40 years in 800 square feet

Every picture tells a story. To reflect the saga of Sonoma’s Broadway Market, a historic mainstay at the ‘four corners’ intersection, it takes a mural 12 feet tall and 60 feet wide.

Artist Dave Gordon puts the finishing touches on the project, commemorated April 15 by Supervisor Susan Gorin and friends of the store. Ron Rogers, who owns the market with Dianne Gaudino, his cousin, commissioned the piece as part of the store’s 40-year anniversary. He said he wanted a country feeling, something to capture the essence of the setting, the store and it’s place in the community. “I love it, it’s better than I expected,” Rogers said.

The mural pictures Ron and Dianne, plus longtime manager Al Robles, and neighbor and customer Mitch Mulas in a big red fire truck. The Polar Bear is a nod to part of the store’s original name (Polar Bear Meats), and signposts mention area wineries that have good neighbors. “We’ve made lots of connections over the years,” Rogers said. “There’s a lot of loyalty.”

In making the mural, Gordon in his studio sketched and painted 14-foot strips of cloth, then applied them to the actual wall for detailing and final additions, such as the chicken crossing the road.

At the April 15 were, from left: Al Robles; Ron Rogers; Supervisor Susan Gorin; Community Development Commission (CDC) Project Supervisor Fred Bengs; Diane Guadino; CDC Project Specialist Charles Dolwett; and
muralist David Gordon.