Owensboro City Block Sale Listing Holds History

OWENSBORO, Ky. (WEHT) — It’s rare that an entire city block is up for grabs, but that’s the case for land at the corner of Breckenridge Street and East Fourth Street. The seller says one thing’s for sure whoever is lucky enough to get their hands on the deed is buying into nearly a century of the Haydens’ rich family history.

“The Hayden family always enjoyed the people of Owensboro… the people have always been nice to the Hayden family,” says Larry Hayden, the property’s owner.

For around $895,000, 20,000 square feet is available to interested buyers. Hayden says his grandfather, Otis Hayden, started a furniture store here in the 1950’s.

Larry says he started working at the store when he was 13, and Otis loved to give back to the community. “Everyone called him Pappy Hayden, and the saying was ‘trade with pappy and be happy’,” says Hayden.

Hayden says Otis had the most fun entertain kids in the community.

“Come Halloween time, the kids in the area enjoyed coming by, soaping the windows and having their fun. We could sit in here and laugh, and sometimes in my younger years, I helped them,” says Hayden.

One part of the facility is freshly paved, but not for the reasons you think.

“One time he dug a big hole in the floor, had a man go down, and sit in it. He would cover it with plexiglass. People would come by and talk to the man down in the hole, and he was just a big, entertaining type person,” says Hayden.

Leland Herzog, of Gulfstream Commercial Services, says the 10,000 square foot space could be used for anything, and the property owner is offering ideas for the other half.

“One of the things that the owner has been talking about doing is demolishing the three buildings that are right next to this more prime space. It would be perfect for parking,” says Herzog.

Larry says the ideal buyer will have a passion for Owensboro and its people.

“…the type of person that would enjoy talking to people, helping people and putting something nice in here that everyone could enjoy,” says Hayden.

Officials say there are several interested buyers, but as of right now, the space is still in the market.