The Hole in the Wall Liquor Store is moving.
The store, currently at 13 W. Oak will be moving to 124 E. Wall soon.
“Hopefully we will be able to start work in the next month,” Jody Hoener who along with husband Roy own the liquor store. ” We meet with our contractor this week to get our timeline nailed down.”
They have hired Hofer and Hofer of Humboldt to do the work of renovating what is known locally as the “Old Spoiled Brat Building” at the corner of Wall and Scott streets.
“Mike Hofer is a great contractor and an upstanding individual,” Hoener said. “I look forward to working with him and his crew.’
On March 6 Hoener was on the Fort Scott City Commission Agenda for consideration of bids and Community Development Block Grant approval for renovation of the property at 124 E. Wall.
Susan Galemore, a grant administrator for Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission, informed the Commission that this project was recently rebid a second time, according to the city minutes.
The second round of bids produced three bids, with the low bid from Hofer and Hofer in the amount of $150,084. This amount is still about $50,000 over the projected budget for the project as the grant amount is $95,000, according to the city minutes.
City Finance Director Jon Garrison prepared a spreadsheet reflecting the grant in the amount of $95,000, the City of Fort Scott contribution of $30,000, and the Economic Development Grant in the amount of $3,000. The Hoener’s contribution is $49,759. The total project is $177,759, according to the minutes.
” (City Manager) Dave Martin and Jon Garrison at the City have made this project smooth and have been involved since inception,” Hoener said. “We all have the same goal to move our city and it’s economic growth forward. It’s amazing what can happen when everyone is working towards that same vision.”
The Hoener’s will also be adding housing opportunities to the community.
“Our plan is to move Hole in the Wall Liquor to the new building with apartments in the upstairs,” she said. ” In the back, the empty lot is ours too, we will create a patio space for tasting events.”
“We do not own the building at the location we are at now and wanted to make an investment in our community,” Hoener said. “This building (on Wall Street) is an eyesore to the gateway of our downtown and has been for half a decade. It needed to be fixed and what better way than to use our resources and business to work towards our downtown revitalization. (It’s a)Great location. ”