Sawmill Peak, calm against a clear blue skyline, captivates views from the front door. Across the street, drivers refuel for journeys up and down the Ridge. Around the corner, an antique shop and gun store beckon visitors to rejoin their hobbies and pastimes. This little corner of town, home to High Angle Driveline, Paradise’s first completed custom-build commercial building, brings life and business back to the intersection of Clark and Skyway.
Jesse and Tammy Jaynes, owners of High Angle Driveline, have been Ridge residents for over forty years. Although their ranch and home were spared, the fire destroyed their business, which had been operating in town since 2000.
For them, rebuilding was more a question of “where” than “if.” They opened a temporary shop in Chico and briefly considered their ranch in Magalia, but ultimately decided to rebuild on the original lot. “It felt like we reclaimed what was taken,” Jesse said.
In weighing options for rebuilding, the Jaynes’ ultimately opted for a custom-designed steel building metal instead of a stick build. For them, a metal-framed building was not only cost-effective but also afforded them space and safety needed for their work. “It lines up pretty well for what we do,” Jesse explained. Tammy agreed: “Also, it’s not as flammable.” The design also allowed them to connect to the existing underground power lines necessary for their work.
They obtained the permits in late fall of 2019 and broke ground in January 2020. “When we first started laying down the foundations,” Tammy remembered, “people would just come by and want to give us a hug. They might not have known what a driveline was, but they knew it was a business coming back up!”
From that moment forward, the excitement grew. “Everybody was excited,” she laughed. “The residents were excited, the construction crew was excited. The more they got excited, the more we got excited. The longer it went on, the more exciting it was!”
In May 2020, High Angle Driveline officially reopened for business in its original location at 7245 Clark Road, making it the first completed steel frame commercial rebuild in town. “If I’m just here for one day, that’s all worth it,” Jesse said. “It felt that good coming back.”
The Jaynes’ are grateful that they can now offer help to fellow residents. “My goal is to help them out as best I can as quickly as I can,” Jesse said. “We can offer somebody a driveline for their Ford truck if they need to get to work. They won’t have to go to Sacramento–now they can get it locally.”
Considering a build on the Ridge? Their best advice is to come with a ready spirit of support. “Be willing to help the community rebuild by frequenting those businesses that do open and be willing to be extra neighborly.” This, said Tammy, is what helped Paradise get back on its feet. “We saw neighbors helping neighbors and people coming together to lend a hand. I would love to see that stay.”
