For those of you waiting for Arby’s Restaurant completion, it is coming.

“Although I can’t provide you with an exact date for our Grand Opening in Fort Scott, I’m told that we are indeed on track for a mid-September opening,” said Fred Fleischner, Vice President, Corporate Communications, United States Beef Corporation.

“We have hired a General Manager,” Fleischner said. “Her name is Cassandra Bosley from Fort Scott.”

“We still have openings we’re looking to fill,” he said.

The restaurant is located on South Main in what was the former Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant.

Arby’s is holding interviews every Tuesday afternoon, from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm at the Sleep Inn & Suites conference room at 302 E. Wall Street in Fort Scott.

“We’ll be there for at least the next 2-4 weeks until our restaurant is closer to completion,” Fleischner said. “Those wishing to apply for work at this new Arby’s restaurant can also do so online at www.work4arbys.com.”

The contractor for the project is Coast to Coast Builders, Wichita.

Personal grocery shopping is coming to Fort Scott Walmart, but not anytime soon. Although communications from Walmart indicate otherwise.

Perhaps you were one who received a flyer recently from Walmart or saw the advertisement on TV, or received an email like below that said: “Free Grocery Pickup save you time and money.”

The following is the response from Walmart headquarters:

“Fort Scott will be getting Grocery Pickup, but not for some time,” Molly Blakeman, Walmart Media Relations Corporate Communications said. “The store closest to Fort Scott that currently offers the service is store number 5791 in Pittsburg KS, 30 miles away.”

A new business partnership has been formed between Kale Nelson and Justin Meeks: JK Hold’Em LLC.

Nelson and Meeks have recently purchased the building at the junction of Hwy. 69 and National Avenue for repurposing into offices for themselves.

Nelson will be moving his State Farm Insurance office staff into 1805 S. National and Meeks will be moving his private law practice into 1801 S. National.

The building is about 3,200 square feet.

“My office will be around 1800 square feet,” Nelson said. “Currently I have around 1,200 square feet.”

“Kale and I are committed to this community,” Meeks said. “We are working on a very blighted building. This building needed to be rehabbed. This was a perfect opportunity to take a building and make it better.”

Citizens National Bank ” saw the vision and loaned the money for the rehab,” Meeks said. “Kale presented to BEDCO (Bourbon County Economic  Development Council), who made a commitment.

The Fort Scott city staff have been instrumental also.

“(Economic Director)Rachel Pruitt, (Tourism Director) Larry Gazaway, (City Manager) Dave Martin and (Community Development Director)Rhonda Dunn have helped. Especially Rachel,” Meeks said.

“It’s been a team effort,” Meeks said.

“There are a lot of exciting things happening in Fort Scott,” Meeks said. “We are excited to be a part.”

Nelson and Meeks are doing the demolition of the building in the evenings and on weekends, after their other jobs.

“We are putting in quite a bit of sweat equity,” Meeks said.

Nelson is a State Farm Insurance Agent and Meeks is the Bourbon County Counselor and in addition, has a private practice.

Meeks has been doing private practice out of his home and also has an office on the square in Girard.

“My plan is to do private practice two to three days a week,” Meeks said. “Estate planning and business transactions. I will do depending on what comes in at Girard, in Crawford County. I’ve had a five-year hiatus. I really enjoy being a county counselor, but I want to keep irons in the fire.”

The general contractor for the project is Nate Lyons, and they will be using local contractors, Meeks said.

The building was constructed in 1925 and had many additions through the years with different uses: a steakhouse, bar, pet store, liquor store, antique store and vapor shop.

“People are stopping by and telling us stories” about the history, Meeks said.

The two businesses hope to be in the building after the first of the year, Meeks said.

In two to three months, Dr. Tim Crawford, a local dentist, hopes to be in the renovated building he has been working on this past year.

“We have no firm timeline,” Crawford said. “The end of summer or beginning of fall. We are super excited to see this come to fruition.”

The historic three-story building at the corner of Wall and Main streets, Fort Scott, known as the Marble Building; has at points in time been a theater, bank, retail store, tanning bed business and will be the dentist’s office when completed.

“You can still see the dome for the chandelier in the attic space,” referring to its’ grand past, Crawford said.

The lobby is being restored, including the stained glass windows, the rest will be new construction.

The top floor is six apartments that have recently been renovated, Crawford said.

“The middle level needs some remodeling,” Crawford said. MCM Restoration occupies most of the second floor.

The main floor of the building he purchased, where his office will be, is also the office of Crain Insurance on the Wall Street side.

The move from 1115 S. Main to the new location for the dentist office will increase the size of the office almost four times.

“We are looking at over 5,000 square feet, and right now (at the current location) we have 1,300 to 1,400 square feet,” Crawford said.

Currently, Crawford has two receptionists, one hygienist, and two dental assistants, he said.

“We’ll probably have to add one more employee,” following the move to the new office, Crawford said.

JT Contracting, RL Construction and Peerless Products, all local businesses have been involved in the reno process, Crawford said.