Sunday, October 11, 2015

What Are Your Ideas For Ben's Iron Grill Building?


The building that once housed Ben's Iron Grill restaurant has been for sale for nearly 11 months.  

While we've heard reports of some interested parties, the "for sale" sign remains.

According to an online listing with Woods Bros. Realty, the asking price has been reduced all the way down to $169,900.

Here's how Woods Bros. describes the property:

"Excellent opportunity to own a well established business with over $250,000 in upgrades and renovations. Includes fully equipped chef-size kitchen with tons of space and storage. 40 feet of counter space to belly up to the bar and ample seating for quests. Two apartments upstairs, would make a great extra income! Call for details."

While we are sad to see the "for sale" sign on the building that was home to Ben's Iron Grill, the property presents a sound opportunity for someone with the right business idea for main street Dorchester and the northern Saline County and southern Seward County area.

We would like to know what your ideas would be for this building, if you owned it?

No one know the Dorchester and Saline County market like our readers.  

Leave your ideas in the comments section of this post by clicking "comments" below.

Click here to see the property listing and numerous pictures.


This property on the east side of Dorchester's main street is fully equipped and ready to go and would be a steal at the current price. 

Here are the details regarding the building as we know them:  


  • All restaurant and bar equipment is included. 
  • There are 5720 square feet with this property.  
  • Taxes in 2014 were $1,831.
  • There are two walk-in coolers, a walking freezer, television sets, under bar cooler, beer keg cooler for up to 4 kegs, taps, grills, 18-foot fire suppressant hood, grills, cookers, deep fat fryers, refrigerated salad bar table, pots, pans, dishes tables, chairs and more. 
  • Everything an investor or group of investors would need to operate an efficient restaurant or any business that needs such equipment.

The atmosphere of this restaurant and bar gives it the capability of becoming a regional attraction. 

We hope a creative individual or group with the right idea can make this property an attribute to the community.  

11 comments:

  1. J Master Jimbo Jazzy JeffJanuary 2, 2015 at 4:07 PM

    The building needs to become something used more often -- a small-town grocery store combined with a cafe, bakery, antiques store. Something ambitious and that combines many things into one and doesn't compete with the bar across the street.

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  2. to make it break even i'd start by renting out the top floors as apartments

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  3. I heard a bar in lincoln wanted to make a steak house out of it if they could agree on a price. This would be great for our town/

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  4. There's no place in crete to eat, a town of 7,000, unless you want pizza or runzas. Please let a steakhouse come to dorchester, I'll go every weekend!

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  5. Many times on the weekend we go down town and the bar is full so we go to seward and there are lots of good places to eat there.

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  6. Bens bar had the best ribs around I hope the new owners have them too.

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  7. Are the taxes stated in this article for just the real estate or does it include the personal property taxes, too?

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  8. If I had the cash, I'd buy the building and turn it into two things, business rental space below, for several small businesses (like the bakery), and upstairs apartment space. THis could be a profit maker after about 5 years and a real attribute to the town. Imagine how nice it would be for a young business person who has a good online marketing idea but also needs commercial space, without going into debt

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    Replies
    1. I like Ed's idea.

      Small towns (smaller than Kearney or Grand Island) need to be creative in order to SUSTAIN & SUPPORT small business now days. A coffee shop, health food retailer, antiques store, plumber/electrician/skilled trades, dollar general, these are all things that could fill that space because they can't be duplicated by WalMart or online retail. I agree with Ed that if a business could come in and just lease space it would be more attractive,

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  9. How about a farm credit office?

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  10. Dorchester needs leadership! Badly. It ain't comin from the village board and hasn't for about 20 years now. I mean just look, one of the board members has a property that looks like a junk yard right on main street. How can you lead if you can't lead by example? Lots needs to happen before I would invest in this property. I think it could easily make a go of it as a casual restaurant and drinking establishment, but first I'd want to know the town is willing to support me. The current board board, or at least the majority, shows me they not only won't work for progress but also will try to fight it. That's gotta change.

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