TOMASINI'S HARDWARE REOPENS AFTER 2006 FIRE:RETURN OF DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DRAWS MORE THAN 1,000 VISITORS, ALONG WITH PRAISE FOR OWNER

More than a thousand people turned out Saturday for the grand reopening of

Tomasini's Rex Ace Hardware & Country Store, the old-fashioned shop in

downtown Petaluma that was destroyed by fire 14 months ago.

And many of them showed up with trays of food, drinks and desserts, their

way of thanking Jeff Tomasini for bringing back his store.

Some called it a downtown institution. Others likened it to a community

center where everyone is on a first-name basis.

Boyd Davis, a local carpenter who lives up the street from the hardware

store, arrived with a Radio Flyer wagon loaded with vanilla ice cream he made

the night before. Davis, who brought his 4-year-old son, Wyatt, and wife,

Genie, said he used the ice cream maker he had bought at the old hardware

store.

''I really like Rex's,'' said Davis. ''I always thought it would be cool to

come down here and hand out ice cream. This is the perfect opportunity.''

The old store, which owner Tomasini took over from his dad in 1984, was

gutted by a blaze that was caused by an electrical short in the security

lighting system.

Tomasini, who turned down opportunities to sell the property, rebuilt the

store with an eye on preserving as much of the store's old-style feel as

possible.

The store still has its signature beige exterior trim, and the shop's wood

floor, though recently oiled, should start creaking soon.

Inside, Tomasini busily attended a steady barrage of customers who didn't

mind waiting in long lines to buy such items as garbage bags, yellow jacket

traps, door mats and brooms.

As he handed people their receipts or change, Tomasini received countless

quick greetings: ''Looks good, Jeff,'' ''Congratulations,'' ''We're so proud

of you,'' and ''Welcome back.''

Petaluma residents Allen and Linda Noren said coming back to the store was

an emotional experience.

Before the store burned down last year, Linda had her eye on a ceramic

elephant syrup dispenser. ''I looked for it to see if it was still here and so

I got it,'' she said.

The Norens, who brought their two children, Leif, 6, and Mia, 10, said

Tomasini's store was an anchor for the community, a reminder that the old ways

of doing business still work.

''The workers here know what the needs of the customers are,'' said Allen

Noren. ''They're stocking for the needs of the community.''

In the store's rear patio area, dozens of tables were set up for customers

to sit and eat and listen to performers playing on the receiving dock, which

served as a stage.

Leslie Hansen, who lives five blocks away from the shop, said she recalled

how locals stood around the fenced-up property after the fire last year,

holding flowers and sympathy cards and signs.

''It was like a community grieving,'' said Hansen. ''Some communities have

their neighborhood drug store. We have Rex's Hardware.''

''But this is a happy day,'' she said.

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 521-5213 or

martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com.