JESSAMINE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — JESSAMINE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — UPDATE: An antique shop in Nicholasville may have to shut down soon. Jesse Lemay, the owner of the Coach Light Antique told LEX 18 on Thursday that thanks to the efforts of the City Attorney, he was told to hold off on moving out despite the fire marshal condemning the building. However, on Friday afternoon, the city of Nicholasville reached out to LEX 18 and said that wasn't the case.
"Contrary to what was written in the article, the Nicholasville City Attorney, Darren Sammons, has not been involved in this process. He has not spoken to Mr. Lemay. If Mr. Lemay has spoken with an attorney, it was not one affiliated with the City of Nicholasville," a release from the city stated.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Lemay was informed Wednesday that he would have two weeks to move everything out, something he didn't think would be possible.
Lemay said he wasn't given proper notice, which is something the city denies. Lemay added that rents in other locations were very high, so he was unsure if they could reopen anywhere else.
Walking inside the antique mall can be like taking a step back in time, a sort of therapy for some, Vendors said. Inside the store, there are about 10 independent vendors who sell their goods. It’s a hobby for some while for others it provides critical cash.
The store has been closed since it was condemned on April 20th. They said the city told them there were problems with a wall, that the roof sagged, and there was electrical wiring that needed fixing. Lemay said the landowner was working to get everything fixed. It wasn’t fast enough for the city, who first informed them of issues in March, and had given the landowner an extension, according to city spokesperson Doug Blackford.
Vendors like Hannah Hall said it was safe.
“If the building was falling in, that would be one thing, if the roof was falling in if the lights were flickering on and off, if we had numerous fire calls, anything like that, that could be different,” Hall said. “Nobody wants anyone to be unsafe, however, we all feel very safe here.”
Blackford said the store could reopen if repairs were made.
