VALENTINE, Neb. — Online shopping has revolutionized how we shop. A record 20% of purchases are expected to take place online in 2024, according to a new eMarketer's forecast.

Because of that trend, buying a storefront can be intimidating, but imagine buying not one, not two, but three.

“It caught me a little off guard because we talked about one," Lacey Joseph said. "Then it turned into two and then three."

“Yup. When it comes down to it, we bought more than we intended,” Robert Joseph said.

Meet Robert and Lacey Joseph, who are undertaking this big project in the small town of Valentine, Nebraska -- a town the Joseph family has held close to their heart for generations.

“My son and daughter are sixth generation,” Robert said.

Just like with any building project, there are always surprises. The Josephs transformed one of the buildings into an events center, but shortly after that, they got an offer from someone to buy it.

“Actually even though it was a short flip, we got exactly what we wanted with a neighbor who is going to be retail and professional, and they’ll have some event space,” Robert said.

As far as the other two storefronts, the undertaking is called the William R Fraternal Hall project. The building dates back to around 1900. In its early years the upstairs space housed events for the Odd Fellows, an international fraternity that began in London in the 1700s.

“It was kind of neat to learn the history of the Odd Fellows and different groups that would meet there,” Lacey said.

The old meeting space will turn into lodging, with the main level housing a restaurant and retail.

“We’d like to make Valentine’s Main Street a better mix of professional and retail and lodging to bring it back downtown where there’s more activity and foot traffic,” Robert said.

More activity that the Josephs hope will draw families like theirs for generations to come.