Word on the Street: What’s Going into the Old Kmart Building?

Word on the Street: What’s Going into the Old Kmart Building?

In small towns, the rumor mill often swirls with both true and unfounded claims alike, whispers and Facebook posts which we here at Eastern Sierra Now often try to steer clear of. We are an upstanding news organization, after all. ESN (get the app today) publishes current events and news about sports, supports local businesses, hosts polls and contests, and we even produce podcasts.

Sure, we dive into the speculative from time to time, but we vet every single news piece that comes across our desks.

But… (now this is a big but), occasionally we hear of a piece of news from a reliable source that is so big that we just wouldn’t feel right holding it back from our incredibly loyal readers and watchers. Now, this isn’t official official, or officially official, or… nevermind, and we can’t reveal the source, but we’re going to share it here anyway.

There is word that the Kmart building in the Taco Bell parking lot is going to be split into two separate retail buildings. What exactly is going in there we do not know. We only know, or have heard, that they will be two distinct retail businesses. And as for the other spaces in that parking lot? Are you ready for this? Those will be ninety-two separate apartments, forming a small community near the other businesses and not too far from downtown, either.

Now before you start asking us if it’s going to be a Chick-fil-A inside of a Target with a Tractor Supply attached to the back, or an ice-skating rink next to a Safeway, we must tell you this one thing: we don’t know. Our owner, Jesse Steele, has silently been wishing for one of those giant trampoline places where he can just kick off his shoes, get a big bounce, and leap through the air without a care in the world (now that’s an image we won’t get out of our heads for a while), but even he doesn’t know what’s going in there.

What we’re hoping for are two businesses that can fill some type of a need we have in this beautiful oasis we call home. Somewhere locals can shop locally, and maybe even provide some employment for those who need it. And hey, maybe we can get that affordable housing that’s been talked about so much recently.

There will be a meeting with Foothill Partners at C5 Studios (210 South Warren St. in Bishop) on Tuesday, March 11 at 9:30 AM to further discuss the matter.

Whatever happens, it’s guaranteed that we will be there to report on it. And like we said, we normally don’t report on rumors so take this with a grain of salt. But this is one rumor we hope turns out to be true.

We will reach out to our elected city council members early next week for more information.

The full press release can be read below:

Bishop Commons

Questions and predications have peppered the Bishop community as to the fate and possible transformation of the older Kmart property located at the corner of North Main and Yaney Streets.  Vacant for 27 years, and an eyesore to the community, the property is not currently living a useful life. We have a plan to redevelop the property and make it part of the community.

Please join us, Foothill Partners, at C5 Studios, 210 South Warren Street, Bishop on Tuesday, March 11 at 9:30am to learn more, ask questions, share ideas and concepts, make recommendations and meet us.

News Staff