Guerneville's historic 1921 bank building, beautifully restored as a collective for artisanal ice cream, handmade pies, and Russian River history.
The Historic Bank Club, widely known as the Guerneville Bank Club, stands as a prominent anchor on Main Street in the heart of the Russian River Valley. Built in 1921, this striking Beaux-Arts structure was designed by renowned architect Carl I. Warnecke, whose neoclassical vision featured stately pillars and elegant detailing. For decades, it functioned as a community financial hub, but its final financial tenant, the scandal-plagued Centennial Savings & Loan, defaulted and closed in 1986. Following that collapse, the building sat completely abandoned and neglected for nearly thirty years, slowly deteriorating until local creative director Bob Pullum purchased the property in 2014. Pullum partnered with local entrepreneur Crista Luedtke, famed for her nearby boutique hotel and restaurants, to execute a meticulous, multi-year restoration that ultimately earned the prestigious California Preservation Foundation Historic Preservation Award in 2020.
Stepping inside the restored space reveals a thoughtful marriage of historic preservation and vibrant, modern design. The original light fixtures, soaring plaster ceilings, and nickel-plated brass push-button switches have been carefully preserved, maintaining the building's historic integrity. To inject contemporary warmth into the neoclassical shell, celebrated typographer Jessica Hische designed bold, retro-inspired murals that were hand-painted by San Francisco's New Bohemia Signs. The building's massive, original steel bank vault remains a central focal point, but instead of holding cash, it now houses a quirky vintage-style photo booth where visitors can capture memories of their Russian River adventures. The surrounding space functions as a lively retail and community collective, showcasing curated artisan goods and rotating art exhibitions.
Today, the primary draw inside the historic vault walls is a pair of exceptional artisanal food purveyors. Nimble & Finn's, an organic ice cream parlor founded by sisters Jazmin Hooijer and Leandra Serena Beaver, serves up dense, slow-churned scoops made with a base from Marin County's Straus Family Creamery. Their inventive, seasonally rotating flavors include Lavender Honeycomb, Bulleit Bourbon with chocolate-covered pretzels, and Cafe Cubano. Sharing the counter space is Chile Pies Baking Co., where visitors can pair their scoops with a slice of signature sweet apple and green chile pie, complete with a drizzle of warm, chile-infused honey. For the ultimate indulgence, the staff will blend an entire slice of pie directly into a milkshake. Beyond the sweets, the building houses a dedicated exhibition room for the Russian River Historical Society, allowing guests to browse vintage photographs and artifacts detailing the region's logging, resort, and flooding history while enjoying their treats.
Step inside the original steel vault to find a quirky retro photo booth, then order a scoop of Nimble & Finn's Lavender Honeycomb ice cream on a slice of warm green chile apple pie.
Coffee & Craft — Roadside fuel stops curated by Basecamp West. The best coffee shops, craft breweries, diners, and eateries worth the detour on your next Western road trip.