Shoe Store, Mission Shoe Renewal, and John Cravea Clothing.

302: Shortly after the 1906 earthquake, Joe Cravea built this two-story concrete and wood frame building next door to his shoe store and incorporated it into his first shop. The Crevea’s lived upstairs with their six children. The family kitchen was downstairs, and locals still recall the wonderful aromas of Paulina’s savory Italian dishes as customers had to walk through the kitchen area to get to or from the shoe store and the clothing store. The rich smell of leather in the shoe store is still remembered by some today. Joe Sr. ordered shoes but also repaired shoes using a cobbler machine. There was a basement under the two-story building where he plied his other trade as a bootlegger.

One of the fondest local memories is of the Liar’s Bench which was in front of the buildings. On any given day locals could be found gossiping and shooting the breeze. Much philosophy, old stories and jokes were shared. The bench had seat belts, supposedly to keep old timers from falling off.

Originally the bench was just a few doors down at 308 Third where it was part of the Men’s Club. They played cards there around a wood heater. When the building was repaired and became the Gularte Land Office the bench was moved in front of Cravea’s

Next door the Mission Cafe building, which came to be owned by the Crevea’s, was constructed in 1856. It was once the store of Julius Breitbarth, one of the leading boot makers in Central California. It has been much remodeled over time. Today these three buildings are shops.

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