Remaining walls of Templeton Feed & Grain storefront torn down after fire
The final pieces of Templeton Feed & Grain — it’s century-old storefront — were demolished Monday afternoon.
Just over eight months ago, the iconic building, a fixture of Templeton’s Main Street, was destroyed in a catastrophic fire sparked by fireworks launched by four juveniles on the Fourth of July.
The 105-foot-tall silo towers and granary warehouse that loomed over downtown were badly damaged in the blaze and torn down shortly after the fire, leaving only the white storefront with “Templeton Feed & Grain” in black lettering.
But on Monday, that too was leveled by excavators, turning the page on a structure that lasted more than a 100 years in Templeton.
Co-owner Rick Jermin, whose family has owned and operated Templeton Feed & Grain since 1946, said Monday’s final demolition efforts were bittersweet.
“It was truly a hard day for everyone,” Jermin said. “There was a lot of history in that building but there was a lot of damage so we had to make the hard decision to tear it down.”
The storefront will be rebuilt on the same property in a similar footprint to the old store, though it’s not currently known whether manufacturing of feed and grain will still be done at the new store, Jermin said.
Currently, Templeton Feed & Grain’s recipes are being mixed and manufactured at Penny Newman Grain in Hanford, Jermin said.
“We trusted Penny Newman with my grandfather‘s formulas to manufacture the same feed our customers have come to expect from us,” Jermin said. “We are grateful for all they have done for us and the great relationship we have had with them for many years.”
Jermin watched the building come down with sadness, but he said he’s looking forward to giving his family’s business a new home.
“We’re grateful for all of the support we have received,” Jermin said. “I hope everyone understands the situation. We’re all saddened for the loss, but we are hopeful for the future of Templeton Feed and Grain.”
This story was originally published February 9, 2026 at 5:33 PM.
CORRECTION: Rick Jermin clarified some of his quotations from the initial version of this story.
