Page 32 - Demo

30Knights of the Pythias Lodge %u201cThat tall building really looks like it could be interesting on the inside.%u201d John had repeated this phrase often over the past several months, as we scouted Indiana%u2019s downtowns for good shots. Here, in Shelbyville, he%u2019d already photographed the exteriors of a number of old storefronts. We particularly liked a Victorian fa%u00e7ade announcing in bold letters that it was a local jeweler (page 105). Now, crossing the street and exploring the other side of the Square, John was looking up at a possible treasure%u2014a grand, but vacant, Lodge building (back cover). But how could we get in?After asking several people on the street if they knew who owned the place, we learned that George Lux was the man to see%u2014and he could be found just around the corner at Lux Realty. But the office manager said George was out of town. Then she added that his son, Larry, might be able to help. He was an officer at the Shelby County Bank%u2014again, only a few doors away. A receptionist rang his office and we were soon face-to-face with Larry Lux in the bank%u2019s lobby. Although he was busy, once we explained our mission, he was eager to give us a tour of the old building. As the three of us walked over together, Larry took care of some business on his cell phone.As he unlocked the door, our guide explained that, for many years, the first floor had been occupied by Murphy%u2019s Dime Store then, later, it was home to an antique store. Now, the entire building was vacant. Larry said his dad owned a number of downtown buildings and, because there didn%u2019t seem to be a rental market for the upstairs space, he hadn%u2019t been very enthusiastic about fixing up, or renting, the upper floors. As a result, nothing had been done to them for decades. Realizing that we were Ballroom (Knights of Pythias Building), Shelbyville%u2014Shelby Co. (523-06)