Colleen and Corey Conrad have revamped downtown buildings in Casey and created spaces for successful businesses.

 

By Rich Wicks | Guthrie Center Times, February 2025

“Somebody ought to do something about that” is a common phrase heard regarding situations and/or things that need to be repaired. As in many small towns, Casey had seen a gradual decline in the vibrancy of its business district, and that was worsened when a fire occurred in 2014 that destroyed the community center. 

In 2016, Colleen and Corey Conrad stepped in. As a native of Casey, Colleen felt she and her husband should do something about the situation. So, they took it upon themselves to do what they could to bring businesses back to downtown Casey. She recently told us the story of how they came to undertake this large project. 

“We looked at Casey, and a lot of the downtown buildings were in bad shape, and there just wasn’t much activity down here,” Conrad said. “But there are a lot of creative, intelligent people who want to put businesses in these buildings, but it’s so expensive to fix them up.”

That didn’t deter her interest, though.

“I’ve always had a love for Casey. My dad had the funeral home here, so I grew up in the funeral home up the hill, behind the old Catholic church. My parents were always very involved in the community, so I’ve always had an attachment to Casey,” Conrad said. 

The building that first caught Conrad’s eye was the corner building that was formerly Mary’s Café. But when working to purchase the building, Conrad found out things would be more complicated than she originally planned.

“The first building was Mary’s Cafe for 30 years. Tin Lizzie’s used to be a hardware store. And the other three buildings…at one time, they were a café, a bar, one was a meat locker. 

“The corner building down there that’s not done is the only one I originally wanted. Long story short, in order to get that building, I had to buy four other buildings,” she said. “But, ironically, that one is going to be the biggest challenge due to the foundation and everything. So, I’ve learned a lot about restoration.” 

To make the vision become a reality, a good contractor was needed. Conrad recalls that she found one by pure luck.

“I had just purchased these buildings, and I was looking for a contractor. I was at our log cabin at the lake and needed to have a contractor come in and fix some logs,” Conrad said. “It was Dustin Wardyn, with CW Contractors, and I asked if he had any interest in looking at the buildings I’d just purchased, to see if he would do the work. He said sure, and, eight years later, he’s still with us.”

Because of the age of the buildings, Conrad wasn’t initially sure how much work would be needed to get them restored, but she and Wardyn have handled the various surprises along the way.

“The buildings were a big challenge. Every so often, Dustin would call me and say, ‘Well, I have some news,’ and I could always tell by his voice how serious it was,” Conrad said.

Funding the projects has been a challenge, but Conrad has done her homework.

“As I got involved, I went to a lot of city council meetings, and I did some research with the state. I think people who are interested in rehabbing buildings in small towns may not realize that there are grants and resources available,” Conrad said. “I’ve always boasted that I’m good at pinpointing talent among people. There’s a gal here in town, Casey Peterson, who is an amazing grant writer. I contacted her and got her in my group, and she’s done great things. So many people have helped.” 

Conrad says the entire community has been supportive.

“The one building across the street, we got a Catalyst grant for, and that’s a $100,000 grant that you have to match, so that was good,” Conrad said. “The city has been wonderful. The city council and the mayor and everybody. They’ve all been very supportive. Because we had a Catalyst grant, you have to have the city support it and assist with some paperwork and protocols, and then they also donated in-kind work, hauling away rubble and rocks, and there was a lot of that.”

Conrad recalled that, when she first began the project, she quickly learned to be thick-skinned regarding rumors and doubters. She said her response when some doubted she would be able to revamp the downtown buildings and create spaces for successful businesses was, “Challenge accepted!”

Conrad also heard some bizarre early rumors regarding her plans.

“When I first purchased the buildings, there were rumors that I was going to tear them down and put up windmills,” Conrad said. “Another rumor was that I was going to open a strip club. It was just kind of funny to hear those things.”

Looking back, Conrad recalled an early challenge. 

“An insurance agent came for a walk-through. He was wearing a really nice suit, and he stepped right through the floor,” Conrad said.

But she repaired the floor and carried on.

Conrad said she’s glad to have a strong team to do the things needed to make her dreams a reality, from renovation to daily running of the businesses. She doesn’t necessarily intend to continue owning the buildings and businesses for the long term. 

“I just like to create them and put them in the hands of people who make them work and bring our downtown back to life,” she said. “Our goal is to rehab them, get them functioning and then put them into the hands of owners or managers who can run them.”

The results of Conrad’s work speak for themselves. Pioneers Pub and Tin Lizzie’s have become popular destinations for those seeking good food, drink and fun. 

Looking back at what has been achieved, Conrad takes pride in what she hears from the community.

“My favorite, most touching story has been seeing the appreciation of people for what I do, especially people who have lived here a long time,” she said. “They are very appreciative. And people like coming in and seeing their picture on the wall.”

The project has proven what can be done with persistence and teamwork.

“If you can dream it, you can do it,” Conrad said. n