Military nonprofit to buy Sioux Falls' old Badlands Pawn space?

A nonprofit group serving South Dakota military members aims to be the next owner of the old Badlands Pawn space, according to a letter sent to American Legion members last month.

The South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance, a nonprofit established last year, is hoping to purchase the campus of buildings at 1600/1700 W. Russell St. and has invited several Sioux Falls military groups to move to the space, according to the September letter.

American Legion Post 15 members are set to meet Oct. 30 and will consider whether or not to accept the nonprofit's invitation, First Vice Commander John Bachmeier said Monday.

"Should this pass, (the Legion) would remain separate from the Military Heritage Alliance," Bachmeier said. "This is a post looking to move from one building to another building.”

Dollar Loan Center founder Chuck Brennan owned and operated Badlands Pawn, which coupled a pawn shop the size of a small airplane hanger with a gun range and a radio station. Badlands Pawn opened Thanksgiving Day 2015 and closed little more than a year later after voters agreed to tighten South Dakota's payday loan laws.

Brennan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

As recently as last year, the 70,000-square-foot facility was on sale for an asking price of more than $12 million.

The South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance was founded in October of 2018 by military veteran Stacy Kooistra and James Myers of Myers Billion law firm, according to documents filed with the South Dakota Secretary of State's office.

Kooistra currently serves as the city attorney for the City of Sioux Falls, but said Monday the nonprofit is not a city project. He otherwise declined to comment.

James Myers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Their nonprofit is also planning to open the state's "first comprehensive military museum," in the old pawn shop, according to the letter sent to Legion members.

Leaders at Post 15 decided in early September to decide in a member vote whether to accept the invitation to move to the old Badlands Pawn space, pending the sale, according to the letter.

The notice sent Sept. 9 to American Legion members said the move would "allow Post #15 to concentrate on raising money to help fund all of the youth activities and other programs that the post supports."

The Military Heritage Alliance would also run a gun range, gun store and deli, with profits going to its member entities, according to the letter.

Bachmeier said moving is just one option being considered by the Legion. If approved by members, the Legion would then consider selling its current location at 1701 W. Legion Dr., he said.

"The membership can decide what they want to do moving forward," Bachmeier said.