Banning Store Closed After Helping Needy For Decades
Mathewson’s Department Store on Ramsey Street was a fixture in Banning for decades.
But soon, it will only be a memory.
Volunteers are now clearing the cluttered store — trying to sell or recycle what’s left.
The beginning of the end came back in January.
With the building literally falling to pieces, the city shut it down — citing a long list of code violations. And it’s considered such a health hazard — anyone who goes inside must wear a pollution mask.
Owner Bud Mathewson, who also lived on the property, had to move.
“He thought he was going to die here. This is his home,” said Sue Coder, who worked for Mathewson for more than 15 years.
She says she was hired after she tried to pawn something and needed help getting back on her feet.
“He gave me a loan for my first car which was $300. As I needed another car, he always lent me the money. Charged me no interest. And he did that with a lot of people,” said Coder.
Selling a wide-range of items — many of them used and pawned — Mathewson used the store to help countless people.
“He was sort of a one-man social services agency. He would help people every month get to the end of the month, have enough money to buy food,” said Banning Mayor Barbara Hanna.
Friends are giving back to Mathewson — who’s now 88 years-old and in a nursing facility recovering from an illness.
Volunteers held a sale outside the store last weekend and raised $4,000 — all of it going to Mathewson.
Over his 55 years in Banning, Mathewson always looked for a way to serve.
He started videotaping city events and gave more than 400 tapes to the Banning Library.
“Almost every event you went to, you’d see Bud there. He was always taping and interviewing people. It’s going to be a great document. 50 years from now, it will be incredibly important,” said Bill Bell, with the library.
