On Saturday afternoon, interior walls were either stripped down or removed altogether as a demolition company from Merced cleaned out the former Sorenson’s True Value hardware store in downtown Riverbank. The historic building is being converted into a health clinic.

The city approved preliminary plans back in August and Horisons Unlimited Health Care of Merced began demolition work this past weekend. William Wareham, president of M&W Construction Inc., said his crew was expecting to completely raze the interior by today, Nov. 25. He said he’d be back on Monday to begin framing for the new interior, including offices and exam suites throughout the L-shaped building.

Located on the south side of Santa Fe Street, between City Hall South and A.J. Meyers’ former saddlery shop, it most recently was One Cut Above, a hair cutting salon, but for a long time before that it was Sorenson’s True Value Hardware Store, located at 3234 Santa Fe, directly across from the Riverbank Historical Museum.

In August, representatives of Horisons told city officials of the planned upgrades to the store facade, interior improvements that would provide patient treatment areas, and the establishment of a covered staff break area outside on the adjacent paved area.