One Year Later: The Heart of Templeton Still Beats
By Hayley Mattson · Thu Jul 02 2026
A year after fire forever changed Templeton's skyline, the legacy of Templeton Feed & Grain lives on through family, community, and an unwavering commitment to the town it has served for nearly 80 years
There are some places that become so deeply woven into the fabric of a community that they seem permanent. They become more than buildings; they become part of the town's identity. For generations of Templeton and North County residents, the Templeton Feed & Grain was one of those places. Its towering wooden silos welcomed visitors into town, framed Fourth of July parade photos, and stood as a quiet reminder of Templeton's rich agricultural heritage.
Families measured their lives against those landmarks. Parents who once visited the feed store with their own parents eventually brought their children and grandchildren through the same doors. It wasn't simply a business — it was part of growing up in Templeton.
That is why the evening of July 4, 2025, remains etched in the memories of so many. What began when a firework was thrown onto the steel roof of the feed mill quickly became far more destructive. Investigators would later describe the device as more consistent with a fire bomb than a simple firecracker. Within hours, flames engulfed the iconic wooden silos, and what followed was a fire that burned for more than a week, leaving behind a smoldering mountain of grain, twisted metal, and memories.
Today, one year later, Main Street looks undeniably different. The familiar silhouette that had watched over Templeton since the 1950s has disappeared. Even the historic storefront that survived the initial blaze ultimately had to be demolished after engineers determined it could not safely be incorporated into a new building. In its place sits an empty, fenced lot waiting patiently for the next chapter. Yet despite what has been lost, one thing has never disappeared.
Templeton Feed & Grain is still here. It continues serving customers every day from its temporary warehouse on Ramada Drive, producing the same custom feed formulas that have been trusted by local families for generations.
For Rick and Stacey Jermin, the anniversary is one filled with mixed emotions. There is sadness, certainly, but there is also an overwhelming sense of gratitude that has carried them through the most difficult year of their lives.
"It's incredibly humbling," Rick said quietly while reflecting on everything that has happened. "You think you're just running a family business — something your grandfather started — and then something like this happens. Suddenly, you realize how many people care, how many people are invested in this place."
Stacey admits she has struggled with the approach of the anniversary itself.
"I had hoped maybe we could just hide away or go somewhere that day," she shared honestly. "It's such a hard impact on our family. It's not something we're looking forward to celebrating."
Her words are those of someone still grieving — not just the loss of buildings, but the loss of something that represented decades of family history. Yet even through that heartbreak, she immediately returns to the people who surrounded them during those first unimaginable days.
"We also know this community stood with us when everything burned," she said. "We want to honor that."
That gratitude has become the defining theme of the past year.
The story of Templeton Feed & Grain has always been about more than grain or livestock feed. It began when Tom Jermin Sr. purchased the property in the 1940s, transforming what had once been a grocery store into a business that would serve generations of farmers, ranchers, families, and 4-H members. The massive Douglas fir silos that became Templeton's most recognizable landmark were added in the 1950s, constructed with nearly 50 tons of nails and standing nearly 100 feet tall. Inside those walls, Rick's grandfather developed custom feed formulas that would earn a reputation far beyond San Luis Obispo County, even attracting international customers seeking the family's renowned rabbit feed.
When the fire destroyed those historic structures, the immediate question became whether the business itself could survive. The answer came from the community almost instantly.
Within days, Penny Newman Grain stepped in without hesitation, reproducing the Jermin family's exact feed formulas so customers never experienced a disruption.
"Penny Newman stepped right in, no questions asked," Rick recalled. "That has truly been a lifesaver for us."
The support continued to pour in from every direction. Engineer Andy Brown of ABI Engineering and his team worked alongside the local Templeton Fire Department to safely guide the complex and dangerous demolition of the unstable structures. Their expertise, coordination, and steady leadership helped ensure the site could be cleared safely while preserving the path toward rebuilding. Chicago Grade Landfill waived disposal fees and even opened on a Sunday to accept debris. Trucking companies donated equipment and countless hours. Friends, neighbors, and complete strangers offered whatever they could. One image that remains forever etched in Rick and Stacey's minds is seeing people throughout the community wearing green Templeton Feed and Grain hats during those first difficult days—a simple gesture that reminded them they were not facing this tragedy alone.
Rick says it is impossible to fully express what that support has meant.
