In business

The price was right.

Steve Schwieterman’s decision to purchase the former Westlawn Elementary School really came down to that simple assessment.

“I really don't know why I bought it,” Schwieterman said. “I just thought it was a good deal and I could think of something to do with it.”

He bought the former school from Jay School Corporation for $60,000, with the school board approving the sale on Aug. 1, 2022. (His was the only offer the corporation had received for the school, which had been closed for a little over a year as students shifted to the former West Jay Middle School as part of a consolidation process.)

Schwieterman, who had been flipping houses in the community, wasn’t quite sure what he would do with the building that had housed kindergarten through sixth graders. He thought about apartments as a possibility.

Now, about a year later, three businesses have set up shop in the Westlawn building with more expected to follow.

“I’m glad,” said Schwieterman, adding that he never expected such a response. (He said he feels like he hears from someone new every other day.) “There’s a lot of ideas.”

He’s planning on taking the process slowly.

“I just take my time,” he said. “I don’t get too excited. Get some people in here before winter and just pay the bills.”

Schwieterman said he was initially approached about a jiu-jitsu studio locating in the Westlawn building. At that time, he didn’t believe he was ready or would be able to generate enough business interest to make such a plan viable.

But eventually he started hearing from other potential businesses.

Schwieterman gave the OK, and The Cave Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & MMA moved in early in July. Fat Cat Tattoos was right behind, and this month Nicci Littler’s Old School Speech got started. Dunkirk Barber Shop hopes to be moved in this fall. (He started filling classrooms from the west side of the building, where the kindergarten classrooms used to be, and is working his way around.)

While he’s had some painting and a few other minor maintenance items to handle, for the most part, Schwieterman’s work to get the building ready has been minimal.

“The building’s in unbelievably good shape,” he said. “They’re basically remodeling their own rooms … I let them do what they want to do.

“I didn’t really have to do anything. … Nothing really major.”

Schwieterman grew up in rural Portland and attended Bryant schools before moving to the new Jay County High School for his final two years, graduating as a member of the Class of 1977. He’s done “a little bit of everything” for work, including farming and several stints at Portland Forge.

Before moving back to Jay County and settling in Dunkirk, he lived in Austin, Texas, where he was helping out with his son’s jewelry business. He started flipping houses, and the Westlawn project seemed to him a natural next step.

He’s turned the former office area where secretary Susan Huffman and principal Jeff Davis previously worked into his new office, complete with decorative items from the former art rooms. (Classroom signs still have the names — Mrs. Loucks, Ms. Rion, Mrs. Farr — hanging in the hallways.) In addition to the businesses that are already in operation or committed to move in soon, he’s also had interest from a bakery and ice cream shop. He’s talked to another regional business about possibly opening a retail site in part of the gym, hopes to have a restaurant take over the cafeteria and the remainder of the gym and wants to turn the former library and adjacent classrooms into a wedding reception venue. He’d also like to bring in a coffee shop.

“With everything in one spot, they kind of can feed off each other,” Schwieterman said.

He doesn’t have any plans yet for the outdoor space — Westlawn sits on about 8 acres — and said he will keep the playground equipment up for Littler’s clients and/or visitors to other businesses.

Ultimately, he’s just hoping to keep making progress step by step and have the building fill up with active businesses.

“This will be pretty cool for Dunkirk, Indiana,” he said.