A historic Methodist Church dating to 1844 on Shelby Street may be the future home to an organic feed and supply store. Gill Holland, Tim Peters, and a group of investors purchased the church as part of the Wayside Christian Mission campus deal on East Main Street. While the group won’t take over the entire Wayside property for some time, the church, currently used for storage, will become available in the spring.
Earlier this year, Tim Peters had considered moving his construction business offices from the Highlands at Bardstown Road and Longest Avenue to the building. Now, the building may be converted to the region’s first organic feed store that developers hope will compliment the future permanent farmer’s market slated for the same block.
Gill Holland described the church as beautiful on the inside, and once cleaned up, could be brought back to its original grandeur. New windows will replace the half boarded up apertures and a new roof will be installed as part of the renovations. He noted that Muhammad Ali, back when he was known as Cassius Clay, used to box inside the church.
Whether the future of the church brings offices or the organic feed store, restoring the church will definitely be a boon to the neighborhood most recently dubbed the East Market District in the Heart of NuLu.