"That shared commitment is what keeps us going," he said. "Templeton Feed and Grain has always been about being there for our customers."
This time, the customers were there for them.
One of the community's most remarkable acts of generosity came last September, when the Ponderosa nonprofit, in partnership with the Stronger Together Committee, organized the Templeton Revival fundraiser. The event raised more than $450,000 to help the Jermin family navigate the enormous costs left in the wake of the fire. Aletha Ens, the accountant who oversaw the fund, said transparency has been a priority from the very beginning.
"Every dollar has been accounted for, allocated, and paid out," Ens said. "All of it went toward the cleanup and the aftermath — demolition costs after the large silo tower came down, debris removal, engineering assessments, site stabilization, and the many unexpected expenses that come when a fire of this scale destroys decades-old structures. The money has been fully spent on those immediate needs. Everything going forward — the rebuild itself — is now strictly on the Jermin family."
While the generosity of the community eased the tremendous burden of recovery, Rick is quick to point out that rebuilding Templeton Feed and Grain will ultimately be the family's responsibility. He has remained committed to being transparent throughout the process and wants the community to understand exactly how the funds were used.
”We'll never be able to thank this community enough," Rick said. "The support we've received over the past year is the reason we're still here today. Every person who donated, volunteered, wore one of our hats, shared a kind word, or simply continued doing business with us helped carry our family through the hardest year of our lives.”
One of the most difficult decisions came several months after the fire when engineers determined the remaining historic building could not safely be saved. Years of age, combined with extensive fire damage and the tremendous amount of water required to extinguish the blaze, had compromised its structural integrity.
"That was a hard reality to face," Rick admitted. "We knew it would be difficult for the community because that building meant so much to so many people. That's why we're determined to bring back something that honors the historic building and reflects the legacy.”
The future building will look different than the one generations remember. There will be no towering wooden silos rising over Main Street.
"There's not enough grain grown here anymore to justify that structure," Rick explained. "Even if we wanted to rebuild them, it would cost millions because of the engineering and materials required today."
Instead, the family plans to build something that honors the historic storefront while creating a modern facility that is safer, more efficient, and properly insurable — a building designed not only to remember the past, but to serve the next generation.
As criminal charges have now been filed in connection with the fire, the Jermins have made a conscious decision not to allow the legal process to define this chapter of their story.
"We are 100 percent focused on getting the business functioning and consistent, and trying to get back on the property," Rick said. "That's what we've been working on for the last year."
Perhaps no statement better captures the heart of Templeton Feed and Grain than Stacey's simple reflection one year later.
"We're still here serving customers," she said. "The heart of it remains the same. Templeton Feed and Grain was never just a building — it was the people and the community who gave it life."
Rick echoed that same sentiment.
"Everybody is really hurt about the silos being burnt down, but we can't rebuild them," he said. "What we can do is make sure the business that has served this community for nearly 80 years continues on."
As Templeton prepares once again for its beloved Fourth of July celebration, many will notice the empty space where the silos once stood. The parade will pass by a skyline forever changed. There will undoubtedly be a moment when longtime residents instinctively look toward Main Street and remember what once stood there.
But perhaps this year's parade offers something even more meaningful.
It reminds us that communities are never defined solely by their landmarks. They are defined by the people who lift one another up when those landmarks disappear.
The Jermin family shared a message that says it better than anyone else could:
"Thank you so much for your thoughtful donations. Our family is deeply touched by your generosity and by your shared love for Templeton Feed and Grain. Losing such an iconic building has been heartbreaking, but your kindness and support have brought us comfort and strength. Templeton Feed and Grain was never just a building — it was the people and the community who gave it life. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with us during this difficult time. We look forward to one day once again calling Main Street home."
One year after the fire, the buildings are gone, but the values they represented remain firmly rooted. Integrity. Family. Hard work. Community. They are the same principles that Tom Jermin Sr. built his business upon nearly 80 years ago, and they continue to guide Rick and Stacey and their family today.
The skyline may have changed, but the heart of Templeton has not. Templeton Feed and Grain is still serving its customers, still looking ahead, and still writing the next chapter of a story that is far from over. In many ways, the legacy that once stood 100 feet tall now stands even taller — in the resilience of one family and in a community that refused to let tragedy have the final word.
Feature Image: An American flag is shown flying near the Templeton Feed & Grain structure shortly after the July 4, 2025, fire that ultimately led to the building's demolition. Photo by Rick Evans/ATN