- Home
- Local Info.
- News
- Entertainment
- Recent
- Help
- Join
New Furniture business coming to Elwood
Under:
The old Leeson Department Store on Anderson St. has been sold by The St.Vincent Mercy Hospital Foundation. They have been the sole owner of the property since 2001. The new owners are planning a retail furniture location for the property. Deb Rasper, administrator of St.Vincent Mercy Hospital said “We are so pleased to be able to find someone who will not only add to the retail options of downtown Elwood, but also sees the value of this historic building.” Right now, The building has two tenants, The Salvation Army and the Morrisett Center. The Foundation has been working closely with these organizations for the past couple of years to help with the transition.
The new owners will take possession of the building around Dec. 1. This will allow the Coats for Kids, Festival of Trees and Grand Soiree to take place for the final time in the Foundation building. Angie Collins, executive director of the St.Vincent Mercy Hospital Foundation said “These events will be very special for two reasons. They will culminate our 25th anniversary, and they will be the last events here. We hope to have a full house to help us celebrate”
Leeson building
A retail furniture store! Updegraff's Furniture has been trying to get into that building for years! Only to be told no. I hope DJ and family have finally been told Yes!! What a great hometown family owned business to occupy a historic uptown building that was once owned by another great hometown family! Updegraff Furniture has been a quality locally owned and operated furniture business that has kept growing and expanding due to Elwood and local community citizen support. They first moved from South B street when the hospital purchased their land for expansion. DJ expanded to 31st street and Main and his business continued to grow. More expansion and he opened up a larger location at the old T-Way center. Dollar General moved in and he was forced out from there too. Not being deterred, DJ was able to expand further east from their Main street location, which actually gives them two locations within approx. a block from each other. When the hospital foundation purchased the Leeson building, I cringed! Our uptown was becoming medical complex in the 200 block of South Anderson St. I for one am happy to see the hospital offices move out! Personally, it was probably done with the expansion of the hospital and a much needed tax write off! Like I said... that is my personal opinon and is certainly not fact based. It is about time that the citizens of Elwood have an uptown that is growing in the shadow of the past hayday of what made uptown Elwood great! I only hope that Updegraff Furniture will be the tenant of the Leeson building .... another great family tradition in the works. But... maybe DJ told them NO!! LOL!! (oh in case you are wondering... I am NOT related to the Updegraffs!! They are just great people and this would make a great story!!)
I agree!
I too hope the furniture store is DJ's! I for one won't buy furniture from anywhere else and I have referred several friends from Cicero to DJ as well and they LOVE his business! Only time will tell who it is, but it would be excellent if it were DJ!
they are great
got wonderful furniture from them,,,,, hope they are the ones that got it!!!!!
Good News!
I have posted more than once how I thought the hospital buying up downtown takes tax revenue away from our town due to the non for profit designation. I think that is how it works could be wrong.Anyway I too thought D.J. would make a great addition to downtown instead. So I hope he is the new owner, if not I hope the new owners make a go of it. Not sure the town could support two furniture stores or not. I know we have before but, I will leave it at that. congratulations and continued investment downtown. This is Good news for our city.
Post new comment