Downtown Wichita Falls Development buys 709 Indiana for offices and a new welcome center

Downtown Wichita Falls Development has bought the 100-year-old building at 709 Indiana Ave. to transform into a new welcome center and staff offices, taking another step forward in the revitalization of the city's historic downtown, DWFD announced Monday afternoon. 

Poised to celebrate its 20th anniversary at the turn of 2020, the organization aims to make the old shoe company building into its new home before Hotter'N Hell Hundred Aug. 22 through Aug. 25.  

“We’ve always loved this building,” Jana Schmader, executive director of DWFD, said. “It’s right in the heart of development that’s going on down here.”

The former shoe company is next door to the Wichita Falls Brewing Co.

Schmader said the DWFD is hitting the ground running to create a downtown welcome center in time for the visitors who flock to the city’s iconic bicycling event, as well as to establish a hub for potential economic development downtown. 

DWFD’s offices are now housed in the historic Oil & Gas Building at 813 Eighth St.

“That office has suited us beautifully,” Schmader said. “But as we wanted to grow and practice our mission every day, it was just time to start owning a piece of historic property down here.”

DWFD closed the deal Friday to buy the Jolesch-Thomas Shoe Co. building, Schmader said.

“We really took our time looking all over, and we just kept coming back to this building,” she said.

“Now, we get to own it. We get to love it. We get to make it ours, so we’re very excited,” Schmader said.

The organization researched the shoe company and found ads published in 1925 in the Wichita Daily News, according to a media release.

“Never before was Jolesch-Thomas Shoe Co. better prepared to serve the public and satisfy their wants. Almost every day we receive new patterns to show you and we extend a cordial invitation for you to visit us,” the ad said.

DWFD representatives believe those poignant words also foreshadow the building's new purpose.

The organization bought the building from Tucker Resources, helmed by Will Tucker, she said.

DWFD worked with him and Vicki Little Milam-Milligan, a former executive director of DWFD, Schmader said. 

“It’s been fun to work alongside them because they’ve always seen the bigger picture,” Schmader said.

DWFD President Cody Magana said it’s been nearly two decades since a small group of individuals came together to improve Wichita Falls by revitalizing downtown.

“In those two decades, Wichita Falls has gone through countless changes,” Magana said. “Through it all, one thing has remained constant: The downtown continues to serve as the driving and rhythmic heartbeat of our city.”

Wichita Falls takes another step forward with each new business that opens downtown, each new job and every new event that draws visitors, he said.

“With every step along this path, Downtown Wichita Falls has tried to be on the front lines,” Magana said.

“We are beyond thrilled at this new adventure, and we look forward to serving downtown in new and exciting ways as we take the next step forward,” he said.