YATES CENTER — The owners of Yates Center’s downtown Waymire Building received another boost in renovating the historic structure.
Owners Emily and Chuck Beesley received a $95,090 “Downtown Revive & Thrive” grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce for what will become Waymire Marketplace, an artisan-focused incubator space.
The plan is to offer shared retail, pop-up space and small studios for emerging entrepreneurs, Emily Beesley explained in an email.
The building, at 106 and 108 W. Rutledge St. — directly south of the historic Woodson County Courthouse — will be ideal for supporting product launches, business growth and increased downtown activity.
The Beesleys have spent more than two years renovating the building which also includes upstairs living quarters.
The extensive renovation has been mapped out in four phases, two of which are largely now complete. The first two phases covered the retail and upstairs living quarters at 106 W. Rutledge. The Department of Commerce grant will help complete Phase 3, the retail space at 108 W. Rutledge.
Next, the focus will shift on the final phase, the upstairs apartments/living quarters at 108.
While the Beesleys have two years to complete the retail project, their timeline is much more ambitious, Emily explained.
Ideally, the space will be ready for business activity as early as next summer.
“I would have loved to have been able to finish everything in Phase 2, but money just doesn’t stretch that far,” she said. “But as for our original vision, everything is shaping up nicely.
“When you’re doing a big renovation like this, it just takes a long time to complete.”
The Beesleys have been intentional about blending modern comforts with the building’s historic charm.
Original tin ceilings, old trim, doors, and floors have been preserved, while vintage chandeliers and other character pieces have been sourced from antique shops and salvage yards.
The building holds deep personal ties for Emily. She inherited it from her grandmother, Ellen Steele, who operated Daylight Donuts for 42 years on its ground floor. Steele passed away in 2016.
The Beesleys live in Piedmont, Okla., where Emily works as an advisor for the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center and Chuck works in cybersecurity for Oklahoma Gas & Electric.
And while still methodical and patient witheir renovation process, Emily is nevertheless excited about the opportunities the Waymire Building will offer.
