Out of ashes Modesto’s Crescent Supply returns to full strength in new forever home

Like the first responders who make up many of its customers, Crescent Supply has been steady in a crisis.

After a mid-September four-alarm fire burned its well-known downtown building to the ground, the longtime family owned work and outdoor supply store quickly reopened in limited capacity in one of its former locations on McHenry Avenue. Now that site — the store’s new permanent home — is ready for its grand reopening this weekend and a celebration to thank the community for its support.

“It’s been overwhelming. The customers just want to be here because. They all want to talk with us and share with us,” said Craig Stott, who owns the business with his sister Tiffani Stott. Their grandparents started Crescent Supply in 1946 and it had been in the downtown building on the corner of Eighth and H streets since 1963 selling work clothes, police and firefighter uniforms, outdoor gear and more.

According to Dustin Bruley, chief of the Stanislaus Regional Fire Investigation Unit, the massive downtown blaze began at the largely vacant warehouse at 722 I St., at the corner of Eighth and I streets. It quickly spread to adjacent businesses AJ Batteries and Albert’s Tire & Wheels, which suffered minor damages, and then jumped over a small storage yard to the Crescent building.

Bruley, who is leading the investigation into the downtown fire, said the cause is currently listed as “undetermined,” pending additional information which could change it to arson. Investigators have not been able to track down or interview a subject caught on video in the alleyway shortly before the fire started. They are still asking for the public’s help to identify the man.

Craig Stott said that while they’re still waiting to find out more about the cause of the fire, one thing is clear. They’re not going back to their old downtown location. The family has leased that building since it moved in 55 years ago. Stott said that site, which has been reduced largely to charred exterior walls enclosing rubble, will likely be torn down.

Their new location is in fact an old location, the business’s former second location in town from 1970 to 2003. Most recently it was home to the Priceless Treasures Thrift Shop, which relocated in July to a new spot farther north on McHenry Avenue. The family owns the building at the corner of McHenry and Stoddard avenues and had been leasing it out to other businesses since moving out.

Stott said the move prompted another change — a return to the store’s original name from its newer moniker Crescent Work & Outdoor. People had continued to refer to the store as Crescent Supply over the years, and instead of fighting it, Stott said, they leaned in to the community nostalgia.

“Really, it doesn’t feel like we skipped a beat. Everyone is so glad we went back to the old name,” he said. “I didn’t realize the name was that strong until now.”

Since reopening just about a month ago in the new site, employees have been working nonstop to bring it fully up to speed. Its tailoring shop reopened a couple weeks ago and is now back in full force with all new sewing and embroidery machines. The floor is now, almost, fully stocked. Stott estimates they have about 30 percent more merchandise they’re waiting to get in and on shelves and racks.

One change people will notice when they walk in is how open the space is. While it is significantly smaller that the downtown site, the new floor plan does not delineate between the first responder uniform area and the rest of the store. It all flows together on purpose now. They continue to carry the popular 5.11 Tactical brand and now also the full line of First Tactical brands, both companies initially started by Modesto entrepreneur Dan Costa.

“We’d watch as construction guys would stop at the opening for the uniform department and go, ‘Oh, this is the cop section’ and turn around,” he said. “Now we’re just one consistent store and all the employees are trained on everything.”

While they haven’t been able to bring back all of its about 30 employees from before the fire, he said they’re at about 60 percent and climbing.

Some cosmetic exterior window coverings and interior wall hangings are still in the works. Large-scale murals on metal will be hung honoring military and first responders, as well as commemorating the fire that caused their move. Other items rescued from the flames, including an original burned-out door from the downtown site, will be displayed throughout the store.

The grand opening weekend celebration Friday and Saturday will include a storewide sale with 20 percent off all merchandise and a special 25 percent sale on all 5.11 Tactical gear. It is the first in a series of special events planned through the end of the year. The store will be open for Black Friday (but closed on Thanksgiving Day so the employees can spend time with their families). And on Dec. 6 it will host a Meet the Neighbors event from 4 to 6 p.m. to say hello to its new College area community with food, drinks, giveaways and discounts.

Crescent Supply is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at 321 McHenry Ave. For more information call 209-529-3490 or visit www.crescentmodesto.com.

This story was originally published November 14, 2018 at 5:33 PM.