The “for sale” sign is coming down at the old post office in Fayetteville’s historic square.
Jim Huson, the new owner, says he will lease the building and plans to preserve the historical landmark which was built in the early 1900s. He bought the building Wednesday (June 12) for $1.3 Million.
For more than three decades, the building on the square housed one of the city’s post office locations. It’s now on the National Historic Register.
“It`s too nice of a building to not share with the city of Fayetteville and the people and they always supported us down on Dickson street and we want to continue to do something for them up here,” added Huson.
Huson also owns Doe’s Eat Place on Dickson and a location in Bentonville. While he’s unsure of what will be in the building, he says he does not anticipate moving the restaurant.
“Something needed to be in here, we obviously have restaurants and it would be a natural fit for that at some point in time maybe and it all just came together at the right time and the right pace,” said Huson.
The building was constructed in 1911 and was a post office until closing in the 1970’s, leaving the building up for possible demolition.
“I remember coming here as a kid getting our mail and was like `Wow` everything was so big and shiny and pretty and the oak, the wood in it. So it has been an important part of Fayetteville history for all that time,” said Paula Marinoni, Historic Preservation Activist.
Over the years it has undergone many transformations, most recently it was a bar and grill which closed in 2009.
Huson said the inside was well-kept and a business could move in soon.
“I think for a 102-year-old building the inside is absolutely incredible and I know we could be open in 30 days based on the appearance of everything inside,” added Huson.
The building was placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1978.
“We`re going to bring that building back to life, for so long it has just been vacant, empty and we need that life in the middle of the square,” said Marilyn Heifner, Advertising and Promotion Commission Executive Director.