Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
A long-hidden jewel was rediscovered on Buffalo Street this week when Wildman Construction workers removed a metal panel above Reader's World.
Covered for more than 40 years were Corinthian capitals and an ornate entablature with three arches.
"I knew there were arches but not what they looked like," said Reader's World manager Nan Hill.
Eric Kosins of Warsaw owns the building, purchasing it in 1992. For many years a Readmore store occupied the building. Also 12 years ago, Kosins sold the business only to the Majereks of Niles, Mich.
The building was built in 1883 and functioned as a saloon during the time the courthouse was built (1881 to 1884).
"As the story goes," Hill said, "the courthouse construction crew ran up a sizeable bar tab. To settle up, the crew kind of appropriated leftover materials and built the facade."
The front may have remained covered even longer if not for the Warsaw Community Development Corp.'s improvement program.
Plans were to install a new awning. The metal plate was found to be too unstable to support another awning.
Wildman Construction removed the metal piece Monday, revealing the limestone. This was followed by a power washing and a little tuckpointing here and there.
"We're on hold with the awning. Mayor Wiggins asked what we can do to keep from covering it with an awning. Everybody has said 'You're not covering that up again, are you?'
"I'm trying to get a meeting with all interested parties to hash this out," Hill said about the awning.
Two doors to the south, Paula Bowman of Kaleidoscope at Courthouse Coffee calls the new facade just beautiful.
"Now why couldn't our building have been a saloon all those years ago?" she said.
