Good bye Battles/Campus town liquors building

**acoustimac** · 09-13-2012, 12:20 PM

Isn't that the building that housed Hardees in the late 70's?

**chuckd4735** · 09-13-2012, 12:20 PM

The current lot that Kum and Go is on 0.2 acre.
The Battles/Campustown Liquors site is 0.65 acres.
The Post Office site is 0.46 acres, and the T-Galaxy site is 0.20 acres.

As the Kum and Go site at S. Dakota and Lincoln Way is on 1.46 acres, my guess is Kum and Go is trying to buy the old post office and T-Galaxy sites still. If they had all 3, they would have about 1.3 acres.

**longtimeclone** · 09-13-2012, 12:25 PM

I wonder if they would build something for the Campus liquors to rent a space too so they could still get a cut in the campus liquor sales.

**chuckd4735** · 09-13-2012, 12:39 PM

Also, Im surprised this has not been brought up here or published in the Trib yet, but Olive Garden is coming to Ames, right next to Texas RH.

**JSmoove** · 09-13-2012, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by chuckd4735

I would be shocked if Kum and Go did not take care of all that before they tried to sell the property...

Im working on a project down here in STL where we are dealing with this exact problem. So it happens more than you think.

**Angie** · 09-13-2012, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by chuckd4735

Also, Im surprised this has not been brought up here or published in the Trib yet, but Olive Garden is coming to Ames, right next to Texas RH.

Is that official-official? That rumor's gone around so many times, it would be great if it were finally true.

**vmbplayer** · 09-13-2012, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by MartyFine

So there is going to be a new Kum & Go surrounded by a bunch of empty buildings? That isn't good news for Campustown.

uhhh, pretty sure Kum N Go is interested in buying all the properties to make a full sized gas station and convenience store...

The only empty lot would be the one where Kum & Go currently is which would undoubtedly be bought pretty quickly by another interested developer.

**chuckd4735** · 09-13-2012, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by Angie

Is that official-official? That rumor's gone around so many times, it would be great if it were finally true.

Pretty sure, unless the city employee I heard it from had the wrong restaurant.

**vmbplayer** · 09-13-2012, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by longtimeclone

I wonder if they would build something for the Campus liquors to rent a space too so they could still get a cut in the campus liquor sales.

Gas Stations in Iowa can sell liquor now I believe. It may be a big reason they want a bigger store is that they want room for more liquor inventory.

**longtimeclone** · 09-13-2012, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by vmbplayer

Gas Stations in Iowa can sell liquor now I believe. It may be a big reason they want a bigger store is that they want room for more liquor inventory.

I realize that but does K&G sell kegs?

**chuckd4735** · 09-13-2012, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by JSmoove

Im working on a project down here in STL where we are dealing with this exact problem. So it happens more than you think.

I'm assuming the project you are working on is in more of a blighted area? Campustown property is pretty premium, and the value of that property would drop quite a bit or be unsalable if they did not have it "shovel-ready".

**Senolcyc** · 09-13-2012, 12:51 PM

Battle's has moved before, it used to be over on Hayward. The building it is in doesn't matter much, it's all about the sauce recipe.

**cyclone87** · 09-13-2012, 12:59 PM

Like some others have said it sounds like they are in talks to buy out the post office and the old T-galaxy building as well. Seems they want a larger and more modern convenience store/gas station, and one that can service more pumps as well. I would think a developer would buy up their old property pretty quickly as it is a good location. Some improvements seem to be occurring in campustown (i.e. new businesses like Charlie Yokes, portebello road, and also the continued construction of more apartments to the south of that area increasing the population density which businesses probably like to see), hopefully this helps to speed up those improvements. Hopefully battle's can find a new and adequate space in campustown, who knows this may actually be a good thing for them.

Also, Im surprised this has not been brought up here or published in the Trib yet, but Olive Garden is coming to Ames, right next to Texas RH.

My wife will be overjoyed if this is true, my wallet not so much.