Big changes, news businesses coming to downtown Valentine

VALENTINE, Neb. — Downtown Valentine is buzzing with change as several vacant buildings find new life and new owners.

The former Quigley, Dill and Quigley building at 229 N. Main Street has been sold, though the new owners aren’t ready to share their plans just yet. New owners are also set to close soon on the vacant building at 224 N Main St. Listing agent Mary Gambill said the buyers intend to restore the building and launch a commercial business to help grow downtown Valentine. However, the family is still floating around a couple of ideas.

As News Channel Nebraska previously reported, local businessman Matt Sandoz has purchased Valentine’s True Value store with plans to expand its products and services. Meanwhile, restaurateurs Robert and Lacey Joseph are breathing new life into two historic Main Street buildings. Their mixed-use project, currently under renovation, will feature lodging upstairs and a restaurant — The Draw Bar — with retail space on the main level.

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

At the same time, businesses are preparing for transitions. Sandhills Ice Cream and Treats is now for sale, but the owners say they plan to keep the business open until they find a buyer.

“We’ve already had some interest,” Owner Duane Witte said. “We also plan to seasonally close the business as we have done in the past from the end of December until April.”

Longtime business, Flower Land, is also for sale. The owner is looking to sell both the business and the building.

Several other businesses have also opened within the past year, including Gritty Coffee and 201 restaurant.