The sale of Plumb Place to former Stanley Jewelry owner Chris Stanley will help to reposition the Plumb Place agency to resume help serving women in crisis.
That was the assessment of United Way of the Flint Hills CEO Mickey Edwards on KVOE’s Newsmaker segment Thursday. When the Plumb Place agency ceased its operations and closed the house in December 2020 after several years of financial difficulties and the first nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Way spearheaded the Plumb Place Steering Committee, which guided Lyon County District Court on Plumb Place matters, including a tentative board of directors, the continuation of the Plumb Place mission of serving women in crisis and the sale of the property at 224 East Sixth. Edwards says all that work revolved around one overall goal:
The Plumb Place board has been considering different kinds of housing and the number of facilities in Emporia. Conversations continue about possibly expanding the Plumb Place mission to help women with children. It may be appointed by Judge Jeff Larson at a hearing within the next two months.
Stanley plans to close on the property by Tuesday. She has stated her goal of living in the home and having most of the space available for an Airbnb within the next 12-18 months after extensive renovations.
