www.ThadKBartley.com

This will be another good upgrade to 4th Avenue. Not only will it add to 4th, but it will also bring some more jobs to Reno County. Very cool!

"Site cleared for store

Contractor readies lots for business that will sell furniture, electronic items.

By John Green - The Hutchinson News - jgreen@hutchnews.com 

Development of the site for a new national rent-to-own store began in Hutchinson this week with the demolition of a vacant home and defunct computer repair business.

A Texas-based contractor quickly cleared the two lots on the northeast corner of Fourth Avenue and K-61 to make way for an Aaron's Inc. store.

The company is targeting an October completion of the 7,200-square-foot store, said Coy Dowthitt, superintendent for project general contractor RBR Construction, Weatherford, Texas.

Aaron's operates some 1,705 company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and Canada, including 25 other stores in Kansas. The company specializes in residential and office furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories.

The Hutchinson store will reportedly be a company-owned operation, rather than a franchise. The News, however, was unable to reach officials with Aaron's in Atlanta for more details.

Entrepreneur R. Charles Loudermilk Sr. founded the business in 1955. Headquartered in Atlanta, it's been publicly traded since 1982.

Because of its location so near the Fourth Avenue and K-61 intersection, a main entrance to the business will be the alley to the north, off of Hoagland Street, said Hutchinson City Planner Casey Jones. The current driveway approach off Fourth Avenue will also be moved further east.

Using the alley as an entrance requires the company rebuild it with 7-inch-thick concrete, Jones said.

The work will also include installing a new sewer line in the alley to serve the store, Dowthitt said.

The building, with an address of 1418 E. Fourth Ave., will be located on the easternmost of the two lots, with parking on the west lot, Jones said.

The structure, valued at $550,000, according its building permit, will be a pre-engineered metal building, Dowthitt said."

Hutchinson News - July 01, 2010