The recent purchase of the former Flint Hills Music store at 715 Commercial means big changes for two local businesses and one of Emporia’s staple community events.
The venture began after local residents and business owners Lucas and Amy Moody purchased the former Flint Hills Music Store at 715 Commercial Street. Amy Moody says they were intrigued by the idea of creating a shared space for local businesses to work out of and they have already chosen the two businesses that will fill the space once renovations are complete, hopefully, later this year.
Those businesses include Trox Gallery and Gifts and Gravel City Roasters. Kaila Mock of Trox says she still “can’t believe this is all happening.”
Trox has been located at 729 Commercial in the Emporia Main Street incubator space for roughly the past two years. Mock says the new building space comes at a perfect time as her “term” in the incubator space will be coming to an end soon.
Angie Baker of Gravel City Roasters says they’re just as excited for the move as anyone as it will allow them to expand their seating space, which she says becomes rather cramped during the school year. Baker says it will also allow them to expand their already impressive menu selection.
Much like Mock with the incubator space, Amy Moody says Emporia Main Street has been a major supporter of the new business endeavor.
Not only will the building serve as the new home for Trox and Gravel City Roasters, the upstairs portion of the building will house office space for Emporia First Friday, which continues to expand, and it will also have enough space for a frame shop to help participating artists.
Renovations are expected to begin shortly at 715 Commercial with both businesses hoping to be fully moved in by mid-August.
