Semi smashes into beloved Crescent business

The owners of a well-known Crescent business are picking up the pieces after a semi truck ripped through their store Monday night.

Ken’s Sporting Goods opened its doors along Highway 97 more than three decades ago. Now, husband and wife Dennis and Kim Mathers are surveying the damage to the store they’ve owned for about a year.

“My husband and I are retired military, and we put all of our savings into this business,” Kim said Tuesday, “and here we are, with a semi sitting in our front porch.”

Kim said the owner of the bar across the street called around 8:30 p.m. Monday, saying a big rig had crashed into their store. Fortunately, it was after hours, and no one, including the driver, was injured.

The store will remain closed, for now, and the Mathers aren’t sure when it will reopen. They still need to have it inspected, to know the extent of the damage. The semi truck is being left in the building until a contractor says it’s safe to remove it.

“I’m at a loss right now,” said building and former store owner Chuck Defoe. “I’m looking at my old store here that I sold, and it’s just heartbreaking.”

Many loyal customers are stopping by to check on one thing — the iconic wooden bear statue that has stood on the building’s roof.

“We have customers all over the state. It’s an icon. We’ve got the bear. People recognize the store by the bear,” Kim said.

A long-time customer surveying the damage said, “It’s something that shouldn’t have happened. It’s sad, but at least the bear’s standing.”

The Mathers said there is still a lot to figure out, but they will definitely reopen in the future.