The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1980 property is no longer on the market.
Post Commander Phil Sickler says the building at 932 Graphic Arts sold to MRSK Buildings early this month. Sickler says the sale price was $140,000.
MRSK owner Jeff Hodges says the business will split its operations, with the shop and warehouse moving to Graphic Arts and sales and estimates remaining at 2604 West US Highway 50. MRSK offers customized homes as well as metal, steel and wood frame buildings.
The post has to vacate by Oct. 30, so members have scheduled an auction at the post on Oct. 23, with bar equipment, a refrigerator, shuffleboard equipment, tables, chairs and a pool table among the items for sale.
Post members reached their decision to sell this past spring, in large part due to financial issues dating back seven to 11 years. The post went through a four-year period between 2014-2018 where employee taxes weren’t paid to the Internal Revenue Service as mandated. Besides the decision to close the post, part of the aftermath from that period included a loss in non-profit status for Post 1980. Sickler says the Internal Revenue Service had been studying the case briefly before closing it. It may take up to a year for the IRS to restore nonprofit status if it decides to re-open the VFW case.
Sickler says the club will still remain active, supporting veterans and improving the community. It is still looking for a new home, but it can’t use proceeds from the sale towards a new building until it can regain non-profit status. It can, however, use proceeds for nonprofit activities once it starts an account soon with the Emporia Community Foundation.
