A New Beginning

In early 2014, Cherub Medical Supply, Kansas City's premier supplier of pediatric medical supplies and support, began looking for a new facility from which to base operations.

Years of explosive growth led to Cherub outgrowing their current location in Merriam Kansas, and the need for a larger facility became obvious.  Many lease options were examined through the first few months of the year until the cold equation of finances make it clear it was time for Cherub to purchase a place to call their own.

So the search was on...  Ok not really, we only seriously looked at one property and for our needs, it was a perfect fit.  We were looking for a property in Shawnee Kansas and we found one right downtown.

The New Cherub.  Main building and small office attached.

The Front of New Cherub, complete with Realtor Garry Merritt

Built in the 1930's the building started life as one of the first gas stations in Shawnee Kansas.  Over the years, generations of car loving families held on to it and kept it as an auto maintenance facility.  When we looked at it, the building was owned by the Burdolski family of Shawnee, who operated an auto detailing shop at the location.

When we got our first look at the interior, it was packed with custom and collector cars and auto service equipment.  While it was gritty, and in some cases downright scary, it had amazing bones that we could work with.  Both parts of the building, the larger open garage space and the attached cinder block office space that had housed a print shop in the past, were large open spaces that would allow us to build everything to our exact needs. 

The larger section of the building, looking to the rear.  Lots of cars and a hell of a lot of false ceiling and old electrical to remove!

From the rear of the building to the front.  Yep, a ton of false ceiling!

With fewer cars, you can see the small office built into the front of the building and the entrance to the office space next door.(Just to the left of the Corvette)

The the rear with fewer cars.

This is one damn scary bathroom...

The small office that is built into the front area.

Open office area in the low section of the office space.

Less creepy bathroom.  They actually cleaned it before they left.

Spooky hallways...

Yes, there is mold.  The roof leaks.

Random office partitions.

From the exterior, the main section of the building showed us an amazing barrel vaulted roof.  Our realtor showed us a few pictures of the barrel vault and while it looked in good repair, we were unsure of the total condition.  After a month or so of debate and numerous walks through the property, we decided to take it on.

We contacted our friends at Bank of Kansas City, the bank that we do all of our business and a great deal of our personal banking with.  After a lengthy period of digging through the finances of Cherub, they finally called to let us know we could have the loan.  Working with the folks at BoKC is always a joy, its more like we have family friends in the banking business rather than a relationship with a cold and distant financial institution.  We cannot recommend them enough.

On the morning of September 11th, 2014 we signed the mortgage papers and picked up the keys to Cherub's new home.

We have a hell of a project ahead of us and with luck, it will all go smoothly.