When you drive around Christmas Circle you can’t miss it. From 1949 until 1977 it was known as Hugh Woods Market - a building of mid-century modern design that for many years was the one and only grocery store in Borrego. At night it was a glowing beacon onto Christmas Circle.

Post 1977 the grocery was called Borrego Valley Foods. Two years ago the building was sold to Borrego Valley Foods LLC, a subsidiary of GH Capital, the company that bought Rams Hills (reworked into Montesoro Golf and Social Club) and La Casa del Zorro (rebranded Borrego Ranch Resort and Spa, which closed January 8^th, 2010). Plans were to open an upscale market in Borrego Springs – however those plans never materialized and the building has been vacant since.

Later this month the building is up for auction – and in the next issue of the Borrego Sun, an interesting article will tell the latest installment in a story of boom and bust. What is of particular interest to borregomodern.com is that what we suspected has been confirmed – that the building was designed by William Kesling, and constructed by Kesling Modern Structures – the same as the historic and iconic Borrego Springs Desert Club.

Borrego Historian and author Phil Brigandi writes, “Quite right! The third issue of the Borrego Sun (May 1949) reports the opening of the $50,000 Borrego Business Building (which included the market). “The architecture and construction were completed by Kesling Modern Structures Company of La Jolla specialists in ultra-modern styling.”

We at BorregoModern.com believe the Borrego community and the buildings’ next owner have the opportunity to recapture and capitalize on this important part to the community’s history. The Hugh Woods Market building is a significant contributor to Borrego’s historic commercial core. Built in 1949 it appears to retain much of its original fabric. While there have been alterations, these can and should be removed and the building brought back to its original design. It can be the anchor for a revitalized commercial core that celebrates and capitalizes Borrego’s unique mid-century Desert Modern design esthetic.